Emotional ... David Moyes gets a big farewell from Everton. Source: Lindsey Parnaby / AFP
He's considered by many as David Moyes' greatest signing at Everton, so it was only fitting that Tim Cahill returned to Goodison Park to help farewell his former manager.
In a sign of the Socceroos star's deep respect for Moyes, Cahill made a 5000km dash to appear at the manager's last home Premier League game before replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Cahill had played for his MLS side New York Red Bulls in Foxborough, Massachusetts only 15 hours earlier.
The visit also presented Everton fans with another chance to officially say goodbye to club icon Cahill, who scored 68 goals in 278 appearances over eight seasons before moving to the US last year.
Cahill was given a guard of honour by the Everton team as he and outgoing skipper Phil Neville joined Moyes on the pitch after a 2-0 win over West Ham.
The Australian warmly embraced Moyes, the man who provided the biggest break of Cahill's career when he signed him from Millwall for what turned out to be a bargain price of 1.5 million pounds ($A2.3 million) in 2004.
The 50-year-old reserved his most fervent praise for the home support, who gave Moyes a fantastic reception before, during and after the game.
"I thought we played as well as we have in a long time," Moyes said.
"We scored a well-worked goal in the first half and but for a couple of great saves and a few bad misses we would have had more.
"The crowd showed today what a big club Everton is, and I think today that was their part in it all. It was an emotional time during the second half because they got right behind their football club. They got the team that second goal.
"I think the crowd today showed what Everton means to them.
"I count myself extremely lucky. I have had a really good chairman and board who will let me get on with things. That is what Everton do: they want stability."
The result confirmed Everton's top-six finish in the Premier League, while West Ham are yet to ensure a top-half place.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce admitted that West Ham were lucky to lose by just two goals after goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen made a string of fine saves to deny Everton during a ninety minutes in which the away side failed to get a foothold.
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