Roberto Martinez paid the price for Everton’s Premier League nose-dive when he was sacked with one game of the season still to play, on this day in 2016.
The club’s board acted swiftly to dismiss Martinez in the wake of the previous night’s 3-0 defeat at Sunderland, a result which kept the Wearsiders up and extended Everton’s run to one win in their last 10 games.
Martinez was to have faced protests from fans at the club’s player of the year dinner on the day of his dismissal and at the final game of the season against Norwich at Goodison Park.
Martinez, who succeeded David Moyes in 2013 and had three years left on his contract, had insisted at the Stadium of Light that the players were still “100 per cent” behind him.
But the board, including new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, clearly disagreed, issuing a statement which read: “Everton Football Club regrets to announce that Roberto Martinez has left his position as first-team manager with immediate effect.
“The chairman and the board of directors would like to place on record their thanks for the dedication and commitment Roberto has shown during his three seasons with the club.
“Roberto has been a great ambassador for the club, conducting himself, at all times, with the utmost integrity and dignity.
“He secured the club its highest ever Premier League points total, a place in the last 16 of the Europa League and appearances in both domestic cup semi-finals.
“He has also played a key role in the development of several young players, managing their progression to the Everton first team and international honours.”
David Unsworth and Joe Royle took charge of the game against Norwich, which resulted in a 3-0 win, with Ronald Koeman appointed the club’s new manager the following month.