Colin Harvey

"The White Pele"

Born : 16 November 1944

Apps : 317 (3)

Goals : 18

Colin Harvey famously made his debut in a packed San Siro Stadium at the tender of of 18, in the second leg of the European Cup 1st Round where he played with the maturity which belied his age, and was unfortunate to be on the losing side as Everton lost 1-0.

After that baptism of fire, Harvey managed just two further First Division games that season, but claimed a regular place in the side in the 1964-65 season, and in his second game of that term, got onto the scoresheet as Everton hammered Liverpool 4-0 in Harvey's first ever Merseyside derby.

In 1966, Harvey shot Everton to the FA Cup Final as he scored the winner against Manchester United in a toughly fought Semi Final at Burnden Park.

His best quality was his vision, and his ability to drive long searching balls for the forwards was second to none, while he could also snub out any attack with his great defensive mind. But despite possessing all the qualities necessary of a great midfielder, Harvey managed just one full England cap, in 1971 against Malta.

As part of the Holy Trinity, Harvey formed a fantastic midfield team with Howard Kendall and Alan Ball, and was an instrumental part of the 1969-70 Championship winning side.

He was allowed to leave Everton in 1974, joining Sheffield Wednesday for £70,000, but just two years after the move, he was forced to retire from the game after a niggling hip injury proved too much to continue with. He returned to Everton to link up with the coaching staff, and despite having had a full hip replacement, took part in the full training programme.

Harvey was a pivotal part of the success that the team of the 80's showered itself in, being Howard Kendall's head of coaching, and bringing out the best in many of the stars of that team, Graeme Sharp has said that he used to think Harvey was picking on him, until the coach took him to one side and told him the only reason he worked him so hard was that he believed he would be a World Class footballer. Harvey wasn't wrong.

After a spell as manager at Goodison, during which he won the League title, Harvey teamed up with Sharp at Oldham Athletic as his assistant, before returning to Goodison to take a role within the youth set-up. And it was here that he developed the talents of arguably the best young footballer in the world at this time, Wayne Rooney.

Colin retired from the staff at Everton in 2003 due to continuing health problems, but will always be regarded as one of Everton Football Club's greatest servants.