In life it could be said that there are three certainties: death, taxes and football managers losing their jobs, and Kevin Nicholson found the latter out this week following Torquay United's defeat to Boreham Wood.
After guiding the Gulls to two 'Great Escapes' in the 2015-16 and the 2016-17 campaigns, Nicholson became the first manager in England's top five divisions to be dismissed from his position in the 2017-18 season.
Three defeats and a draw from United's opening five matches extinguished any hopes that Nicholson could build on a promising conclusion to the previous campaign, which concluded with a final day win over North Ferriby United, as his connection with the club that began in 2007 ended with his departure.
Many expected him to be given a few more matches to turn things around but Chairman Clark Osborne has decided that now is the time to act.
Much of Nicholson's tenure, which began in October 2015 following the resignation of Paul Cox which in itself was followed by a thumping 7-3 home defeat to Bromley and losses to Boreham Wood and Lincoln City, saw him fighting numerous fires without enjoying many of the luxuries and guidance of many of his predecessors.
Eventually Nicholson steadied the ship and a 4-1 Boxing Day win over Forest Green Rovers offered hope going into 2016, and some wheeling and dealing in the January 2016 transfer window saw him assemble a more competitive which secured survival with a 2-0 win away at Bromley with two games to spare.
The following campaign, which also saw Gaming International take over the club midseason, saw the Gulls fighting relegation again with defeats against a Sutton United side, who played much of the game with right-back Simon Downer in goal after first choice keeper Rob Worner went off injured (Reserve keeper Wayne Shaw had been dismissed following 'Pie Gate' in the previous week) and a ten man Guiseley team who they threw away a lead against.
Nicholson openly admitted that he feared the sack after the Guiseley loss, but the following week he lead the Gulls to a victory over Southport and later on wins in their final three matches of the season against Braintree Town, Dover Athletic and North Ferriby saw United beat the drop.
All this was achieved against the backdrop of budgetry constraints, Nicholson driving a mini-bus to games and the players even driving to some matches in their own cars because they couldn't coach travel and an overnight stay. And then there was the sales of key players such as Angus MacDonald and Nathan Blissett.
It could be argued that Nicholson possibly got the job a couple of years sooner than he would have expected to have done. Therefore he didn't have the kind of coaching apprenticeship that the likes of Eddie Howe, Keith Hill and Gary Rowett had before they were appointed as managers of AFC Bournemouth, Rochdale and Burton Albion respectively.
Howe had coached the reserves and youth teams at Dean Court, Hill was a youth coach with a basic grasp of sports science when he was appointed at Spotland following a successful caretaker spell in charge and Rowett coached at Derby County's youth academy before assisting and eventually succeeding Paul Peschisolido at the Pirelli Stadium.
Whether Nicholson would have fared better if he had worked as an assistant somewhere else or managed at a lower level first we will never know, but in an ideal world it could have been something he could have benefited from doing.
Hopefully if there is a legacy that he can leave the club following his departure is that much of the work that he did to try and re-engage the club with the community will be continued and built upon.
