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DAVID WEIR may wish to add ‘sounding board’ to his footballing CV. Already an iconic figure at Goodison Park, having served the club with distinction across 254 games, the former captain was a popular addition to Everton’s coaching staff last season.

It appeared yet another savvy acquisition by manager David Moyes but few could have imagined the immediacy of his impact, especially on the first team.

When Moyes wavered on Nikica Jelavic, Weir was the persistent voice in his ear trying to convince him the Croatian would be a steal of a signing.

The Blues manager has publicly acknowledged the part the 42-year-old played in his decision and as the squad welcome a new player into the fold this weekend at their Austrian pre-season training camp, Weir has again played a major role.

Steven Naismith, the 25-year-old Scotland international, became Everton’s first signing of the summer this week and as much as he felt an instant rapport and respect for Moyes, and was excited about playing for him, it was perhaps the trusted advice of an old team-mate which put the seal on a move for him.

The pair played for Rangers from 2007 until January of this year when Weir left the club and following the demise of the Scottish giants, Naismith followed his guidance, and path, to Merseyside.

With a host of Premier League clubs also in pursuit of this free agent, Naismith found comfort in Weir’s words who said a move to Everton would be smoothed by familiar principles and traits.

“When I moved to Rangers, he was there and I respected him a lot for what he had done and he is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet,” Naismith said of Weir.

“I learnt a lot from him and so I was just asking general questions about his time here.

“He drew on a lot of similarities with Rangers in terms of the squads, saying there was a good bunch of guys who are in it together and want to succeed together.

“He said the facilities are brilliant and the manager expects you to put your all in but he is fair.

“He said there is a lot of similarities that way and he said I would love it. I take what he says very seriously.”

Before being presented to the media on Wednesday, Naismith bumped into Duncan Ferguson along the modern corridors of Finch Farm and though the former Rangers and Everton striker had not influenced his decision in choosing the Blues, he said there remained plenty to learn from ‘Big Dunc’.

There too were a couple of phone calls made to the only person who was truly able to offer Naismith a frontline report.

Jelavic made the exact same switch in January and when the two talked last week, Naismith was pleased to hear that a club with warmth and tradition awaited him.

“I met Duncan a few years ago but I didn’t speak to him about moving here,” he continued.

“I spoke to Jela a few times in the past week or so and he was reinforcing what Davey Weir had said about what a good club it is.

“It was when I was away with Scotland under-19s. It was great to meet him, and I met him first thing this morning.

“But there are a lot of great folk here, similar to Rangers, that can tell you a lot about the history and hopefully over the next weeks and months I can learn about the club that I don’t know and become a fan.”

There would be no need, of course, for Jelavic to have allayed fears about adapting to the rigours of English football.

Naismith has seen for himself the seamless manner in which his former team-mate has found an instant groove in the Premier League.

On the pitch together at Rangers, the pair plundered 38 goals in around two seasons, though that period was cut into by serious injury and suspension.

And asked if Jelavic’s transition to the Premier League offered him confidence, he said: “It does. I’ve got confidence in my own ability but know I’m going to have to work as hard as I can to first of all impress my team-mates and manager to get a place in the team.

“But I’m confident I can contribute and be a success at the club. It’s a great platform for me.”