Everton are currently looking for a new manager, and those who are greatly enjoying Neville Southall's series of tweets eviscerating the Tory government are hoping that he won't go for it, lest it would call a halt to one of the most persistent voice in protest against the policy of Tory cuts.
Southall is a very unlikely choice for manager this time around, with Sean Dyche and incumbent caretaker manager David Unsworth the favourites to succeed Ronald Koeman.
Southall, however, was once close to the managerial dugout at Goodison before unwittingly ruling himself out of the running. The story is relayed in a new book called Faith of our Families: Everton FC, An Oral History edited by James Corbett.
In 1997, relegation loomed uneasily close on the horizon at Everton, leading to the departure of manager Joe Royle. Owner Peter Johnson wanted one of the players to take charge until the end of the season, and as Alan Myers - then of Everton's Communications department - reveals in the book, the identity of the potential successor has been narrowed down to two people: Dave Watson and Southall.
Let's have Myers talk it from here...
I don't think anybody, including Neville himself, was aware of how close he came to becoming Everton manager.
I was outside Bellefield with Peter Johnson the morning after Joe had left and we were discussing who should take over as caretaker boss. '"I have a shortlist of two," said the chairman, "Dave Watson and Neville, but I'm leaning towards Neville because a goalkeeper has less responsibility on the pitch.
At this point Neville pulls up in the car park - it was early and he was always first in for training - gets out his car and heads to the Bellefield entrance. 'Seeing me he yells, "Alright Alan, you fat cunt!"
As he headed in through the doors, Peter, says very dryly, "I think the shortlist is down to one".
Watson took over, and kept the club up, making way at the end of the season for the returning Howard Kendall.
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