Manchester United today ruthlessly brought the axe down on David Moyes' reign just 10 months into his six-year contract.
Moyes slipped into United's training base unnoticed early this morning and met with United vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
Just after 8am, Woodward informed the Scot he had been sacked.
United issued a statement soon after which read: "Manchester United has announced that David Moyes has left the club.
"The club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role."
The club confirmed veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs had been placed in charge "until a permanent appointment can be made".
Neither 40-year-old Giggs, nor any of the other United playing squad, stopped to speak to the media who had gathered outside United's training ground in anticipation of Moyes' sacking.
An Everton fan dressed up as the Grim Reaper mocked Moyes from behind the Goodison Park dugout on Sunday, And United's 11th defeat of the campaign proved enough for the club's owners, the Glazer family, who had previously stood by their man despite his woeful debut campaign.
Moyes' departure came a year to the day after United won a record 20th title.
Now they sit seventh in the Barclays Premier League, some 23 points behind leaders Liverpool.
Succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson, who won 13 league titles during his 26 years at the club, was always going to be difficult, but few expected Moyes to have done so badly.
The list of unwanted records broken by Moyes is as embarrassing as it is long. United are guaranteed to end the season with their worst points total in Premier League history, they have failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in almost two decades, while Moyes' home record is the worst of any United boss since 1978 when Dave Sexton was in charge.
That is why the Scot, who won 27, drew nine and lost 15 of his 51 games, is now the third shortest-serving manager in the club's history, behind Walter Crickmer (1931-32) and Lal Hilditch (1926-27).
Factfile
1963: Born April 25 in Glasgow.
1980: Signs professional forms with Celtic.
1981: Plays against Juventus in the European Cup and represents Scotland Youth.
1982: Picks up a Scottish Premier League winner's medal.
1983: With chances limited at Parkhead, heads to England and Cambridge United.
1985: Moves to Bristol City.
1987: Signs for Shrewsbury.
1990: Moves back to Scotland with Dunfermline.
1993: After a brief spell at Hamilton, joins Preston in September.
1994: Captains North End in the Division Three play-off final defeat by Wycombe at Wembley.
1995: Preston finish fifth again in the Third Division, but lose to Bury in the semi-finals of the play-offs.
1996: Preston are promoted after winning the Third Division title. Moyes takes an active role in coaching and is eventually appointed assistant to Gary Peters.
1998: January - surprise choice to take over manager's job when Peters switches roles to oversee the Centre of Excellence.
May - Preston finish 15th in Division Two.
1999: North End finish fifth and reach the semi-finals of the Division Two play-offs, where they are beaten by Gillingham.
2000: Preston romp to the Second Division championship, racking up 95 points.
2001: The Lilywhites finish a surprise fourth in Division One. Moyes takes Preston to within 90 minutes of the Premiership, but they lose out to Bolton in the play-off final.
2002: March 15 - Replaces Walter Smith as Everton manager. Everton win three of their first four matches under his leadership and escape relegation by seven points.
December 5 - With Everton fifth in the Premiership after four successive 1-0 wins in November, Moyes is named Barclaycard manager of the month - the first Everton boss to land such an award for more than three years.
2003: January - Everton suffer surprise 2-1 loss to Third Division Shrewsbury in FA Cup third round.
May - Everton beaten on final day of season by Manchester United and Blackburn take final UEFA Cup place. Moyes named League Managers' Association manager of the year for the first time.
2004: A more difficult season sees Everton narrowly escape relegation but their 5-1 defeat on final day of season sees them finish 17th.
August - Everton sell star striker Wayne Rooney to Manchester United in a deal worth up to £27million.
November 12 - With Everton third in the Premiership after 12 games, Moyes agrees new five-year contract.
2005: May - Everton finish fourth in the Premier League, above city rivals Liverpool, to qualify for the Champions League. Moyes is again named LMA manager of the year.
August - Everton are beaten in Champions League qualifying by Spain's Villarreal.
September - Everton are hammered 5-1 by Dinamo Bucharest and crash out of the UEFA Cup as well.
October - Everton's league form mirrors their European disaster and they sit bottom of the league, resulting in calls for Moyes' head in some quarters.
2006: May - The Toffees stick with Moyes and recover to finish 11th.
2007: May: Steers Everton into the UEFA Cup with a sixth-placed finish.
2008: March 12: The Blues lose on penalties to Fiorentina in the UEFA Cup last 16.
May: Everton finish fifth to qualify for the UEFA Cup again.
September 29: Admits FA charge of improper conduct in relation to an incident against Stoke on September 14.
October 2: Everton crash out of the UEFA Cup in the first round to Standard Liege.
October 14: Signs new five-year contract at Everton.
2009: April - Everton reach the final of the FA Cup with victory over Manchester United, but eventually miss out on the trophy to Chelsea.
2012: Everton finish the 2011/12 season above arch-rivals Liverpool in the Premier League for the first time in seven years.
2013: May 9: Everton announce Moyes will leave the club at the end of the season. United later confirm he will take over as manager on July 1 on a six-year contract.
September 2 - Returns to Goodison to sign Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini
for £27.5million.
September - Suffers first defeat as United boss as Daniel Sturridge gives Liverpool victory at Anfield. Swiftly followed by 4-1 derby loss at Manchester City and 2-1 reverse at home to West Brom.
2014: January 25 - Signs Spain midfielder Juan Mata from Chelsea for £37.1million.
January - FA Cup third-round exit at hands of Swansea is compounded by Capital One Cup defeat to Sunderland, going down on penalties in the semi-final second leg at Old Trafford.
March - Oversees 3-0 home loss to Liverpool, but guides the club into Champions League quarter-finals by overturning 2-0 first-leg deficit against Olympiacos.
April 9 - Moyes' side crash out of Champions League, 4-2 on aggregate against Bayern Munich.
April 20 - United lose 2-0 at Moyes' former club Everton.
April 22 - Sacked by United.