Fans had been growing impatient with Everton's slip down the Premiership. One win in 13 League matches has taken Everton to within one point of the relegation zone.

And the clamour became a roar when Smith's side crashed out of the FA Cup with a limp 3-0 defeat against Middlesbrough on Sunday.

Smith, 54, had been performing a high-wire act at Goodison ever since he was offered the dreaded "backing" from Everton owner Bill Kenwright in January.

The club had lost five straight games either side of Christmas and despite words of encouragement, Smith was tacitly handed two games to reverse the slump.

Smith escaped battered but intact from his first hurdle, losing to Middlesbrough on New Year's Day before beating Stoke in the FA Cup four days later to act as reprieve.

But the promised transfer funds - alongside money for new training facilities and a new 55,000-seater stadium at King's Dock - proved a smokescreen.

As Everton continued to falter it became apparent that he was living on borrowed time.

Smith landed mercurial Frenchman David Ginola on a free transfer in February.

But the club needed - and fans demanded - players prepared to fight their way out of the mire, not those who struggled to extricate themselves from a paper bag.

And with Smith's other big play-making gamble - Paul Gascoigne - showing signs of advancing years, the manager's position became increasingly untenable.

On Sunday, Middlesbrough coasted to victory with three goals inside seven minutes before half-time and left Everton with just a relegation battle to look forward to.