With Goodison Park about to be consigned to club history, a new book which lifts the lid on dressing room chatter there among Howard Kendall’s trophy-winning Everton players is reviewed by Eric Brown…
A fan pauses to remember Everton manager Howard Kendall prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park in October 2015. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
BY ERIC BROWN
Everton’s move from historic Goodison Park to sparkling new premises in a former Merseyside dock has quickened interest in club nostalgia.
From ‘Farewell to Goodison’ T-shirts to a whole host of publications, there’s a scramble to put these memorial offerings on the market. Not much doubt what Everton fans will receive as Father’s Day, birthday or Christmas gifts for the next year at least.
Author Steve Zocek produced one of the better books in this genre. “Goodison Memories” is laced with opposition players’ views on playing at Goodison Park and was well received. Originally written in 2022, it enjoyed a new lease of life and a reprint to coincide with the departure.
Now superfan Steve has written a follow-up likely to be met with equal enthusiasm by Toffees addicts. ‘Kendall’s Glory Years’ steers the reader through Everton’s most successful spell when the Goodison trophy cabinet finally bulged towards overflowing.
Well, finally, my latest book has arrived and they’re available to purchase. There are 318 pages of fascinating read.
This would make a great gift for Father’s Day and any upcoming birthdays, also for anybody who wants to relax on holiday. The book is £18.99. pic.twitter.com/sYSgQbTl53
— Steve Zocek (@SZocek) June 3, 2025
Zocek has followed a similar blueprint to his previous book. This time, the interviews are with Everton players and staff who served under the club’s most successful manager. They reveal previously untold stories from the dressing room and the bonding sessions staged by Kendall. His blueprint for glory is revealed as one after another line up to supply tributes.
The depth of interviewees is impressive, with long-forgotten names like Stuart Rimmer, Darren Hughes, Rob Wakenshaw, Jason Danskin and Darrin Coyle afforded equal space to household name heroes such as Neville Southall, Peter Reid, Andy Gray and Trevor Steven.
Then there’s Glenn Keeley, a name most Everton fans prefer to forget. Signed on loan from Blackburn Rovers to solve a defensive injury crisis, he hadn’t played for a while through injury but Kendall pushed him into a prompt debut in a Merseyside derby.
Result? A rusty Keeley was sent off for a late tackle and Ian Rush cashed in as Liverpool romped to a five-goal win. Needless to say, Keeley returned promptly to Blackburn without making another Everton appearance. Yet Keeley, who played with and under Kendall at Blackburn, maintains: “Howard was the best manager I ever played under. A great man-manager and a great person who should have been England manager.”
There’s much in a similar vein from others allowed to savour the Goodison experience for much longer.
Alan Irvine, a Scottish winger who joined Everton from Queens Park on the same day as Kendall became player-manager, is now back there as David Moyes’ assistant. He says: “Howard was a fair manager who handled situations with unhappy players very well.
“He had a fantastic knowledge of the game. Howard gave me a right rollocking once when I was substituted and pushed past him to go straight down the tunnel. He told me in no uncertain terms never to do it again. I didn’t. Howard was an outstanding manager of people.”
There’s even a testimonial from Kendall’s Spanish club Athletic Bilbao in a book which underlines the enormous respect he achieved throughout the game.
An entertaining foreword from TV commentator Martin Tyler sets the scene and is followed by a moving tribute from former director Bill Kenwright’s partner Jenny Seagrove.
Unmissable for Bluenoses.
‘Kendall’s Glory Years’ by Steve Zocek is published by Pitch Publishing, price £18.99.
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