Signed from Wigan Athletic for £120,000 in the summer of 1986, all of Kevin Langley’s Everton appearances came within a three-month-long window. But in that short period he did enough to be remembered by many Evertonians and earn himself a League Championship medal.
Never seeming overawed by the leap in divisions, Langley came straight into the Everton team at the start of the 1986/87 season. A constructive, composed midfielder who used the ball thoughtfully and effectively, he was well able to find the net too: as witness his equalising goal at Sheffield Wednesday in only his second league appearance.
When Everton faced Manchester United at Goodison in September 1986, Langley put in a masterful display, overshadowing his more illustrious midfield opponents – Bryan Robson and Norman Whiteside – as he helped inspire Everton to a 3-1 victory. And yet Langley was never the quickest player nor the strongest of tacklers and when his early good form started to desert him he was dropped. Nevertheless, given his promising start, it was still something of a surprise when Howard Kendall sold him to Manchester City before the season was out.
HE STRUGGLED to make an impression at Maine Road and the following season joined Birmingham City. In 1990 he returned to Wigan for a second spell before turning to non-league.
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