Sheffield United ruined Chris Wilder's big Bramall Lane homecoming as they overcame Middlesbrough 4-1 and moved up to fifth in the Championship.
Wilder spent just under five years with the club he supported as a boy and led them from mid-table in League One up to the top half of the Premier League in that time.
And despite an outpouring of emotion from United fans pre-match, with Wilder given a huge welcome back by Blades supporters, there was no sentiment dished out by the home players.
Midfielder Sander Berge opened the scoring when he tapped in on the line after Billy Sharp's cross fell kindly at his feet.
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Sharp then doubled the lead just a minute later to compound Wilder's misery. Jack Robinson crashed home a third just before the hour mark after a knockdown from fellow centre-half John Egan from a corner.
Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun reduced the deficit five minutes later when he pounced on Wes Foderingham's slip and tapped into an empty net. It was the first league goal of Balogun's career.
But it proved to be merely a consolation as United restored their three-goal buffer when Morgan Gibbs-White produced a classy, improvised finish.
United have now gone nearly five months unbeaten at Bramall Lane since a defeat to Blackpool back in October. The result moves Paul Heckingbottom's side onto 57 points and up to fifth; two points ahead of Boro who drop down to eighth.
Elsewhere in the Championship, runaway leaders Fulham maintained their dominance at the top of the division with a 5-1 win away at Swansea City.
The hosts were well in the contest but then became hamstrung when they were reduced to ten men just before half-time.
Ryan Manning was shown a straight red card for a studs-high challenge on Fulham's Harry Wilson.
The visitors then asserted themselves when Aleksandar Mitrovic registered his 35th league goal of the season to open the scoring, before an own goal from Ben Cabango doubled the Cottagers' lead.
Mitrovic turned provider for the third, setting up Bobby Decordova-Reid for a simple header.
Joel Piroe pulled one back for Swansea to give themselves a glimmer of hope only for Liverpool loanee Neco Williams to score twice. He tapped in for his first-ever league goal before adding another shortly afterwards with a superb volley.
Bournemouth moved up to second spot, on goal difference, despite dropping points again.
Scott Parker's side lost at Preston North End on Saturday and could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to relegation-threatened Peterborough United.
Ryan Christie cancelled out Jack Marriott's opener but the hosts couldn't manage a second. The Cherries move level on 62 points with Huddersfield whilst Posh remain bottom and now seven points adrift of safety.
Strugglers Barnsley were denied a big win against Stoke City; Quina's wonder strike was cancelled out by Lewis Baker's stoppage time strike at Oakwell.
Play-off contenders Blackburn and Millwall drew 0-0, whilst Luton moved into the top six with a 1-0 win at Coventry.
