Everton's bitter power struggle ended in victory for the manager Walter Smith yesterday when the chairman Peter Johnson bowed to internal and external pressure and resigned. Johnson also confirmed that he is actively seeking to sell his controlling interest, which almost certainly signals the end his 11 years in football.

Smith had made it clear that he Duncan Ferguson to Newcastle United.

Johnson belatedly did so yesterday, and Smith agreed to stay on at Goodison Park. But he immediately let it be known that his working relationship with the 59-year-old multi-millionaire had suffered irreparable damage in the days after Ferguson's move and that either he or the chairman would have to go.

Five hours after issuing a statement confirming that Ferguson had been sold behind Smith's back, Everton issued a second press release to announce that Johnson's 4 1/2-year reign was at an end.

In the short term he will be replaced as chairman by the 71-year-old Sir Philip Carter, who took the role in the 1980s when Everton enjoyed the most successful period in their history.

The man most likely to buy out Johnson, the Everton director and theatrical impresario Bill Kenwright, has moved up to vice-chairman. Johnson will remain on the board as a non-executive director until he can sell his 68 per cent shareholding.

Meanwhile, Blackburn have made Brian Kidd their top target for the manager's vacancy at Ewood Park and are set to make an official approach to Manchester United later this week.

Also on Blacburn's short list are Colin Hendry and Howard Wilkinson.

The future financial shape of a revised European Champions League will be thrashed out and possibly determined in Geneva today when representatives of 10 leading clubs, including Liverpool, gather for a potentially crucial meeting of UEFA's European Club Football 2000 Task Force.