Moyes' journey from Ferguson's chosen one and Man Utd flop to West Ham hero

This season has already seen Steve Bruce and Jose Mourinho hit the landmark of 1000 games in management and while the two have had vastly different careers, there is a shared belief that both of their respective powers are on the wane.

David Moyes will reach the same figure on Thursday night when West Ham take on Genk in the Europa League.

But despite being 999 not out, the fiery Scotsman's career is threatening to reach another peak.

Under his guidance, in just under two years the Hammers have gone from relegation threatened underachievers, to top-four challengers.

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David Moyes will take charge of his 1000th game in management tonight ( Image:

Getty Images)

His standing amongst his Premier League counterparts is at its highest for almost a decade and there is a feeling he is on the brink of something special.

However, to say it has been a serene march to 1000 but would be to dismiss the remarkable rise, fall and rise again of one of British football's most respected managers currently operating within the game.

So as Moyes prepares for a memorable night in Belgium, here's the story of his career so far and what could still be to come:

Where it all began

David Moyes started his management career with Preston in 1998 ( Image:

Action Images)

After a solid, but unspectacular twenty-year playing career, Moyes moved into the coaching setup at Preston, working alongside Gary Peters, before eventually replacing him in January 1998.

At the time, North End were in the lower reaches of the old Division Two (League One) staring at the prospect of dropping into the fourth tier.

After acquiring his coaching badges whilst still playing, 34-year-old Moyes was ready for his first taste of management, compiling lists of what worked and didn't work under a host of different coaching staff.

Preston avoided the drop in his first season, before surpassing all expectations in his second to reach the play-offs. Defeat to Gillingham hurt, but it allowed Moyes another season to hone his craft, going on to win the title the following year.

Back in the second tier, Preston became perennial promotion contenders, suffering Wembley heartache when they were beaten by Bolton in Cardiff in 2001.

But his success at Deepdale ensured his card had been stamped and although Preston didn't make it to the top-flight, Moyes would.

Becoming 'The Chosen One'

Moyes was named Everton manager in 2002 ( Image:

PA Archive/PA Images)

In March 2002, Moyes was announced as the late Walter Smith's replacement at Everton.

Similarly to his appointment at Preston, Moyes was forced to negotiate his new charges through some choppy waters with relegation a genuine concern.

However, a good run of form under the Glaswegian meant that was avoided with relative ease.

If there were any fears over an adaptation period in the Premier League, they were quickly dismissed. In his first full season, Moyes guided the Toffees to a seventh-placed finish - and in turn won the LMA Manager of the Season.

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But in a prelude to the rest of his career, relative highs gave way to painful lows, with Everton only narrowly avoiding relegation in the following year.

Along with indifferent performances, there were clashes with high-profile players like Duncan Ferguson, as well as having to deal with the departure of a certain Wayne Rooney.

There may have been turmoil off the pitch, but on it, the 2004/05 campaign saw him achieve his highest league finish, guiding Everton to fourth place and a spot in the Champions League, earning him the Manager of the Year gong for the second time in as many years.

Moyes gave Wayne Rooney his senior debut, before the striker left in controversial circumstances ( Image:

Gary M.Prior/Getty)

But as had become a pattern of Moyes' early Everton career, the following campaign was disappointing, losing out in Champions League qualifying and falling out of the Premier League top half.

The summer of 2006 saw Moyes recruit the likes of Joleon Lescott and Tim Howard, both of whom helped usher in an era of sustained stability and success at Goodison Park.

Between '06/07 and his departure in '12/13, Everton finished no lower than eighth, turning Everton into genuine contenders for Europe.

A trophy would never follow, but his reputation as an astute team builder and shrewd tactician meant he was constantly linked with a move away from Merseyside.

And while links with Celtic and Aston Villa never turned into a job offer, it would be worth the wait, when the biggest job in England was handed to him.

The Theatre of Nightmares

Sir Alex Ferguson handpicked Moyes to replace him at Manchester United ( Image:

Action Images)

From the moment Sir Alex Ferguson announced he would be hanging up his hairdryer, the speculation on who would replace him in the Manchester United dugout was rife.

But after an intervention from his compatriot, Moyes was the man tasked with replacing the greatest manager of all time, earning a six-year contract at Old Trafford.

"I am delighted that Sir Alex saw fit to recommend me for the job. I have great respect for everything he has done and for the football club," Moyes explained in his opening press conference.

Moyes' banner at Old Trafford didn't last long ( Image:

Action Images)

'The Chosen One' was born. Ed Woodward claimed his new boss had "all the skills needed to build on United's phenomenal legacy".

The length of the contract was said to be a sign of trust in Moyes, a licence to naturally grow in the role, just as his predecessor had done at the start of his legendary tenure.

And it all started so well. A 4-1 win over Swansea City had fans dreaming of a smooth transition, but that was as good as it got.

United would endure their worst start to a Premier League season with defeats to Liverpool, Man City and West Brom putting the pressure on him before his club suit had even creased.

Marouane Fellaini arrived in September but their fortunes scarcely improved. Just 15 games into the season, the Red Devils were effectively out of title contention, while their FA Cup fate was sealed in the third round.

By March of his first season in charge, fans' frustrations reached a crescendo, with a plane flying over the stadium with the message: "Wrong One, Moyes Out".

A month later, defeat to his old side Everton was the final straw and less than a year after his appointment, Moyes was relieved of his duties.

The fall and fall

Moyes was quickly back on the managerial saddle, moving out of the limelight of the Premier League to take over at Real Sociedad in November 2014.

In January, Moyes showed a glimpse of the old magic, guiding Los Txuri-Urdin to a win over Barcelona.

But results were few and far in between, with one of the lasting images of his stay in the Basque Country him eating crisps in the stands after being sent to the stands.

Moyes was spotted eating crisps in the stands after being sent off while at Real Sociedad

On November 9, 2015, one day short of his first anniversary in charge, he was sacked after a poor start to the season.

A return to the Premier League came in July 2016, but to say his time on Wearside was a disaster would be an understatement.

Replacing England-bound Sam Allardyce, both men were quickly left with a sense of regret. By the following summer, Allardyce had left the national team in disgrace, while relegation to the Championship confirmed Moyes' time at the Black Cats was a one-season arrangement.

He was unable to arrest a slump which ultimately saw Sunderland drop out of the Premier League ( Image:

Action Images via Reuters)

His nightmare at the Stadium of Light left many questioning whether he would ever have another crack at Premier League management, but when West Ham came calling in a crisis, Moyes was back.

Signed to a six-month deal, Moyes was handed his first firefighting role, proving exactly where his place in the pecking order was.

He achieved his goal, keeping the Hammers in the top-flight, but he always felt a plaster and when Manuel Pellegrini came available, Moyes was not offered a new deal.

The path back to the top

Pellegrini lasted just over a season in east London before Moyes was back in charge.

"It's fabulous to be back. It feels great to be home. I've missed being here because I really enjoyed it," he said at his second unveiling.

And while he may have been delighted, disgruntled fans were somewhat less impressed.

His re-appointment was seen as the latest piece of mismanagement from much-maligned owners Gold and Sullivan. The end to the 2019/20 season didn't ease any fears, but like he has done so many times previously, the transformation was happening behind the scenes.

While many clubs struggled in the empty stadiums of the post-lockdown Premier League, the Hammers thrived.

David Moyes has revitalised his career during his second stint with West Ham ( Image:

Getty Images)

Michail Antonio became one of the country's best strikers, players like Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal came in and had an instant impact and by the end of his first full campaign, West Ham were back in Europe with Moyes earning a new nickname - Moyesiah.

For the first time since those heady days at Goodison Park, Moyes is in charge of what feels like his team, with supporters fully behind him and the feeling that something special could be on the way.

West Ham have started this term in similarly impressive fashion, combining league success, with Carabao Cup progression and a perfect start to their Europa League campaign.

After 23 years in the dugout, Moyes has been up and down the management rollercoaster, but in a time where managers are quickly written off, he has proven that sometimes it's all about being at the right club at the right time.