‘I thought taxi driver would throw me out’ – Iliman Ndiaye revives Everton transfer memories

Iliman Ndiaye is now just the latest of many signings to join Everton from the French League but back in 1998 the Blues made their first forays into the market and emerged with a triple swoop

Iliman Ndiaye’s move to Everton from Olympique Marseille has brought back memories of when Walter Smith attempted a ‘French Revolution’ at Goodison Park back in 1998.

Earlier that year, previous Blues boss Howard Kendall had made Mickael Madar Everton’s first Frenchman but he had arrived from Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna. The following summer his replacement Walter Smith, fresh from departing Rangers, revived ‘The Auld Alliance’ by making a hat-trick of raids on the French League with recruits from Ligue 1 suddenly like buses by appearing one after the other in quick succession in L4.

The only actual Frenchman among the trio, Olivier Dacourt, was the first to arrive, for £3.8million from Strasbourg on July 29. He was joined just two days later by fellow midfielder John Collins, who was paired with compatriot Smith having previously been an Old Firm rival at Celtic, with the Scotland international coming in from Monaco for £2.5million.

Back in the days before summer and winter windows, when the transfer deadline didn’t pass until March – allowing Smith to save Everton’s season by bringing in Kevin Campbell late in the day as the on-loan Trabzonspor striker finished top scorer with nine goals despite not finding the net until April 11 – there was an earlier recruit up front in the shape of Ibrahima Bakayoko, who was brought in from Montpellier for a cool £4.5million with his work permit being granted on October 12.

Given that Arsene Wenger had just steered Arsenal to a domestic double followed by France lifting their first World Cup, a distinctly Francophile mood was prevailing in English football and speaking at his first press conference, Dacourt indulged in a bit of name-dropping with the ECHO’s David Prentice impressed with how the 23-year-old answered his questions off-pat despite being two hours late. Dacourt, who supposedly turned down Bordeaux, Inter, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and Sampdoria to join Everton, said: “Patrick Vieira is a very close friend.

“I asked his advice before I left Strasbourg and he says the English League is very passionate, which appeals to me. Eric Cantona was the first to show the way in England.

“After that there was Vieira, Petit, Lebouef and David Ginola. I believe I can follow their example.”

Dacourt also revealed he had already experienced his first taste of Merseyside football fervour – from a Liverpool taxi driver. The player from Montreuil in Paris’ eastern suburbs had taken a cab from Anfield following Strasbourg’s UEFA Cup defeat to Liverpool the previous season and said: “The taxi driver asked me if I was a Strasbourg player.

“I thought ‘Oh no, he’s going to throw me out! But instead he smiled, lifted his jumper and showed the Everton jersey he was wearing underneath. I couldn’t believe how happy he was.”

Dacourt added: “I remember watching Everton when they won the European Cup-Winners’ Cup in 1985. I was only 12-year-old then, but I remember how good that Everton team was.”

Collins was next through the door, arriving in chairman Peter Johnson’s chauffer-driven Bentley – an enviable mode of transport before it was later used as his ‘getaway car’ from Goodison when things turned sour, attempting to speed away while being jostled by angry fans – and it was a befitting grand entrance for a player who was about to become the highest-paid in Everton’s history at the time with a salary reputed as being almost £29,000-a-week. The 30-year-old had already been on a pretty penny in the tax haven of Monaco having joined them in 1996 in what was an early ‘Bosman’ style free transfer and had turned down PSG’s late attempts to hijack his move to Merseyside when they had reputedly told him to name his terms.

Collins, who posed with his daughters Julia and Hannah when being unveiled at Goodison Park, hoped that his arrival would help usher in a brighter new era for the Blues. He said: “Last season is history.

“It was nothing to do with John Collins and John Collins is only interested in the future of Everton Football Club. It doesn’t affect me, and I believe I can help Everton progress, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.

“I am aware Everton struggled very badly last season, but I am also aware that this is a very big football club with a massive support that stayed loyal to them last season. The club clearly has a lot of ambition and terrific support.

“I am not frightened by being regarded as a flagship signing. I take it as an honour – opting for the easy route is not the way I operate, and I relish the challenge here.”

Despite holding his nerve to score from the spot for Scotland in the World Cup’s opening game against holders Brazil at the Stade de France in St Denis a couple of months earlier, Collins was denied from 12 yards out by Aston Villa’s Mark Bosnich on his Everton debut and it set the tone for an underwhelming spell at the club before he was reunited with his former Monaco boss Jean Tigana at Fulham in 2000.

A brace in a 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park proved to be the highlight of Bakayoko’s short spell with the Blues as he struck just seven times in 28 outings, including a mere four in the Premier League. He too went back to the French League the following summer, joining Marseille for £4million but despite his struggles at Goodison Park, he was given a warm reception by the home fans when returning for a UEFA Cup group game with Greek side Larissa in 2007.