The cup triumph was also Everton's passport to the Cup Winners' Cup—their first European campaign in the post-Heysel era. Progress under Joe Royle continued in 1995–96 as they climbed to sixth place in the Premiership. A fifteenth-place finish the following season saw Royle resign towards the end of the campaign, to be temporarily replaced by club captain, Dave Watson. Howard Kendall was appointed Everton manager for the third time in 1997, but the appointment proved unsuccessful as Everton finished seventeenth in the Premiership; only avoiding relegation due to their superior goal difference over Bolton Wanderers. Former Rangers manager Walter Smith then took over from Kendall in the summer of 1998 but only managed three successive finishes in the bottom half of the table. COUNT 5
QSN1 Who temporarily replaced Joe Royle as club captain after he resigned? ANS1 Dave Watson QSN2 In what year was Howard Kendall appointed manager of the Everton FC for the third time? ANS2 1997 QSN3 Who took over for Howard Kendall after his third attempt at managing the Everton FC was unsuccessful? ANS3 Walter Smith QSN4 How many successive finishes did Walter Smith manage for the Everton FC? ANS4 three QSN5 What rank did Everton place in the 1997 Premiership league? ANS5 seventeenth