Goodison Park stands to be renamed after Everton heroes

Everton today announced that they will be renaming two of the stands at iconic Goodison Park. The Gwladys Street end will be dedicated to club legend and the one of the greatest figures in the history of the club, Howard Kendall. The Park Stand, which is across the pitch from the Gwladys Street end, will be renamed after the Toffees’ most successful chairman, the beloved Sir Philip Carter.

Kendall oversaw the Blues during the 1981-87 period when they went on to lift multiple trophies, including the Football League First Division (1984–85, 1986–87), the FA Cup (1983–84), the FA Charity Shield (1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87), and most famously, the European Cup Winners' Cup (1984–85). Two other FA Cup finals and one League Cup final appearances also happened to during this era.

It was during the semi-finals of that Cup Winners’ Cup against German giants that Kendall referenced the Gwladys Street End during his halftime speech -

“Get the ball into their box and the Gwladys Street will suck the ball into the net.”

As a player before that, Kendall was already assure immortality, joining Colin Harvey and Alan Ball in a midfield trio that will always be known as the ‘Holy Trinity’. During that time, he won the Football League First Division (1969–70), the FA Charity Shield (1970) and a FA Cup runner-up with Everton.

Inducted into the English football Hall of Fame, Howard Kendall passed away last year on 17th October 2015 at the age of 69. Tributes poured in for the legend from all over the footballing world, and the writers here at Royal Blue Mersey shared our fondest memories as well. His funeral cortege went around Goodison Park one last time in a memorable parade through the streets where fans chanted his name.

Sir Philip Carter is no less a giant in the club’s lore. Overseeing the club during some tumultuous years. He joined the Everton board in July 1977, and took on the role of chairman a year later.

His vocal backing of an under-fire Kendall early in the 1983-84 season set the stage for what be one of the most iconic eras in the club’s history, leading to two English championships, an FA Cup, a first European trophy, two further FA Cup final appearances and a League Cup final.

Sir Philip was a key voice in the formation of the Premier League, and was also hugely influential in the renaissance of Liverpool as a city with his work on multiple regeneration, arts and charity boards.

After Peter Johnson purchased the club, Carter left his position, but returned for a second spell after current chairman Bill Kenwright took over in 1998. He remained in the position for six years until he retired at 78. In 2008, Kenwright asked the now-knighted Sir Philip to come back once more to the board of directors. He passed away on 23 April 2015, from natural causes following a brief illness, aged 87.

Here is what Kenwright had to say on the renaming of the two stands after the a pair of club giants -

“Howard Kendall and Sir Philip Carter are two of the greatest Evertonians of all time. Standing firm together through one of our lowest periods, they remained proudly united to lead us through the most successful period our great Club has ever enjoyed. It is this strength through togetherness that underpinned our desire to name these two stands in their honour at the same time. Two ends of Goodison, representing two of its most loved and loyal servants, facing each other and standing together once more.”