Howard Kendall is arguably the greatest figure in Everton‘s history, but did you know the Blues’ legend almost signed for Liverpool?
Kendall played 277 times for Everton before going on to manage the club on three occasions, winning two league titles, the FA Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup.
He was their greatest-ever, so it may either amuse or frustrate you to learn that he almost signed for Liverpool – it was certainly the latter for Bill Shankly.
Bill Shankly wanted Howard Kendall at Liverpool
ERKNCF Liverpool manager Bill Shankly (right), trainer Bob paisley, coach Ruben Bennett and assistant secretary Bill Barlow listening to the FA Cup draw at the club. 1st April 1963.
It was the beginning of 1967 and Liverpool were near the top of the league, having won the title the previous campaign. Everton were more inconsistent but still enjoying a good period off the back of an FA Cup triumph.
Shankly wanted to reinforce the team’s defensive solidity in midfield and Kendall was Liverpool’s target. Future captain Emlyn Hughes had recently arrived at the club, leading Shankly to state his team ‘wouldn’t concede another goal all season’ if they signed Kendall, too.
Kendall was playing for Preston who were a second division club at the time. Liverpool had found talent at Deepdale, though – they acquired three players from Shankly’s former club from 1960 to 1968, including Gordon Milne, son of coach Jimmy Milne.
“Liverpool, in particular, were closely linked with a move for me,” Kendall wrote in his autobiography.
“But the supporters were not happy. They didn’t want Preston to become a nursery club for Liverpool.”
Everton manager Howard Kendall lifts the giant bottle of Bell's whiskey, his prize for winning Bell's Manager of the Year.
Kendall’s agent told his client to put in multiple written transfer requests, but they were ignored by the board.
“I was very honoured to be linked with Liverpool and there seemed some inevitability about the transfer,” Kendall recalled.
“I’d even been over to stay with Peter Thompson (Liverpool and ex-Preston player) at his digs for a weekend. It was a matter of if I was moving I was going there.”
He didn’t go there, though. Instead, he found himself driving to Goodison, not Anfield.
The ex-player and manager said: “The Preston chairman had been upset by some off-the-record comments I’d made about my failure to secure a transfer that had been made public in a national newspaper.
“I hadn’t fallen out with the club, but the situation wasn’t great. That evening there was a knock on the door. It was Jimmy Milne.
“Despite me now being almost 21, it was my dad, he did all the talking.
“‘I’ve got a club for your lad; we’re going to let him go,’ he said.
“‘Is it Liverpool?’ my dad asked.
“‘No; across the road.’
“There had been no hint whatsoever that Everton were interested in buying me. Not a whisper.”
After Kendall rejected a late approach from Stoke, he was ready for the next step of his career, playing in blue rather than red.
Howard Kendall was told to sell his red car!
This turn of events angered Shankly greatly. The Scotsman thought the club had let him down, with Everton chairman John Moores’ offer of £85,000 to Preston swinging the deal in his the Toffees’ favour.
Such was the surprise, Kendall wasn’t prepared and drove to Goodison “in a beautiful red sports car,” journalist John Keith told This Is Anfield.
When the youngster arrived, Everton boss Harry Catterick said, ‘Either sell it or get the spray in blue!’
Bill Shankly ‘resigned’ due to his frustration
Having only just arrived, Kendall couldn’t play in the big FA Cup derby, but he was in the directors’ box to watch Alan Ball score the only goal as Everton beat Liverpool 1-0.
Such was Shankly’s disappointment with events at Goodison and in the transfer market, the talismanic manager actually quit his job, leaving a resignation letter with secretary Peter Robinson.
The club ignored his message, however, telling the players that his absence was due to flu.
Thankfully, Shankly returned a few days later and Liverpool did OK without Kendall in the long run!
Perhaps, though, having Kendall in the squad would have brought about the rise of Shankly’s second great side slightly quicker.