Heir to the throne, William, who has followed the West Midlands outfit since childhood, visited a Wetherspoon pub at Birmingham New Street Station, to sip on a pint of Bulmers cider after asking the club to arrange a gathering for him with some of their die-hard fans.

Moyes beat Fulham in his first game as Everton manager in 2002, but never looked like repeating the trick here. Villa, relative equals during his previous spell at Goodison, are now light years ahead.

David Moyes had never given up hope that Everton would summon him back but after the years of dreaming, the three or four times he came close to the job, the night he was told he had it, only to be informed the following morning it was instead going to Carlo Ancelotti,