Blues bid Howard a final farewell

BK sat behind Rooney?

God bless all their families this day.

I still have the image of Colin Harvey in my head from the Man Utd game, which also made me feel so sad. Great players, great servants to our club, and to our lives.

As Graham Stuart put it, Blue dreams, Gaffer.

Up the Blues.

Thanks for all the memories, RIP.

Brent at #13. Superb.

He also gave me the greatest time as a grown up Evertonian when he led us out of the shadows of the RS to become probably the best team in Europe; anyone who was privileged to watch us dismantle Bayern Munich, at the time considered the best team in Europe.

RIP Howard, a true legend, man and Evertonian.

I never actually met him but Colin Harvey I met at the class from '63 and both he and Tony Kay who was also there spoke highly of Howard.

I hope that Martinez can rally our present squad to perform at their best to bring us out of obscurity as a tribute to Howard's memory and our clubs deserving fans.

R I P, Howard Kendall.

There was much talk of the Everton family, and it really did feel like a family funeral, where great memories were recalled and any differences put to one side.

Many VIPs were present, and I said very brief thanks for attending to Ron Atkinson, Howard Wilkinson and Jamie Carragher. But for me, the highlight was talking to the lady sitting next to me. She arrived at the same time as me, before 11:00 am, eager to get a decent seat.

We chatted, she said she has always lived in the immediate environs of Goodison, and attended her first match when she was 10 years old. She had got the bus into town this morning, strolled up to the cathedral, sat there for almost 5 hours, and would then get the bus home.

I said "I know this is a very rude question, but do you mind telling me how old you are?". "99 in February" came the reply.

What a family.

Never had the pleasure of meeting him but always came across as a genuine lovely person.

Rest in peace, Howard.

RIP Howard. Rest well, you've earned it.

Great man for a great club.

COYBs.

The 80s were simply the best times for me. But what I realised today, sitting in that beautiful cathedral and sharing in everyone's memories, is that the Everton family is really what it's all about.

The victories and defeats will come and go. But the people with whom we share our history and our hopes are what we will take with us. Thank you again, Howard, and God bless.

'Family', the Everton family, it was all about that today. As fans, we are all part of this wonderful Everton family.

Goodnight and God bless you, Howard. We will never forget you or be thankful enough for all you did for our beloved Everton.

RIP Howard.

Peter Reid speaking today at the service: "Howard astounded the foreign media in the press conference the day before the Cup Winners Cup Final. It was the done thing that the teams playing would train on the pitch the night before the game. Howard told the press conference we wouldn't be training on the pitch. The media could not believe it and asked Howard why not.

Howard told them "The pitch has a goal at each end and the same markings as the pitch at Goodison. The lads will be alright."

Reidy went on to say it gave the players a big belief in themselves. Priceless.

God bless Mr Kendall.

God bless and keep you, Howie

I was thinking earlier that, although the present Everton 'situation' so often means disappointment and frustration (results, performances, our present position in football), my age (56) means that because of HK, I got to enjoy something that most football supporters never experience - my team being by far the best team in the country (and probably in Europe).

Talk about the stars in alignment. In 1984 I was 25 and on decent money (so could afford to travel all over the country) and at the same time, Howard Kendall's Everton were starting to win games.

This was a period of my life when I was provided with such pride and so many thrills that it is almost impossible to relate.

Going to any ground in the country (train, turnstile, in) and it being a shock if you didn't welly the home team.

Home games being a bit disappointing coz you only won 2-0.

To put my/our luck into context, Imagine being a Newcastle supporter who never got a Howard Kendall (last trophy 1969 I think).

Most supporters never see their sides win a carrot and most managers win nothing, but apart from the league in 63 and Cup in 66, it could be argued that HK had a hand in every trophy we've won since (of course 95 was all about big Joe, but remember, Howard's first buy kept us in the game).

I reserve the right to continue to put pressure on the club to do better on the pitch and to be better run, but I also accept how lucky I was to have been in the right place at the right time.

The place Goodison, the time, when Howard Kendall found his mojo.

RIP and..UP THE TOFFEES!

I am 55 and HK gave me some of the greatest times in my life.

I will certainly be very grateful and never forget him!

You made my youth the stuff of dreams, Howard Kendall. RIP Sir... We are chosen!

I have been a Blue since 1956, and never forget Howard"s goal on the volley against Leicester 6th round of the FA cup in 1968 winning 3-1.

RIP Howard

Sometimes as supporters we criticize the club but when you see scenes like today it makes you realize what raises Everton FC above the rest.

R I P, Howard. sometimes I feel the word legend is not used correctly but with what you achieved as a player, manager and a genuine all round gentleman the title is justly disserved.

It's been sad reading the coverage but also makes me proud to be an Evertonian. I thought the eulogies were fantastic. Peter Reid, probably my favourite ever Everton player, was marvellous.

Everton Football Club is special and Howard Kendall helped to form memories for thousands and thousands of people that they will never forget.

It was a fitting and deserved send off. Respect to you Howard and thank you.

Similar experience Eugene. Having grown up listening to my father pine about Alex Young, Joe Royle, the Holy Trinity and the School of Science, I could only dream and keep my belief as I endured the Gordon Lee years; my first real clear Everton memories. Then along came Howard. I don't know if it was my Dad's genuine excitement at his second coming and whether I was too young to be cynical in 1981 but something felt right as soon as he was appointed manager. A couple of decent finishes (8th and 7th comapred to flirting close to the bottom 3 the previous 2 seasons) and my optimism and belief was being realised.

Genuinely (and I always claim this one to my son when nostalgia gets the better of me!), even in the 83-84 winter of discontent I still felt Howard was the man to lead us despite the vast majority of more experienced supporters around me baying for blood and distributing leaflets. At the ripe old age of 12, I'll put that down to the impression of Howard my father imparted on me and youthful optimism vice footballing expertise or some kind of mystic gift! Then we never looked back, literally won the lot and done it with panache and style too; what a journey. The School of Science was most certainly back and for the first and until I would say now, the only time we could go toe-to-toe with our red cousins in the school yard on Monday morning!. It ended too soon as did Howard's life but let's not go there on this day as we know too well what the major contributing factor was that prevented the dominant English club side of that brief period potentially dominating Europe and being in a position to capitalise when English football restructured in the early 90s.

That said, in hindsight did I want to be that? I'm Everton; we're Everton and bias aside, we are different. As the great man himself once said "the most knowledgable fans in football". Blind faith Geordies we are not, deluded Koppites we are not, arrogant Sky generation (insert latest flavour of the month club) we are not. We are Everton and days like today make you proud to be Everton. Yes I want us to match Howard's standards and be successful but in a certain way and the romantist in me doesn't want us to lose our soul like others seem to. Overly emotional? Yes and I apologise. Sad day but equally a happy day as it reminded me (not that I need reminding) of who we are and what we stand for. Keep the faith; our day will come.....again. Thank you Howard, thank you for everything you done for our club and my formative years. God bless.

I grew up thinking it was natural for Everton to win every game and challenge for every title whilst being fascinated by the tales of the Holy Trinity whilst sitting there with my bottle of pop and packet of crisps and I'll be proud to be blue till the end of time. I cried like a family member died the other week which caught me by surprise but reaffirmed that we are all part of HK's blue legacy.

God bless you Howard and thanks for making us swell with pride and for sharing your achievements so graciously and humbly.

I left home for 4 years at 18 to attend Sheffield Poly in 1984 but got back home to Walton / EFC as often as possible on some rattley train across the Peak District.

Of course, I was skint so only made about 50% of the home games during 1984-88 and a few away. Stuffing SWFC 0-5 at Hillsbrough was memorable for me in the HK era as we were 5 up at half time and I had a couple of SWFC mates. There was a problem on the roads and most travelling Evertonians didn't arrive until half-time. The second half was poor.

There were still great memories even when I wasn't there. I watched the Cup Winners Cup Final in the Sheffield (University) bunker bar with a load of non-EFC mates. The entire bar was full of EFC-supporting neutrals and there was a large screen and great atmosphere.

Even little moments from those days stand out in the way people supposedly remember where they were when the moon landings happened or when JFK got shot, eg. though I wasn't at the match I recall where I was and who I was with when Grimsby beat us in the cup – then we signed Paul Wilkinson.

There are loads of little scraps of memories like that – particularly from that era. Great days – we expected to win every game.

I remember scraping the money together for the Man Utd (almost the treble) Cup Final and the LFC Cup Final. Not the best of days even though we were still at our peak.

Through the good, bad and the ugly, EFC has been the one constant in my life.

Thank you and RIP Howard Kendall for the good times – when we were Kings.

God bless you!

However, those were the best days ever. And you know what, the fact that those wonderful times were unfairly brief gives them a very special resonance. Howard Kendall, great manager, great man, great memories.

We are Everton. Such is our cross to bear. But Howard gave us such joy; as a player, he was superb, who can forget those unstoppable volleys? As a manager he fashioned players into a family and forever will they be brothers.

Families argue but they are passionate; we are part of a family that stands alone, we get it, Howard gets it, Bill gets it. Once touched, nothing is ever the same.

Today, we are as close as any family who has lost its own. Whilst his loss is deeply felt and lovingly so by his family, his extended blue family feels his loss deeply, it is the legacy he leaves that unites us all, our respect, our thanks, our affection and our admiration of a personality of humility, who brought joy to so many of us.

We cannot feel the loss as deeply as his family, but we feel the loss nonetheless. His family is our family for ever more. God bless you, Howard; you made our field of dreams a reality.

You'll never be forgotten Howard, ever. You are Everton for me and many thousands of others and always will be.

I watched Bill's eulogy with great pride and I know he has his critics and the way the club is run, but days like today remind me that there's no club like this, it just wouldn't be the same without these characters. I'd take that over money any day.

As an aside, credit to Alex Ferguson and Wayne for attending. I would hope we'd do the same for them.

I never did... but he made me so proud to be an Evertonian.

RIP

What a great player in a great midfield. To me, that team and those players were the epitome of Everton. The classiest team I have ever seen and Howard was pure class.

Still can't believe it that he's no longer with us. My condolences to his family.

I felt that I was part of a special club; and without doubt, there is something special about Everton FC. And we witnessed today, the passing of one of the most special Evertonians there's ever been.

Thank you, Howard.

There are some lovely words and tributes on this thread and, as you say, all credit to Ferguson and Wayne for attending the ceremony at the Cathedral.

If you think back to when Matt Busby died there was a minutes silence at Old Trafford a couple of days later when we played there, I think it was January, bloody cold, and the minute's silence was conducted in absolute silence to the credit of all of us who were there.

Fitting, then that the United fans gave such warm applause on the day of Kendall's sad death. Some things ARE more important than football.

I remember thinking 14 years (between 70 and 84) seemed like a disgracefully long time to wait for a trophy, yet we're now at 20 years and look no closer.

Which is why imo we need to throw everything at the League Cup.

Okay, it's not the biggest or best trophy, but to win it would make us... winners (win 3 rounds, it's ours).

HK said the trophy that gave him most satisfaction was the FA Cup because it was the first one and the one that changed the mentality of the players. After we'd won it, he had no doubt that the next season we could win the title.

To me it is essential that those too young to have enjoyed us achieving success, get to see us parade something shiny – asap. Something that provides them with memories they'll have for life, something they can point to and say 'I was there when we won the....'

Whether us older guys regurgitating our memories irritates the younger lads, well, I never, ever tired of my Dad talking about Dean, Johnson, Dunn etc., and he never tired of telling me. If you know your history etc. That's how we learn it.

Like you I'd love it if we actually won this Cup, it's one that'e escaped us over the years and it would, at the very least, give the younger supporters something to really shout about.

One thing that cannot be divisive is the knowledge that our great Club is absolute class. From Hillsboro to Howard's funeral, I doubt any Club could genuinely act with such heartfelt and sincere decorum and class.

We are all lucky to be part of this Club

Not, alas, a resolution I was able to keep. Got to 1973 if I recall correctly. There was one spell when we went 35 away league games in succession without winning. Bernie Wright was hailed as a saviour.

Bill did well yesterday – I was outside the cathedral and was told that he hadn't turned up. This rather fuelled speculation, and one bloke wondered if Elstone had secured a two-for-one deal with the church authorities. Then of course he made that speech which (as it always does) summed up my ambiguity about Bill. If only he had been properly rich!

Like many of the posters on the site, I too have memories of our glory days and watching some of the greatest footballers in history play at Goodison: Ted Sagar, Tommy Jones, Tom Finney, Stan Matthews, Billy Liddell, Sam Bartram, George Best, Duncan Edwards, Wally Fielding... to name but a few.

My greatest memory was of paying the princely sum of eight quid for a ten bob ticket to that famous '66 FA Cup Final, leaving Kirkby in my 20-year-old (untaxed) Ford Prefect with my mates at 5 am, ending up at the Wednesday end where all the goals went in. Never was money more well spent. Even more memorable was the birth of my first son two weeks later at Walton Hospital... you just can't buy memories like this.

Thank you

Something tangible with his name, a stand, statue, whatever, I am sure would have made him as proud as could be.

I never met HK other than glimpses of him in the dugout in some games, but I feel as if I know him. Thanks for those memories & trophies.

He is now with the other Toffee legends in Blue heaven, and still part of the soul of our club. Never forgotten, and always with us.