The most successful captain in Everton's illustrious history, Kevin Ratcliffe played in the same Flintshire Schools side as Ian Rush. A number of top clubs offered Ratcliffe apprentice forms, but only one club interested him and that was Everton. When he was not kicking a ball about, he could be found on the Goodison terraces cheering on the likes of Ball and Royle. He made his debut in a goalless draw at Old Trafford, subduing fearsome Joe Jordon, in March 1980 but spent the next two seasons in and out of the side. When he did play, most of his games were at left-back. Ratcliffe was upset at such apparent lack of recognition and by being played out of position, so he went to confront new manager Howard Kendall. At one stage there was even talk of a move to Ipswich Town when Bobby Robson showed an interest. In December 1982, his fortunes took a decisive upturn when he replaced the overweight Billy Wright alongside Mark Higgins in the heart of the Everton defense. Within 12 months he had replaced the injury-ravaged Higgins as captain and the following March he was leading his country. In May 1984, at the age of 23, he became the youngest man since Bobby Moore some 20 years earlier to recieve the FA Cup. Within the next year, he had led his team forward to pick up the FA Charity Shield, the League Championship and the European Cup-Winners' Cup. Thereafter he skippered them to the runners-up spot in both the League and FA Cup in 1985/86, and to another League Title in 1986/87. Ratcliffe could read the game with instinctive shrewdness and could close down opponents instantly in moments of danger, often averting crises by clever positional play. Despite loosing some of his astonishing speed, he continued to retain the style and consistency that made him one of the world's classiest central defenders. During the 1990/91 season, he lost his place to the fast emerging Martin Keown and in January 1992 he was placed on the transfer list. In the spring of 1992, after playing 461 League and Cup games for the Blues, he joined Cardiff City and helped them win promotion to the new second division. Kevin Ratcliffe is one of Goodison Park's most revered sons.
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