He was fired by Aston Villa, cycled round Central Park, visited the Empire State Building, took a look at the Statue of Liberty, hired by Norwich and then picked up three Premier League points.
What a fortnight for Dean Smith. He knew there would be turbulence, and not only because of that jaunt to New York amid his eight days of unemployment. This job, of trying to pick the Premier League’s bottom side up off the basement floor, was never going to be a smooth one.
This 2-1 win over Southampton was the dream start, however.