Howard Kendall - Playing Career

Playing Career

Kendall joined Preston North End as an apprentice in 1961. He turned professional in May 1963 and played in the 1964 FA Cup Final against West Ham United. At the time the youngest player to appear in the final, his place in the side coming due to the regular left-half Ian Davidson being suspended by the club for an unauthorised trip to Scotland.

Originally a defender, Kendall joined Everton for £85,000 in March 1967 where he was moved into midfield with Alan Ball and Colin Harvey, the trio gaining the nickname "The Holy Trinity". They were a major component of the Everton team that won the Football League First Division in the 1969–70 season. In the next three seasons, Kendall captained Everton. He was transferred to Birmingham City in February 1974 and later to Stoke City in August 1977 for a fee of £40,000. Kendall was made player-coach at Stoke City in February 1978 and played a pivotal role in the 1978–79 season when Stoke won promotion to the First Division. He ws assigned as player-manager at Blackburn Rovers for almost two years (1979–81), then returned to Everton to play a handful of games, again as player-manager, prior to retiring in September 1981.

Kendall never played for England at senior level, but won caps at Schoolboy, Youth and Under-23 level, captaining the England Youth side to victory in the 1964 Little World Cup Final.

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