In the end, there wasn’t so much as a thank you.
At 9.49am on Sunday, Southampton announced in a 51-word statement that Nathan Jones’s tenure, after 94 days, was over. For the fans, there was relief. For the board, it was a damning indictment that they had got it horribly wrong.
Jones must have known it was all over when he raced down the tunnel at the final whistle to a cacophony of boos. It was the first time in his career he had not acknowledged the fans. He sensed a mutiny, even if he was ‘proud’ after a seventh defeat in eight matches.