'Everton are the story of the season'

So there we have it. Against all odds, we have secured our Premier League status with plenty of room to spare.

The past week has been one of the most un-Everton like weeks I have known. Faced with three home games in six days, the majority of Evertonians never would have envisaged that we would win all three, especially after 'that' performance at Chelsea.

Relegation rivals beaten, local rivals outfought and a message of congratulations from Green Day. The past seven days have had it all.

It is only right the bulk of my words are reserved for the manager and players.

Greeted with points deductions, ownership uncertainty, national ridicule and everything in between, they have shown incredible togetherness when it would have been much easier to wilt under the most intense of operating conditions.

Everton are the story of the season and the success of the season. They deserve immense respect and plaudits for what has been achieved.

Sean Dyche deserves manager of the season.

Some will laugh at such a suggestion, but I would not trust many other managers with our club currently. There is not much more praise I can give than that.

The anger we all feel towards the Premier League will take a long time to subside. Being hung out to dry, made an example of and being used in a battle against independent regulation would have destroyed many clubs.

Thankfully, we are made of much stronger stuff and Goodison Park rightly gets her final season swansong exactly where she should do.

Mike Richards can be found at the Unholy Trinity