let's not forget what a dire state we were in when Lampard left, couldn't score, couldn't defend, turgid, error-strewn football every week...I really couldn't see a way out and yet he managed it. 23/24 I actually thought the football was alright with what he had to work with, points deductions and all, didn't we go on a 4 game winning run around this time 2 years ago? Then we were poor for a while, culminating in that Chelsea spanking but went on to finish pretty strongly.

The start of 24/25 was his undoing, I think he set out to prove he wasn't a hoofball merchant but then that collapse against Bournemouth, similar in the Villa game after being 2-1 up and losing the first 4 brought his defensive instincts right to the fore and this time it didn't work. By the end the football was as bad as I can ever remember, a real low point and there have almost been too many to list in the past 3 and a half decades. For me, he came in at the right time, he left at the right time and I think history will judge that he did a commendable job at an extremely turbulent time for the club, it probably helped the siege mentality when we were going through all sorts of off field issues to have a rather brash and no nonsense character in charge.

I don't think he ever really "got" Everton but that doesn't matter to me, probably not personal - he's just not the sentimental type and just got on with the job.

I hope he gets a good reception. I think it will be mixed. I don't expect he'll care too much either way.