He made his first team debut in 1970/71 and went on to become an Everton star.

During his Everton career he made 462 appearances, netting 59 times - including one famous effort against Leeds United in September 1974.

It was shown on TV and Mick dived in, head first, among the flaying Leeds United boots (of players like Hunter and Bremner) to score in an Everton win.

"The picture looked better than the goal!" he laughed, modestly.

"The ball had bounced first, so it came up nicely and I just dived. When you play football and you're in that situation - you just try and score! Luckily enough for me it went in and Brian Talbot took a photograph of it!"

The true blue who readily admitted that he would run through a brick wall to further the Everton cause was for a while the national team coach of Brunei.

He said: "People are passionate all over Asia about football, but particularly so in Brunei.

"The big problem over there is that the Premiership is the be all and end all. The back pages of the papers are full of stories about English football, so the local team don't get a look in.

"I didn't need to spread the Everton gospel over there because there's so many Evertonians in Asia it's unbelievable! You only have to walk down the road and there are people walking about with Everton shirts on - it's great to see."