Everton owe a great debt of gratitude to a number of key figures, who despite immeasurably hardships have stuck with the club through the toughest of times.
Whether it be outstanding players or the management team, to take on a challenge as big as this, and remain unfazed, is a testament not only to their quality, but also to their character.
This season saw them ease to safety by a whopping 14 points, which would have been 22 had the Premier League not suddenly started enforcing PSR with random severity.
The hope is that they can continue to replicate that for a few years, or at least until the club is financially healed to the point where real tangible progress can be made.
If they are to maintain such stability, Sean Dyche will be integral, and therefore he deserves praise for offering some semblance of that.
Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker laud Sean Dyche
The former Burnley man would be recognised for his exploits by two pundits just yesterday, as Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker sought to pick their Manager of the Season.
Having already agreed that Jordan Pickford made their Team of the Season, it was a chat filled with strong opinions.
Yet when settling on this award, neither could look past the history-maker Pep Guardiola, who led his Manchester City side to a fourth straight Premier League title.
Other managers were given their flowers though, with the former Everton striker briefly mentioning the 52-year-old, speaking on The Rest is Football podcast: ‘Sean Dyche’s remarkable efforts in keeping Everton up despite a points deduction.’
This spurred Shearer to expand upon why he should be recognised for his efforts with the Toffees: ‘Sean Dyche with all the stuff that he’s had to go through with points deductions and everything, he’s been superb.’
Everton would be relegated without Sean Dyche
It is probably not an unfair statement to assume that without Dyche, Everton would be relegated right now.
And that does not relate to the season just gone, but the one he joined mid-way through the campaign prior as well.
There, inheriting the mess that Frank Lampard had failed to salvage, he was able to piece back together a threadbare squad lacking quality and confidence and help them escape the drop on the final day of the season.
Few other tacticians would have boasted the steel and intelligence to reinvigorate this side facing intense pressure from Leeds United and Leicester City, both of whom were battling for that final safety spot on the last match-day of the term.
Even though this latest season was a far easier one, given 18th-placed Luton Town could only amass 26 points, on another year the points deductions would have killed morale and not only pushed them down in the table but also ravaged spirit.
Dyche picked things back up, but few others would be able to keep on going in the face of such adversity. He is a true Everton hero for what he has done so far, and long may his calming presence remain.