Duncan Ferguson wore the Everton number nine shirt with pride and it was the proudest moment of his career when he managed the club he so dearly loves.
A beacon of hope to so many during the club’s low points of the 90s, an entire generation of supporters realised why their mums, dads, siblings, relatives and friends worshipped the man known as 'Big Dunc' back in December 2019.
Following the dismissal of Marco Silva, Ferguson took the hotseat as caretaker manager and was the proudest man on the planet as his side swept aside Frank Lampard’s Chelsea. Ferguson cajoled his men to fight, fight, fight with all their might.
READ MORE: Ronald Koeman showed no remorse after breaking Everton hearts and almost a leg
We saw it all on that famous Saturday afternoon. From running up and down the touchline to hugging ball boys. It was a highly-charged and emotional occasion.
Unison, togetherness, affection. Ferguson had brought the club back together. It was Everton Football Club at its very best as the 'Spirit of the Blues' shined brighly.
And that afternoon is proof why his remarks about Sam Allardyce and Everton Football Club were so wide of the mark earlier this week. In fact, they were just plain wrong.
Ferguson credited Allardyce, who replaced the sacked Ronald Koeman, with doing a 'great job' at Goodison Park and claimed he should not have been sacked when he was. The former England boss was dismissed after just six months at the club.
"Sam did a great job really to get the club in a good position,” he told the new podcast No Tippy Tappy Football produced by William Hill and Footy Accumulators.
“He was really unfortunate to lose his job and he shouldn't have lost his job. I've been a big backer of Sam for some time and we've always got on well.
“What I loved about Sam was that he was straight. He’s a straight fella, a straight talker and tactically very good. He knew his gameplan and communicated that with the players and we went and executed it. He knew exactly what he wanted.
“He communicated that with the players, the players liked him as well, they loved him. I think that's an important part of being a manager.
“There was no ‘BS’ with him and that’s what I liked. He was straight and the players liked that as well because they performed, didn’t they?”
In fairness to Ferugson, it could be argued Allardyce, who blames his departure on the 'politics' of the club, did do a great job. He did the job he was brought in to do and that was to keep Everton up.
Koeman's exit followed a dismal start to the 2017/18 campaign but, after David Unsworth's stint as caretaker manager, Allardyce inherited a side in 13th place. He oversaw an eight-placed finish.
But in many ways it could also be argued that the job was already complete before 'Big Sam' rocked up at Goodison after Blues owner Farhad Moshiri hit the panic button - much to the dismay of chairman Bill Kenwright.
But there is so much more to this story than just where Everton finished in the Premier League table. Allardyce had his work cut out to win over a sceptical support from the offset - but he never even looked like succeeding.
As David Prentice, formerly of this parish once wrote: “When David Moyes was being given a hero's farewell from Goodison Park in 2013, against Sam Allardyce's West Ham, the visiting fans gleefully chanted 'Where's your Moyesie gone?'
“The response from the Gwladys Street was cutting. 'You've got Sam Allardyce!' The chant needed no explanation.”
The football Evertonians endured under Allardyce was attritional. It is hard, even now, to recall a performance from Everton under the veteran that whetted the appetite and quickened the pulse.
Then there were the constant credit-claiming statements after every win, and there were a fair number, and the buck-passing after every defeat. It was a classic case of taking responsibility for victory while abdicating it in defeat.
The hijacking of a win over West Ham United in Unsworth’s final game as caretaker boss was an example of how the former Newcastle United chief had no shame in putting his name to things that had nothing to do with him.
This was a classic case of Allardyce pushing his own agenda before that of the club. Everton supporters saw through it where others in football did not.
Allardyce had five months to implement his own style and prove he was far from a survival specialist. He did not deliver on either count.
The former Bolton man's sacking at the end of the season ended an ill-judged tenure. A 3-1 defeat to West Ham in his final game in charge was a fitting farewell to an appalling season from all concerned.
Ferguson once described Everton as: 'My family and my life'. These five words alone are clear proof as to why Everton made the correct call in sacking Sam Allardyce when they did.
And if the Scot needs any more proof then he should take a look back at that famous Goodison afternoon on Saturday, December 7. All the evidence he needs to understand why he is wrong is laid bare in front of him.
Unison, togetherness, affection. Three words that are never used when discussing Sam Allardyce’s time in charge of Everton Football Club.
READ NEXT
Duncan Ferguson explains why Everton turned down chance to sign Erling Haaland for £2m
Frank Lampard names figure key to Jordan Pickford's growing influence at Everton
James Tarkowski offers Conor Coady Everton insight as 'aggressive' Aleksandar Mitrovic point made
What Everton must do next after baffling VAR call as major area for improvement identified
Vitalii Mykolenko handed new Frank Lampard challenge as Everton defender adds 'extra threat'
