Dramatic? Yes. Stirring? Undoubtedly. A great night? Given the unique circumstances, definitely one of the most memorable of recent decades.
But as the dust settles on a remarkable comeback victory to secure Everton’s Premier League survival, there’s no better time to say: This was no great escape. However important avoiding relegation was, however unlikely it may have seemed at times, this was not a story of underdog success.
It is a story of missed opportunities, bad decisions and the mismanagement of a fortune. It is a horror story of excess, a hellish drama of frustration and impatience that left a beloved and historic institution vulnerable.
