I thought this was a well written piece from an Everton perspective (from Phil McNulty who is chief football writer for BBC sport),
Walter Smith’s time at Everton may ultimately be regarded as unfulfilling when measured in trophies but he provided stability and continuity in a time of trauma at Goodison Park while retaining dignity, decency and a wonderful sense of humour.
And, when his early days at Everton are reflected upon, there must also be a sense of what might have been.
When Smith rejected Sheffield Wednesday to join Everton in the summer of 1998 after leaving Rangers, his first moves in the transfer market showed his eye for an emerging player and his ability to attract the best.
Archie Knox and Walter Smith joined Everton in 1998Image caption: Archie Knox and Walter Smith joined Everton in 1998
His first three pieces of business were to sign a young defender called Marco Materazzi from Perugia, who went on to become a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, a little-known midfielder Olivier Dacourt from Strasbourg destined to become one of Europe’s finest operators at Leeds United and Inter Milan then John Collins from Monaco.
Scotland midfield man Collins was in demand by numerous top clubs in the Premier League and beyond as he was available on a free transfer from Monaco but he chose Everton, a somewhat unlikely choice at the time, because of his respect for Smith.
This was what Smith wanted, the standards and level of ambition he wanted to set.
It was all undermined within months when Everton ran into financial strife and the talisman Duncan Ferguson was sold to Newcastle United without his knowledge. He could have walked out to protect his reputation but stayed on, much to the admiration of Everton fans, and it was owner Peter Johnson who left.
As Everton languished in limbo, Dacourt and Materazzi left after only one season as Smith was forced to rein back on his big plans.
This turned Smith’s task at Everton into a holding operation as ownership switched from Johnson to Bill Kenwright and the club went through a transitional period when cash was tight.
Duncan Ferguson was sold to rivals Newcastle UnitedImage caption: Duncan Ferguson was sold to rivals Newcastle United
Even then, Smith was a shrewd operator, bringing in the likes of Thomas Gravesen, David Weir, Tomasz Radzinski, Lee Carsley, Alan Stubbs and Kevin Campbell, who all went on to serve his predecessor David Moyes so well.
On a personal level, Smith will be remembered a complete gentleman with a wonderfully dry Scottish sense of humour that made him a hugely popular figure with the media on Merseyside, available day and night and someone who took praise but also accepted constructive criticism.
It was also Smith who provided a memorable 1-0 win against Liverpool at Anfield in September 1999, a feat none of his successors could repeat until Carlo Ancelotti oversaw a 2-0 triumph there in February 2021.
Smith may not have brought silverware to Everton but the importance of how he held the club together in a very troubled time of change must never be under-estimated and he will be sadly missed by all of us who had the pleasure to get to know him personally and deal with him professionally.