Howard Kendall’s Everton won their second major trophy inside nine days – and the Club’s first European honour – 35 years ago today.

Manager Kendall's team were crowned runaway league champions 12 months after the Club's graceful former midfielder had masterminded Everton's 1984 FA Cup triumph.

To add European silverware on 15 May 1985, Kendall revealed, the Blues had to defeat two opponents.

A Rapid Vienna side inferior to semi-final opponents Bayern Munich stood in Everton's way in the Rotterdam final.

But Kendall insisted ensuring his side’s belief didn’t spill into over-confidence was the key to unlocking a performance rated by a number of watching pundits as one of the finest delivered by an English team in a European final.

>>>Watch Howard Kendall reflecting on Everton's victory over Rapid Vienna in the 1985 European Cup Winners' Cup final by clicking on the video above or here<<<

Talking to evertontv in 2003 Kendall said: “I had seen Rapid Vienna and was very confident we would win but I didn’t want to pass any over confidence to the players because anything can happen in a final.

“We were determined to go all the way in the competition.

"To be manager for the Club’s first European trophy is special and the occasion was absolutely unbelievable.

“The stadium was a sea of blue and when Kevin Ratcliffe lifted the trophy that was number two [for the season].”

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Kendall opted for a high vantage point in the Feyenoord Stadium, only moving to ground level and the dugout when Everton established a two-goal lead.

Andy Gray – a player who, in Kendall’s view, ‘loved the big occasion’ – stroked home an assured finish on 58 minutes and a quarter-hour later Trevor Steven exploited space in the penalty area to rifle in from Kevin Sheedy’s right-wing corner.

Kendall drew particular pleasure from midfielder Steven’s goal after identifying a flaw in Rapid’s set-piece marking.

Even in the midst of battle, however, the Everton boss was being forced to guard against complacency.

“I was in the directors' box and when we were 2-0 up elected to go down to the dugout, said Kendall.

“I will always remember this foreign reporter came over and said, ‘Kendall, what is it like to win the European Cup Winners' Cup?’

“Immediately after that, Hans Krankl scored.

“I said, ‘Clear off’

“Then Sheedy went and scored and I said, ‘Come here, I’ll have a word with you now'.”

Rapid forward Krankl’s clinical strike with five minutes remaining threatened to knock Everton out of their authoritative stride – only for Sheedy to latch onto a pass from Graeme Sharp and slam home off the underside of the crossbar 60 seconds later.

“Sheedy’s left foot was absolutely tremendous and it was a great goal,” said Kendall.

“The second goal pleased me a lot more, it was more of a planned one with Trevor Steven at the back post.

“Rapid had left a gaping hole when I’d watched them and that [ploy to take advantage] worked.”

As captain Ratcliffe hoisted the European Cup Winners’ Cup into the Dutch night, ITV commentator Brian Moore expounded on a “joyous” night for Evertonians and a performance which “did British football proud”.

“When you hear the commentary, they were saying it was one of the best performances from an English club for a long, long time in Europe, which was a real compliment – and the players deserved it,” said Kendall.

“It was a tremendous side on and off the field.

“There was a camaraderie in the dressing room that was second to none and they took that on the field.

“They played together as a team and it was something special.”

Everton - Howard's Way tells the full story of Howard Kendall's glorious trophy-winning team in the 1980s and tales from Merseyside during that era.

All proceeds from the documentary will go to fund The People's Place, Everton's purpose-built mental health facility close to Goodison Park.

Click here for details of how to watch Howard's Way.