EVERY dog has its day and after a year of turmoil and change at Goodison Park this was a right Royle celebration for Everton’s revived troops.

Dubbed ‘The Dogs of War’ by their new manager because of their tenacious battling qualities, some members of this Everton team might lack the pedigree of many of their predecessors but they certainly ‘Winalot’ more matches since the former Goodison centre-forward returned to his hometown club in November.

And once they took the lead in this encounter, they had the scent of victory.

Only 12 months ago, Everton had drifted from mid-table in mid-season at the time of Howard Kendall’s departure to the brink of relegation under Mike Walker.

After surviving their ‘Great Escape’ against Wimbledon by the skin of their teeth, many of Everton’s players have been reborn under the stewardship of Royle who has now become the first Everton manager to steer the Goodison Park outfit to a trophy during his first season in charge.

But perhaps this victory was always written in the stars?

National Lottery fortune teller Mystic Meg predicted that following three successive defeats in finals in 1985, 86 and 89 the Cup would be coming back to Goodison this year before the third round matches were even played back in January.

Casting her Rune Stones, Meg spelt out ‘Eferton’ and after the 4-1 semi-final thrashing of Tottenham – arguably Everton’s best performance since their last title-winning season in 1986/86 – she had another go and came up with the Goodison manager’s initials ‘JR’. But after the comprehensive dismantling of the Londoners at Elland Road to end Jurgen Klinsmann’s Cup dream and certain observers’ hopes of a so-called ‘Dream Final’, even the biggest of Meg’s sceptics would not have wagered against an Everton triumph.

It was a case of third time lucky for Royle, who had been twice denied a place in the FA Cup final with former club Oldham having been beaten in a brace of semi-final replays at the hands of United. First in 1990 when Alex Ferguson saved his job by lifting his first trophy with the Red Devils and secondly just a year ago.

While Everton have enjoyed a major upturn in fortunes under Royle – albeit only ensuring safety from relegation in the penultimate game of their Premier League campaign – 12 months on from their ‘double’ season – when they joined the Goodison outfit on nine titles – United have this season finished runners-up in both League and Cup.