Stuart McCall is respected and loved by many Bradford City supporters for his outstanding service to the club which included four spells – two as a player and two as manager.
When he was sacked as Bantams boss on Monday morning, it probably ended his association with the club for good.
McCall paid the price for a six-match losing streak which has cast doubt on City’s play-off hopes but certainly not ended them.
They still lie sixth in League One and, despite their recent wobble, remain well placed to finish inside the play-off places for the third successive season.
It seems harsh that McCall has been thrown out of a club who have barely been out of the play-off places since he returned in the summer of 2016.
Back then, Bradford had just been taken over by German duo Edin Rahic and Stefan Rupp, who were left facing a mountainous task to rebuild the club.
Phil Parkinson had jumped ship for Bolton and took his entire backroom staff with him.
Uncertainty was everywhere and a squad which finished fifth in League One the previous season was reduced to just eight senior players.
Rahic and Rupp turned to McCall, who had endured a previously unsuccessful tenure as manager after two legendary spells as a player.
A play-off final was hardly in sight last season, yet that is where they found themselves against Millwall at Wembley last May.
Bradford lost, but there was no shame in that.
McCall, crucially, never seemed truly happy back at his spiritual home.
There were numerous disagreements with the club’s German owners over transfers, team selection and even who took penalties.
Despite last season’s narrow promotion miss at Wembley last May, McCall’s return to Valley Parade ultimately proved an unhappy one.
He is not the first legend to return to a club and then leave under a cloud.
Take Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan.
Both revered for what they achieved at Liverpool and Newcastle United first time around, their returns ended with them suffering the same fate as McCall – the sack.
Dalglish won three league titles and two FA Cups the first time round at Anfield and led the club through the aftermath of Hillsborough.
He lasted last than a year during his second spell between 2011-12 and – despite a League Cup win – it was not classed as a success as the Reds finished eighth in the Premier League.
The man Liverpool supporters affectionately refer to as ‘King Kenny’ is now a club ambassador and recently had a stand at Anfield named in his honour.
Keegan had revitalised Newcastle as a player in the 1980s and he did the same as a manager in the 1990s, but he could not repeat the trick when he returned in 2008.
He failed to win any of his first eight matches in charge and eventually fell out with Mike Ashley, who had trusted Dennis Wise with his transfer money.
In December 2015, Chelsea sacked manager Jose Mourinho seven months after he led them to the Premier League title.
The Portuguese had been in his second spell at the club and at the time of his dismissal, Chelsea were one point above the relegation places.
When it comes to managers falling short the second time around then McCall, it would seem, is in good company.
