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Today marks the 20th anniversary of Roy Evans' tearful departure from Liverpool.

It was on November 12 1998 that he sat in front of the media at Anfield and spoke about his heart-wrenching decision to walk away from the club he had served with distinction for 35 years as player, coach and manager.

The most ill-fated experiment in the Reds' history was over.

Just four months after the board of directors appointed Gerard Houllier as joint boss, Evans fell on his sword and the Frenchman took sole control.

Typically, Evans displayed both courage and class as he said his goodbyes – putting the club's interests before his own.

“I'd like to thank the chairman and board for the support they have given me,” Evans said.

“I have felt over the past three or four weeks that things have not been working out. I dispute the theory that my time here has been a failure - fourth, third, fourth, third in my seasons here is not failure. That record is second only to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

“It is not a matter of one man taking the blame. It is what is in the best interests of the club. I went into the partnership with Gerard with my eyes open and hoping it could work. It hasn't worked. Results have not gone our way.

“It is not about the relationship between me and Gerard. It had nothing to do with personalities. It just did not work out. You just feel it is not the right formula for players. They do not know who the boss is.”

The final straw for Evans was a wretched 3-1 League Cup defeat at home to Tottenham two days earlier which attracted a crowd of just 20,772. Liverpool had won just four of their opening dozen Premier League matches and the mood around Anfield was bleak.

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“Today is a sad day for Liverpool and me personally,” Reds chairman David Moores told the assembled media.

“We have agreed by mutual consent that Roy and Doug Livermore, his assistant, are leaving the club. I would like to pay tribute to all he has done for the club for 35 years.

"I offered Roy another position at the club but he has chosen to have a break. I could talk for hours about Roy and my respect for him.”

Evans was adamant that it wouldn't have been right for him to stick around in a boardroom capacity.

“It would be easy to stay, but to give Gerard and his team a chance, you have to walk away,” he said.

“I know I could have stayed here, but I decided to make a complete break. I didn't want to end as a ghost on the wall.”

The idea of having joint managers was doomed from the outset. Players simply didn't know where they stood and Evans would frequently be undermined by Houllier taking it upon himself to make decisions over everything from team selection to what time the coach was leaving.

In truth Evans simply couldn't win. If the team's fortunes had improved Houllier would have got the credit and when they didn't the finger was inevitably pointed at the man who had taken over from Graeme Souness in January 1994.

As Evans was driven away from Anfield in tears on that November afternoon, his departure marked the end of the famous Boot Room tradition.

Having initially signed for the Reds as an apprentice in 1963, he had accepted Bob Paisley's invitation to become reserve team boss in 1974.

Evans was a trusted lieutenant who climbed the ranks under Paisley, Fagan, Kenny Dalglish and Souness before landing the top job himself.

In the mid-90s he spearheaded a resurgence with the likes of Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman as his Liverpool side played a thrilling brand of attacking football.

The fact that they only had a League Cup triumph to show for their efforts was a crushing disappointment as the chance to win bigger prizes slipped from their grasp.

Over the years he's been unfairly tarnished by talk of player indiscipline and that Spice Boys tag.

Other managers may have delivered more in terms of silverware, but few have shown such humility and devotion to Liverpool Football Club .

He was right when he said he didn't fail. Two decades after his exit, Evans deserves to be recognised as one of the greatest servants in the Reds' illustrious history.