Jose Mourinho was smuggled out of Chelsea's training ground in the boot of one of his assistant's cars following his sacking in December 2015.
The Portuguese manager's second spell at Stamford Bridge ended following nine defeats from their opening 16 Premier League games, leaving the defending champions 16th and just one point above the relegation places.
It also came in the aftermath of his touchline argument with club doctor Eva Carneiro and the subsequent Football Association probe and legal action that followed.
The Athletic have revealed that Mourinho exited Chelsea's Cobham training base following his dismissal on December 17 in the boot of goalkeeping coach Silvino Louro's SUV after the press and photographer gathered at the gates were thrown off the scent by an elaborate decoy.
The club's staff had just had their Christmas lunch in the Cobham canteen when chairman Bruce Buck and director Eugene Tenenbaum were seen reporting in at reception at around 2pm.
Mourinho was fired in a 10-minute meeting 'described as civil' before a plan was hatched to get him out of the training ground without anyone noticing.
According to The Athletic's account, Chelsea's player liaison officer Kevin Campello, with a hoodie pulled down to cover his face and with an expensive watch visible, was sent out in a 'decoy' vehicle to draw the photographers and reporters assembled away from the entrance.
Campello's car was followed 'for half an hour before working out something wasn't right', which allowed Mourinho to escape by crouching down in the boot of Silvino's car, which headed undetected to London.
Mourinho wasn't out of work for too long despite this ignominious end to his second tenure as Chelsea manager and was appointed Manchester United boss six months later.