Former Everton manager Gordon Lee has died at the age of 87.
Lee spent four years at Goodison Park between 1977 and 1981 after replacing Billy Bingham and reached the League Cup final during his first half-season.
The Blues took Aston Villa, one of his former clubs as a player, to two replays before succumbing to a 3-2 reversal at a third time of asking at Old Trafford.
They also reached two FA Cup semi-finals, with one against Liverpool ending in controversy after a Bryan Hamilton winner was disallowed by Clive Thomas.
The Anfield club went on to win the replay 3-0 while Frank Lampard’s father scored the winning goal for West Ham in extra-time of the 1980 showdown.
Domestically, Lee guided Everton to successive top-four finishes while laying considerable groundwork for the club’s period of dominance in the mid-1980s.
He signed Graeme Sharp from Dumbarton and handed debuts to future first-team stars Kevin Ratcliffe and Kevin Richardson before his eventual sacking.
Former Liverpool midfielder Steve McMahon was another handed his first taste of senior football during Lee’s spell in the blue half of Merseyside.
After leaving Everton, he had stints in charge of Preston North End, KR Reykjavík and Leicester City before retiring from management in 1991.
Everton announced on Tuesday that Lee, who remained heavily involved in their Former Players’ Association, had passed away peacefully in his sleep.
Sharp, now a club director, was among those to pay tribute to the Cannock-born player turned coach for the legacy which he left behind at Goodison.
He said: “I will always be grateful to Gordon Lee for bringing me to Everton Football Club.
“He showed faith in me and gave me my debut as a young footballer.
“Gordon was a massive part of my development and I always enjoyed meeting up with him later in life.
“I am deeply saddened by his loss and extend my sympathy to his family.”
Ratcliffe, Everton’s most successful captain, added: “Gordon loved to give young players an opportunity and I will forever be grateful that he gave me mine at Everton.
“He was ahead of his time with some of his coaching methods and with a bit more luck would have brought honours to the club.
“He left his mark on Everton and his passing is a very sad one.”