DAVID Moyes isn’t the only man to have been evicted from Old Trafford after a short-lived spell as Manchester United manager.
Irishman Frank O'Farrell was handed the same fate when he was sacked after just 18 months in charge in December 1972.
The Cork native, who enjoyed a playing career lasting almost 20 years before becoming a domestic and international manager, was unable to live up to the reputation created by his predecessor, the great Matt Busby.
A similar fortune was awarded to former Everton boss Moyes in May 2013, when he was named manager of the team that Sir Alex Ferguson had won 38 trophies with during his 26 year reign at Old Trafford.
O'Farrell, now aged 87 and living in Torquay, admitted prior to the confirmation of Moyes’ sacking that his departure would come as no surprise due to the ruthlessness of the sport.
"It's rehashing an old story isn't it really? It's happened before and it will happen again. It happens quite often in football," he told the Irish Independent.
"I wouldn't wish that on anybody. They're looking for results quicker than they can be provided. It's a tough old game. It's hard to win a league and there can only be one winner.
"But certainly he should [have been] given more time."
O'Farrell also criticised the way that football clubs are being run in the modern day and reflected on the early managerial careers of both Moyes and Busby, both of whom struggled during their early years in charge.
"I don't know what they're (football club owners) looking for. Some of them don't even watch the team playing,” he added.
"They're wealthy business people who have no football background. They have money and they buy clubs like they buy antiques.
"Matt Busby took over in 1945 and didn't win anything for three years. It takes a while to build to get all the pieces together that you want. It takes time, but he survived that and went on to be quite successful afterwards."
Prior to the official announcement that Moyes had been sacked, O’Farrell explained that he would be confident that Moyes would return to management in the near future.
"You can't win all the matches and losing is a part of the job. It always will be so and it's no surprise really that things like this happen on a fairly regular basis."
