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one of the most well-liked and popular former strikers for Everton Football Club, has left everyone at the club in great sadness.
As anyone who had the privilege of meeting Kevin will attest, he was not only a fantastic person and a true hero of Goodison Park, but also a huge fan favourite and the first black captain of the Blues.
When Kevin first joined Everton on loan in March 1999, the club was fighting to avoid relegation, and manager Walter Smith needed some guile, experience, and goals for his team. Kevin made an instant impression and satisfied all three requirements.
The striker, who didn't play for the Blues until April, finished the season as Everton's top scorer with nine goals in a devastating five-game run that helped the team stay in the top flight and earned him the title of Premier League Player of the Month.
After he scored the game-winning goal in a historic Merseyside derby triumph at Anfield in September 1999, the Goodison supporters had a newfound hero and the shift became permanent. Their adoration reached new heights.
When David Weir was sidelined by injury in January 2001, Smith named Kevin the team's first black captain for Everton's Premier League match against Coventry City. Having skipped the side on numerous occasions, he was always very pleased of himself for doing so.
In January 2005, he made his final game for Everton against Portsmouth, where a stoppage-time goal by Leon Osman secured three points.
Kevin was the team's top scorer for three seasons during his 164 games with the Toffees, tallying 51 goals.
But his impact on the Everton Football Club goes far beyond the numbers. As one of the most well-liked persons to have ever worn the royal blue shirt, he is still regarded as a legend among Evertonians and was the ideal representative, always looking forward to returning to Goodison Park as a fan or in a media role.
Before establishing himself in the Gunners lineup and being a member of the team that notably won the First Division title with a 2-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield in 1989, he had loan stints at Leyton Orient and Leicester City.
He then formed a fantastic connection with Ian Wright, and the two played together in both the replay that Arsenal ultimately won 2-1 and the 1993 FA Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley. They had previously used the same strategy against the same opponents in the League Cup final.
He participated for Arsenal in the European Cup Winners' Cup final in 1994. A Parma team that featured Gianfranco Zola, Thomas Brolin, and Faustino Asprilla was defeated by the Gunners.
In 1995, Kevin left Arsenal after more than 200 appearances for Nottingham Forest, paying £2.5 million for the transfer. Kevin spent three seasons at the City Ground, seeing Forest through promotion and relegation from the Premier League. He finished the winning season as the team's top scorer.
Kevin began with Trabzonspor in 1998 and then joined Everton seven months later. He spent six productive years at Goodison Park before leaving to join West Bromwich Albion in 2005, where he once more played a key role in keeping the Baggies from finishing last that season. He had a brief stint at Cardiff City to end his professional career.
He continues to be the highest scoring uncapped English Premier League player, having netted 83 goals for West Brom, Arsenal, Everton, and Nottingham Forest.
It's only fitting that Kevin was always greeted with the utmost warmth upon his return to Merseyside. He was an incredible football player and a giant of a man, and everyone who had the good fortune to know him will mourn him dearly.
Everyone at Everton is praying for his family during this incredibly difficult time, and when the new season begins, we will undoubtedly pay a fitting homage.
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