THE game was only 45 minutes old, and was shaping up to be a pretty exciting contest, but Everton FC manager David Moyes had seen enough.

Or, more to the point, he had heard enough.

The life of a football manager is such that criticism – be it constructive, destructive or plain vitriolic – is inevitable. Fans demand results, they demand entertainment, and they are increasingly quick to voice their dissatisfaction if those demands are not met.

At Ewood Park on Tuesday evening, Blackburn Rovers supporters – again – vented their frustrations at Steve Kean, their beleaguered boss.

Kean was continuously abused throughout Rovers’ 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers, with a group of fans staying behind afterwards to demand his sacking.

Moyes himself, however, was already back at home by that point. Aghast at the venom aimed at a fellow manager, the Everton manager, along with Stoke City’s Tony Pulis, had left the stadium early.

“I walked out at half-time, and so did Tony,” reveals Moyes. “I thought it was disgraceful.

“Steve Kean stood on the touchline and took it all, he was brave enough and man enough to do that.

“His family were there, and it would be terrible knowing your wife was in the stadium listening to that. It made me feel that could quite easily be me or any other Premier League manager.

“If the Blackburn fans had supported their team as loudly as they shouted at their manager, they might have got a result, and in a very important game too.

“I was disgusted by the way Steve was treated and the only way I could show it was to leave at half-time.”

Moyes himself, of course, has no such concerns.

Supporter discontent may have grown around Goodison Park this season, with fans frustrated at a lack of investment by the club’s board.

Little of their ire, however, is aimed at the manager.