SOCCERVOICE.COM, 26.11.2009
Everton 84-85, the perfect winning formula

Howard Kendall was appointed manager of Everton in 1981. His first formula for success was not a lucky one. The turn came when youth was mixed with a number of special transfers
 

Howard Kendall tried, what most Everton managers after Harry Catterick had done before, to go into the transfer market, use money and believe in a quick fix.

Big money signings such as Jim Arnold (Goalkeeper), Alan Biley (Forward), Mike Ferguson (Forward), Alan Ainscow (Midfield), Mickey Thomas (Winger), Mike Walsh (Defender) and Adrian Heath (Midfield) was all business that later never really gave much result.

Heath contributed well for a number of seasons but never progressed to a level above league football. He was never capped at full international level, despite being a £ 700 000 signing from Stoke.

Everton ended 8th in Kendall's first season in charge. During that first season a number of key decissions were made.

An unknown goalkeeper from Bury replaced Jim Arnold, his name was Neville Southall. Greame Sharp established himself in the team after joining from Dumbarton. Both of them were seen as potential but not 100% first team material.

Kevin Ratcliffe, Gary Stevens and Kevin Richardson were all playing a part, but in no way key players. But something was in the air. Derek Mounthfield had just joined the club from Tranmere.

All of them later became important members of Kendall's 84-85 season team.

Money was tight and Kendall used the money he got on Kevin Sheedy, Trevor Steven and Peter Reid. If Kendall had been given more funds maybe all of them would have missed the chance to join Everton.

Peter Reid was picked from the scrapheap. He was a player with a fantastic potential, but injuries had stopped his progression and no one really believed that Reid would make it at Everton.

Peter Reid is probably the best signing ever done by an Everton manager and it will be almost impossible to copy. He inspired the Everton team and the experience he had and the hunger for success made a vital impact.

Andy Gray was another example of a player most people had forgotten when Kendall brought him to Goodison Park. Gray had also been troubled with injuries, but it worked out perfectly at Everton.

This Everton team had great simularities with the Nottingham Forest team that won the leauge in 1977-78. They also had this great mix of young hopefulls, and a number of lost heroes brought in from the scrapheap.

Neville Southall quickly established himself as the number one Everton goalkeeper. He arrived as an unkown player from lower league club Bury.

Gary Stevens was given the chance as a teenager and quickly made the right back position his own. He is today remembered as one of the best right backs in the history of English football.

Kevin Ratcliffe and Derek Mounthfield became a reliable partnership in the central defence. Howard Kendall first used experienced John Bailey on the left back, but he was replaced by Welsh international Pat Van den Hauwe. Kendall picked Van den Hauwe up for a low fee from Birmingham City.

Paul Bracewell, Peter Reid, Kevin Sheedy and Trevor Steven occupied the midfield. Bracewell was the only player of these three that had expectations on his head when he arrived, the other three were picked from the shadows at Liverpool reserves, Bolton and Burnley.

Adrian Heath and Greame Sharp was the duo up front, but when Heath got injured a certain Andy Gray came in from the "cold". Sharp scored 21 goals, Gray managed nine. Heath had scored 11 by the time he got injured.

Kendall squeezed the best ouf of Andy Gray and he was also an ideal partner for Greame Sharp.

The number of goals scored by midfielders and defenders are also a key to the great 84-85 league winning team. Steven scored 12, Sheedy 11, and Mountfield hit 10.

The Everton team, cost in total, less than Bryan Robson, who at that time played for Man Utd and was the most expensive signing in the league with a price of £ 1 500 000.

This shows that money isn't everything and that you can make good football teams out of players that makes the perfect blend.