Succession chronicles Everton legend Colin Harvey’s turbulent tenure as manager, candidly capturing the on-pitch triumphs and setbacks, boardroom inertia and wider footballing sea change that defined the era.

Novelist and lifelong Evertonian Nathan O’Hagan revisits Harvey’s time in charge through personal memories, archival research and interviews with prominent supporters, writers and journalists. This fascinating book:

• Explores how Harvey tried to follow in the title-winning footsteps of Howard Kendall – his former team-mate, boss and the most successful manager in Everton’s history
• Revisits his attempt to defend the league title against a resurgent Liverpool, while trying to adapt to the scrutiny and expectation that came with his new role
•  Examines the unprecedented spending spree designed to remould the squad, the early promise that quickly unravelled, and how what should have been Harvey’s brightest managerial moment was overshadowed by one of football’s darkest hours
• Shows how shifting sands in English football – and the renascent successes of rivals – saw Everton drift further from the country’s footballing elite
• Reveals how boardroom distractions and changes left the club without the leadership or vision it needed as English football approached a transformative new age
• Highlights Harvey’s dignified and selfless dedication to the club he loved – qualities that endured even as success became increasingly elusive

O’Hagan offers a sympathetic, clear-eyed account of a pivotal yet often overlooked chapter in the Toffees’ history. A must-read for all Everton fans!