Yet all supporters have been met by is a seemingly never-ending stream of disappointments whether they be setbacks in the transfer market, off-the-field upheavals, the failure to secure their manager to a new long-term contract and of course, crushing blows in terms of results for their team.

On a night on which there was no room for sentiment, Everton manager David Moyes dropped Joseph Yobo on his return to the Stade Maurice Dufrasne after the Nigerian defender scored an own goal against his former club in the first leg. Leighton Baines came into the side at left-back with Joleon Lescott, who had struggled against Liege’s pace in the full-back position at Goodison Park a fortnight ago, switching to the centre.

There was also no recall for Ecuadorian midfielder Segundo Castillo who netted on his home debut in the side’s initial meeting as captain Phil Neville remained in central midfield while Tony Hibbert continued at right-back.

Knowing that his side needed to score if they were to stand any chance of progressing, Moyes switched his formation from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2 with Marouane Fellaini suspended against his former club and Louis Saha stepping up to start up front alongside Ayegbeni Yakubu.

Everton, like all visitors to these parts, were given a hot reception on their arrival by a set of home supporters who are far and away the most vociferous in the Jupiler League. Although Standard are their country’s third-most successful club behind the more fashionable Anderlecht, based in cosmopolitan capital city Brussels, and Brugge – dubbed ‘The Venice of the North’, their hard-edged image is more Jean-Claude van Damme or Pat van den Hauwe than the cheery image normally associated with Belgium of fine chocolates, Poirot, Tintin and the statue of the little boy answering the call of nature. Going into the game with a couple of away goals to their name, Standard knew they could sit back and try and hit their visitors on the break with their explosive pace – a ploy that suited them fine.

Such a ‘restrained’ approach did not prevent the opening exchanges from threatening to boil over though and home skipper Steven Defour was the most tetchy of the protagonists. Already booked for dissent when complaining furiously to German referee Peter Sippel after Axel Witsel had fouled Louis Saha just outside of the area, Defour was somewhat fortunate to stay on after some rash challenges soon after.

But with a couple of tame Saha efforts all Everton had to show for their efforts before the interval, Defour played a major part with Liege’s opener on 22 minutes when they scored with their first real opportunity.

Driving forward 20 yards inside the Everton half, his stinging shot from outside the area could only be parried by Tim Howard into the path of Milan Jovanovic who lofted a hanging cross back across goal to Witsel who netted from a tight angle.

Standard continued to push forward after the interval with Dante Bonfim earning cheers for his nutmeg on Hibbert down the left wing but his cross was gathered by Tim Howard.

With the tie threatening the slip from his side’s grasp, Moyes shook things up on 62 minutes, introducing last season’s European ‘super sub’ Victor Anichebe for Hibbert. The switch worked as the visitors enjoyed their most sustained period of pressure, forcing two corners in quick succession that proved decisive.

First from the right Mikel Arteta’s delivery was palmed away by Ecuadorian keeper Aragon Espinoza but Everton earned themselves a corner on the left-hand side as Anichebe’s shot from the rebound was deflected wide.

From the resultant set-piece, again by Arteta, Standard were the architects of their own downfall as Espinoza dropped the ball under pressure from his own defenders and Phil Jagielka dived in to prod into the net despite Bonfim’s desperate effort to clear off his own goal-line on 67 minutes.

A further adjustment saw South African midfielder Steven Pienaar, sidelined since breaking a toe in Everton’s final pre-season friendly against PSV Eindhoven at Goodison, introduced for the tiring Saha but it was Standard who crucially went on to score next, restoring their lead with 12 minutes to go.

Baines was left cruelly exposed as Jovanovic played a quickfire one-two with Dieu Mbokani and clipped the Serbian earning Standard a penalty.

Jovanovic dusted himself down to take the resultant spot-kick himself, which he dispatched just to Howard’s right and although the American guessed correctly, the ball flew over his diving body and off his hand.

Everton understandably piled men forward in the latter stages with one last effort but despite some more jitters from Espinoza they were unable to find a second goal to take the tie into extra-time.

However, after feeling the heat in ‘hell’ it’s the cold, dark winter ahead with nothing to play for that will now be leaving Evertonians scared stiff.