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Can Everton and Silva learn from ‘Howard’s Way’

By Matt Townsend

ROTTERDAM, HOLLAND - MAY 15: The Everton team group pictured prior to the start of the Everton v Rapid Vienna UEFA European Cup Winners Cup Final on the 15th May 1985, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Back row, left to right, Derek Mountfield, Andy Gray, Trevor Steven, Graeme Sharp, Kevin Sheedy & Pat Van Den Hauwe, Front Row, Gary Stevens, Neville Southall, Kevin Ratcliffe, Paul Bracewell & Peter Reid (Photo by David Cannon/Allsport/Getty Images/Hulton Archive)
ROTTERDAM, HOLLAND - MAY 15: The Everton team group pictured prior to the start of the Everton v Rapid Vienna UEFA European Cup Winners Cup Final on the 15th May 1985, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Back row, left to right, Derek Mountfield, Andy Gray, Trevor Steven, Graeme Sharp, Kevin Sheedy & Pat Van Den Hauwe, Front Row, Gary Stevens, Neville Southall, Kevin Ratcliffe, Paul Bracewell & Peter Reid (Photo by David Cannon/Allsport/Getty Images/Hulton Archive) /
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It’s perhaps appropriate that this week a new film has been released documenting the amazing turnaround in fortunes that Everton enjoyed in the early eighties under Howard Kendall. Can Marco Silva possibly learn from that time?

There are some interesting similarities between the position Everton were in back in 1983 and today’s situation.

The Blues were struggling badly in the early eighties, failing to find a successful formula for a number of years having gone through several different managers and with then current boss Howard Kendall under increasing pressure as the team continued to flounder.

Just like now, Everton had a number of talented young players in their squad such as Neville Southall, Kevin Ratcliffe, Gary Stevens, Kevin Sheedy, Adrian Heath and Graeme Sharp.

But again, as now, by late ’83 they were still struggling to find a consistent level of performance and the Toffees were bumping along in the bottom half of the old First Division table.

There were almost daily calls for Kendall to go, but despite the pressure, just like so far today, the board stayed loyal to the former Everton midfielder.

And on top of all that, those neighbours Liverpool were league leaders and looked well on course for a title win.

Interestingly it was a run in the League Cup that provided the spark that helped turn around the Blues fortunes. The Toffees went to Oxford United for a tie in January 1984 and managed to secure a late draw that kept them alive in the competition.

That result seemed to spark a sudden surge in form and consistency as the talented young team finally found the confidence and self-belief they had been missing.

From there Everton went on to win the replay and reach both the League Cup and FA Cup finals, winning the second final against Watford, to finally secure another piece of silverware after a fourteen year gap.

Then in succeeding seasons, the Blues went on to claim two league championships in three years and win the European Cup-Winners-Cup. But for the Heysel ban, Everton would surely have lifted the European Cup as well with that fantastic team.

It was an amazing time for football on Merseyside, as the two best teams in England and arguably Europe, were only about a mile apart. I have looked through all my old match day programmes from that time and it brings back some really great memories!

Now before I get too nostalgic, I don’t want to make too much of the analogy. I’m certainly not suggesting such a turnaround is going to happen again or that the Toffees are going to suddenly start winning Premier League titles and European trophies!

But of course like all Evertonians, I’d love to see a repeat of that kind of  improvement in fortunes and then who knows..?

Critically just like back then, the talent does seem to be there. Everton have a squad with plenty of fine young players and it feels as though if only the right formula can be found, then surely the Blues can climb up the table and start competing again for honours.

Marco Silva is now under the kind of pressure that Kendall experienced, although it’s even greater now as Kendall of course was managing in a time before the internet, 24 hour news and social media.

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I’ve called repeatedly for his sacking and I’m still not convinced he can manufacture a turnaround in form, let alone something equivalent to what occurred in the early eighties.

But wouldn’t it be great if he could prove me and others of us who have wanted him to go wrong, and manage a great revival in Everton’s fortunes.

As I’ve said before, I for one would very happily admit I was wrong in such circumstances.

Perhaps ‘Howard’s Way’ can provide him and this Blues team with some much-needed inspiration today.

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