THE pop heard from Phil Jagielka’s knee as he landed awkwardly on the Goodison Park turf on Saturday might as well have been the noise of Everton’s ‘feel-good’ bubble bursting.

Cruelly fate transpired that a mere six days after Jagielka kept his cool in a nerve-jangling shoot-out against Premier League and European champions Manchester United to slot home the winning penalty that would book Everton’s place in their first cup final for 14 years, his season is now over.

The 26-year-old is one of football’s genuine nice guys. Despite the millionaire status afforded to Premier League superstars like himself, he still drives a modest Mini car and even before David Moyes signed him, he endured himself to Evertonians by sportingly helping to carry an injured Tim Cahill from the Bramall Lane pitch in March 2007 when he suffered a broken metatarsal that would keep him out for the remainder of the campaign.

But like the Australian two years ago, Jagielka, who must have dreamed that his season would end with him holding the FA Cup aloft beneath Wembley’s great arch, is now having to face up to a summer of rehabilitation.

It will be a test of character for the affable Mancunian for sure but he’s had plenty of those before and has always come back better and stronger.

Jagielka is of course the boy who was released by Everton as a youngster but fought his way back to Goodison Park after serving his senior football apprenticeship with Sheffield United.

Even after sealing his dream move he suffered setbacks and after struggling for form in midfield, he saw his first team chances limited in his early months under Moyes.

Biding his time and working hard on his game, Jagielka returned midway through last season to cement his place in the side as a centre-back and by the summer he was in the England team.

Almost a year and more than 40 excellent performances further on he hadn’t looked back until this cruel blow.