Sam Allardyce was presumably in the middle of “doing a Ray Winstone”, which, for those uninitiated, involves retiring to Spain with his wife, lying in a deckchair and soaking up the sun. Happily retired and with the karaoke bar just a short taxi ride away, he was enjoying the views from Casa St James’, a fancy villa on the Costa Blanca purchased with the £4m pay-off he received from Newcastle in 2008, when the phone rang. Now, a return to the north of England beckons, with Allardyce charged with “doing a Steve Evans”, which, for those uninitiated, involves swooping in on a short-term deal to save Leeds United from relegation, not – and Football Daily knows what you were thinking – turning up to Elland Road in a sombrero and beach shorts, even if that does feel oddly appropriate for Big Sam.