7th May 2014
After a tenure that saw his succession of Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager set a number of unwanted records, David Moyes was put out of his misery by the Glazers less than 10 months into a six-year contract.
After a positive start that included winning the charity shield and a 4-1 win away to Swansea on the opening weekend of the 2013/14 Premier League season, the Glaswegian's dream job turned into a nightmare that he appeared incapable of awakening from until the decision was made for him.
In between those defeats there were first wins at Old Trafford in countless years for West Brom, Newcastle and Everton, a first win for Stoke City over the Red Devils in 20 years, embarrassing 3-0 home losses to their fiercest rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, Capital One cup elimination to Sunderland, and a first 3rd round FA Cup exit in more than 26 years courtesy of Swansea.
Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City all did the double over the Red Devils; never in a football season has a team from the northwest of England failed to take at least a point off one of its rivals.
The only saving grace for Moyes came in the form of the Champions League - the one competition where he had zero experience, save for a solitary two-legged playoff against Villareal in 2005.
But then came that loss to Olympiakos in the last 16, first leg; as poor a Manchester United performance as people could remember.
That United turned it around in the second leg probably resulted in a stay of execution but once elimination to Bayern Munich, coupled with the confirmation of no Champions League next season followed, it was only ever going to end one way.
Given the circumstances of his exit, it's hard not to feel some sympathy for Moyes (and this is coming from a Liverpool fan). The manner of his departure was nothing short of shameful and unbecoming of a club that prides itself on doing things the right way, i.e. "the United way".
Whatever his failings as a United manager, Moyes deserved better than having his imminent departure leaked to the press a day before he was informed of his fate.
It's understood that the man himself had no idea that axe was about to fall and was working on up to four transfer targets to revamp his squad once the summer transfer window opened.
Whether he could have turned around the club's fortunes we shall never know but, going on his spell in charge of the club, it would have taken a leap of faith to believe that he would.
That's not to say David Moyes isn't a good manager, because he is. His record at Everton speaks for itself. He took a club that was on its knees when he arrived and firmly established them as a top six club season in, season out.
He led Everton to fourth place above neighbours Liverpool in 2004/05 and secured consecutive finishes above their more illustrious city rivals in his final two seasons with the Toffees, that despite operating on a budget much tighter than that enjoyed by Kenny Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers.
Moyes also oversaw a total revamp of the club's training facilities and scouting network that allowed them to acquire the likes of Kevin Mirallas, and, perhaps more impressively, Seamus Coleman, signed for just 60,000, and who is now arguably the best right back in the Premier League.
It is just a shame for Moyes that Roberto Martinez has shattered the Glaswegian's myth of a Premier League glass ceiling for Everton by leading them to a record points tally, all the while playing a brand of football seemingly beyond his predecessor with largely the same group of players.
Moyes is a good manager; he's just not a Manchester United manager and I'm not sure that he ever was or will be.
When the decision was announced, it didn't feel right. Moyes loves playing the underdog and that's simply not allowed to be the case while occupying the Old Trafford hot seat regardless of the opposition.
It's been said in the past couple of weeks that many United fans had misgivings about the appointment but, with his nomination coming from the Stretford End's knight of the realm, who's to argue with the most successful manager of all time.
Ferguson must have seen something of himself in Moyes that extended beyond them sharing Glaswegian roots but, right from the outset, the Chosen One didn't walk the walk of a man who belongs in the Old Trafford dug out.
To manage a club like Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, AC Milan etc, you have to have utter conviction in yourself as a manager and the bravado that goes with that.
When Sir Alex walked into Old Trafford all those years ago he famously announced he intended to "knock Liverpool off their f***ing perch". When David Moyes spoke about taking over he seemed overawed and talked about the fear that comes with taking over at such a big club, hardly inspiring words.
Yes, Ferguson was a far greater act to follow than Ron Atkinson, but he needed to march in with his head held high and his chest puffed out.
The likes of Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Brian Clough and Bill Shankly have or had an aura that surrounded them. They all oozed confidence in what they wanted to achieve and utterly believed they would succeed.
It appears that Brendan Rodgers has that same rock solid confidence in his ability. Although the Liverpool manager has yet to win anything, he talks the talk of a man charged with leading one of the world's great football clubs.
Many laughed at him and some of his methods after they were laid bare in Being: Liverpool; so much so that he was nicknamed "Brenton Rodgers", a parody of Ricky Gervais' confident but deluded character David Brent.
With Liverpool having secured a guaranteed return to the Champions League and close a first league title in 24 years, who's laughing now?
After the 3-1 Champions League defeat of Chelsea, Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone thanked the mothers of his players for giving birth to sons with sufficient balls to get the job done - something a manager at a top club also needs to be a success.
With Moyes' avoid-defeat-rather-than-look-to-win attitude to the game it can be argued that he never had the balls for such a big role. United managers have to have never say die written in their DNA; Moyes clearly doesn't have that
The same could be leveled at Roy Hodgson. The current England manager never appeared at ease as boss of Liverpool. Granted he occupies the top job in England but does so at a time when expectations are at an all-time low.
His discomfort at walking in the footsteps of Anfield greats was reflected in the way that Moyes never appeared truly at home in the United hot seat.
Two examples spring to mind of their similar nature: Hodgson suggesting Liverpool's performance in a 3-0 defeat to Everton was the best his side had played all season, and Moyes talking about how his side had passed the ball well in a 2-0 loss to the same opposition, both seemingly oblivious to the problems.
More likely than not, Sir Alex wouldn't have addressed the media after such a limp performance but if he had it's hard to imagine him scrambling for positives that simply weren't there.
Hodgson, like the former Everton manager, had success when being the underdog was required but neither could make the step up to the big boys' league.
I have little doubt that Moyes will be back - perhaps at a club like Newcastle or Aston Villa where much less will be expected of him and he can go about repairing his reputation.
It will take some time for his Old Trafford wounds to heal but this certainly wasn't the last we've seen of David William Moyes.