Evans was a seriously overweight Glaswegian, prone to erratic changes in mood and was generally considered a figure of fun. But for the Leeds supporters, this was deadly serious. When his appointment was announced, they reacted angrily, refusing to believe it at first, deriding Evans as a joke.

It later emerged that Evans had emailed Cellino while Rosler was still in post offering his services as coach.

When Cellino showed him the email, Rosler contacted the League Managers Association about the matter. He called for the LMA to publicly reprimand Evans for his actions.

Elland Road's last memory of Evans was Rotherham's visit for the final game of the previous season. He came dressed in shorts, T-shirt, flip-flops, and sombrero after promising Millers fans he would don the gear if they avoided relegation, an achievement they guaranteed with a midweek defeat of Reading.

Evans lacked nothing in self-confidence and made a positive first impression at his opening press conference.

'Steve Evans is a manager that opposition fans and managers don't like,' the Scot boasted, referring to himself in the arrogant third person; he relished the way his reputation chimed with the Dirty Leeds myth. 'You could do a straw poll from here to China, but there's only one biggest club in the Championship. This is Christmas, babies being born, wedding day rolled into one.

'I'm not a big ex-Premier League player who can sit here and say that it means nothing to me…How can you fear being sacked at Leeds United? Everyone's aware of the head coaches that have been here and left, but I have to believe. I have to believe that if I win football matches, Mr Cellino will want me here.

'I look forward to some afternoons and evenings when there's over 30,000 in here and there's something at stake...and trust me, there will be.

'I could have been anywhere in the world and I would have come to Leeds United. When Leeds United ring you up, how can you say no?

'I know what comes with being the head coach of this club. I have a big responsibility so I need to do some things differently - but I will still be me. I will be a manager of Leeds United that opposition players and management won't like …The Leeds fans can get ready for winning football because that is going to come. We will be having a go.'

The passion, fire and down-to-earth manner had instant appeal for the fans, although they were strongly polarised between love and hate of the man they instantly christened BFSE (Big Fat Steve Evans).

They had an early opportunity to see what difference Evans could make, with Leeds in London on Wednesday evening to face Fulham.

The Scot had little time to suss out the players at his disposal but recalled Byram, Murphy and Antenucci for Wootton, Mowatt and Botoka. Wootton's omission was welcomed by the fans, but they were less enamoured by the other changes. Within seconds of the opening whistle, though, all doubts were dispelled as United mounted an attack, with Fulham just managing to clear their lines after Stuart Dallas scuffed a strike into the area.

'Having a right f***ing go here,' beamed the fans, 'and not before time. Dallas a lot more involved. Big Fat Steve must have told 'em, "I'm gonna sit on whoever is sh*t." Looks like a different team. We should be ahead here.'

But they weren't and were almost immediately rocked on their heels when Moussa Dembele squeezed the ball low beyond Silvestri at his near post.

'Fer f***'s sake,' screamed the fans. 'Too easy, midfield letting them run at our defence, Silvestri was weak there. One chance for them, one goal. Here we go again. New manager, same old sh*t.'

But Leeds rallied, buoyed by the new manager bounce.

Cook and Berardi forced the keeper into action and Bamba went close on the stroke of half-time.

Botaka was introduced shortly before the hour, replacing Murphy, and gave United new impetus with his direct running.

Evans' side were the ones asking the questions now and were awarded a penalty. Wood calmly found the net to level.

There were no further goals and a useful away point had been secured.

It was a similar story the following week at Bolton with Leeds having to fight back from a goal down. Again, they required a second half penalty, this time from Antenucci. The performance was less intense but the outcome was the same.

Things were very different a few days later at home to Blackburn. Leeds gave a truly dire performance, totally unhinged by two early goals. The outcome also meant that Blackburn had won twice at Elland Road since Leeds had last won there!

There was deep unrest amongst the fans with a succession of chants against Cellino and days later he issued a statement confirming that he would attend no further games.

'It pains me to make this decision as I have put my heart and soul into this club. But what I was subjected to at the Blackburn game left me feeling like I had no other option but to take a step away.

'After the time, effort and emotion I have given to the club to try and enable us to move forward, it hurt me a lot to hear the fans singing what they did on Thursday night. The fans made it clear they believe I am no longer the best person for this job, and for the first time I am starting to think that they may be correct.'

'I'm losing my balls,' Cellino told The Times, who had reported rumours of renewed interest from Red Bull. 'Ten years ago, I had more balls, but since I came here it's been a nightmare.

'Now I have a low quality of life. I feel shame when I walk to the shop to buy cigarettes if we lose a game. I convinced my family to come here and they have run away. It's like being at a party where you're not welcome. It's killing me. Every night I lie awake, asking myself, Am I good enough?'

Cellino was feeling the pressure. The day he sacked Rosler, the Football League had banned him for a second time from running the club after he was found guilty of an offence relating to the non-payment of VAT on the importation of a Land Rover. The ban had been deferred pending the outcome of his appeal, but if he lost, he would be banned from office until the following summer.

'The holding company cannot keep this club without me running it,' said the Italian. 'To save money, I do 20 jobs. If they ban me and someone else comes in who does not fight for the club, it is dead.

'I'm not a coward. Life is not just about enjoyment. But I ask myself if it's better if I leave. Only failing to make the fans happy can hurt me.'

He had agreed in principle to sell some his shares to a supporters' group, Leeds Fans United, after meeting them the day after the Blackburn defeat. The group said it would be ready to buy Cellino's 75% stake within three months for £30 million raised in contributions from fans.

He said he would take no profit. '100% I will sell to the fans, if they want to buy it and look after the club. The fans are the only asset the club has. I'm sad and embarrassed. My dream was to do my best but I've achieved nothing…I'm trying to protect the club but at the same time it means I have exposed myself. The result is that the fans say, Massimo it's time to go.'

It was a decision taken in anger and days later Cellino had a change of mind, reneging on the deal after LFU asked him to confirm an offer of exclusivity in writing.

LFU issued a statement: 'Leeds Fans Utd has just been informed by the lawyers of Massimo Cellino that he no longer wishes to sell to Leeds fans. Our insistence on him confirming his verbal offer of exclusivity in a legally binding agreement has forced transparency on his motives. It is much better that we identify this insincerity now before we spend our shareholders' money.'

Part of the reason for the change of mind was two Leeds victories in a week. The success against Cardiff was the first at Elland Road since March and was followed by a 3-0 win at local rivals Huddersfield.

The supporters were unsure about whether to laugh or to cry: exuberant about the results, yet dismayed by Cellino's decision to fight on. They had time to ponder during the international break.

Friday, 20 November 2015.

Neil Redfearn strolls into the main office at Rotherham United's New York Stadium after taking a training session with the players that morning. He's there to pick up his car park pass for the following day's game at his previous club, Leeds United.

'They've not sent you one, Neil,' says the office manager.

'You what?'

'They've not sent one for you. They've sent us six, but you're not on the list.'

'For God's sake, that'll be the Italian, that,' sighed Redfearn in frustration. 'Petty, childish git. Just making a point.'

Redfearn was livid. He was already feeling badly wronged by the way his time at Elland Road had ended, by the way that Cellino had used and abused him and appointed Rosler over his head. This just put the icing on the cake.

'Well, I'll f***ing show him. Thinks he's clever, I'll sort him.'

Redfearn arranged to take fitness coach Paul Warne with him in his car and park under his name. And he devised plans to inflict real pain on Cellino. Rotherham were starting to become detached at the bottom of the Championship table and were already five points below the safety mark. They badly needed to bring something back from Elland Road.

Redfearn had been appointed Millers manager on 9 October, replacing Steve Evans, the man now in charge at Leeds. There had been no quick fix at Rotherham; Redfearn had seen his new team lose five of the six games since he arrived, the last one a 5-2 humiliation at home to Ipswich.

But Redfearn knew the Leeds players well, and the best way to get at them. He had just signed burly striker Leon Best from Blackburn and took him to one side before the game. 'Leon, you're in tomorrow, son. Good luck, but listen, there's something you need to do for me…'

Redfearn spent a good twenty minutes giving Best some very pointed instructions. 'I'll f***ing show him,' thought Redfearn to himself afterwards, satisfied that Best would do the necessary.

Some fans were distinctly apprehensive about Redfearn putting one over on Leeds, no matter how positive people felt after Huddersfield. 'I know everyone thinks we've turned the corner,' said one, 'but the score flattered us. No way were we worth 3-0, Wootton should have had a red and that would have made it a different game. Redfearn will have this lot ready to screw us over, he owes Cellino one.'

'Get the f*** in!' bellowed the fans after 18 minutes as Dallas tapped in a rebound from close in after Wood's effort was parried. An offside flag against the striker cut short the celebrations and the crowd noise began to dip noticeably as the game dragged to the break without a goal.

Redfearn had sent his men out to frustrate and niggle Leeds and it was obvious that Best had been told to make a nuisance of himself.

Evans had gone for an unchanged starting eleven, enraging the supporters who could not understand why Sam Byram and Jordan Botaka were on the bench. Scott Wootton and Luke Murphy were singled out for barracking.

Minutes after the players came back out, Leeds' worst fears were realised. Rotherham had possession on the left and Richie Smallwood was given an acre of space to chip into the box where Joe Newell rose unchallenged to head past Silvestri.

The fans didn't know quite how to react when Neil Redfearn came onto the pitch to celebrate.

Steve Evans brought Tom Adeyemi and Botaka off the bench ten minutes later. The winger was about an hour later than the fans had wanted.

The team were still settling down to the changes when there was an ugly incident midway through the Leeds half. Best contested the ball with Gaetano Berardi as a long throw came towards them and thrust his elbow violently into the Swiss defender's face.

Berardi was infuriated as Best stooped down to offer his hand and he violently shoved him. As Best tumbled theatrically to the turf, Giuseppe Bellusci moved in smartly to separate the two men. A smirking Best rose to his feet, job done. As he held Best at bay, Bellusci received a butt in the face for his trouble.

Referee Keith Stroud had little choice to give both Berardi and Best their marching orders, but the crowd was incensed at the unfairness of it all.

'F*** me, look at his nose,' exclaimed one fan as Berardi was dragged away by Liam Cooper, his smashed nose pouring with blood.

'Can understand Berardi's reaction. Letter of law may be a red, but for God's sake. Best's nothing but a thug. Redders will have told him to wind up them pair. Done us good and proper. That's us done.'

Indeed they were. Leeds could find no answer and tumbled to their sixth defeat of the season on a bitterly cold evening.

For all the disappointment and jokes about Steve Evans, the Scot managed to get Leeds playing in the weeks following the debacle.

They lost at QPR, but then went on a seven-match unbeaten run that saw them climb to 13th with clear blue water above the relegation zone.

There was also a change in the manager.

According to Charles Sale in the Daily Mail, kit manufacturer Kappa were unable to provide Evans with a club tracksuit that fitted his frame and he was stuck with his old Rotherham trackie, with Leeds badges stuck on to make it more official.

There were countless cries of 'Who ate all the pies?' and concerns about Evans' health. In the end it got to him. He went on a rigid diet and lost four-and-a-half stone in a few months. Many put the change down to the stress and pressure of coping with the circus that was Leeds United, but Evans insisted it had been his own doing.

In an interview with Radio Yorkshire, he said it was a conscious effort to slim down, fears over his blood pressure prompting his decision to get in shape, hoping specifically to be fighting fit for the summer.

He said: 'I wanted to be not only mentally sharp, but bodily sharp for the pressures which were going to come. A week before Christmas I decided it was the time to do it. My family thought, you won't see it through Christmas, and then not till the New Year, but I kept at it.'

Evans was surprisingly successful and steered Leeds clear of any serious relegation danger. He lasted until the end of the season, but his role was never more than keeping the seat warm for his successor.

Evans' position was undermined in the closing weeks by speculation about former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro replacing him. Cellino offered only the cold comfort of delaying a decision until the end of the season, but then gave a hint of what was to come.

A 3-2 victory against Reading on 16 April saw Evans become the longest-serving boss under Cellino at Elland Road. Two days later, the Italian repeated critical comments he made after Leeds lost at Brighton in February, accusing Evans of talking too much. 'He has to learn to shut his mouth. I've told him so many times to stop, you have no idea. But he doesn't. I cannot work with English managers. I give up. When am I going to find a manager in England who is actually a coach? They want to control everything. But it's wrong because when they go you have to start all over again.'

An emotional Evans appeared to accept the inevitable after United ended their season with a 1-1 draw, breaking down in tears as he glumly confirmed that he had not a clue as to Cellino's intentions.

In the background, Cellino was laying his plans for the future. He approached both MK Dons boss Karl Robinson and Bristol Rovers manager Darrell Clarke with offers to become the new coach. Both men rejected his overtures, a sad indictment of Leeds United's lowly status as an employment opportunity.

Cellino finally put Evans out of his misery on 31 May, going on to say that 'a different approach is required in order to achieve our targets for the new season'.

Part 1 Heavy Metal Football - Results, table and transfers