Tony Pulis column: From sending postcards to receiving texts, the different ways a manager gets the sack

I’ve talked a lot in these columns about my affection for Peter Coates and his wonderful family. As well as owning Stoke City, they are a special group of people who have been unbelievably successful in their own ways, but they have never lost that human touch.

When the time came for me to part company with the club in 2013, they did so in a proper manner – Peter and John, his son and now chairman, were dead straight with me about wanting to go in a different direction, and made a difficult situation into a respectful parting of the ways.

I spent almost 10 years at Stoke over two spells but, while I was only at Middlesbrough for 18 months, it was a similar story with their owner and chairman Steve Gibson.

Steve has spent his entire life looking out for Boro but his commitment to his club goes far beyond being a lifetime supporter. He cares deeply for the people of that area and has devoted so much of his hard-earned cash towards making Boro a success.

I loved my time there because of the warmth of Steve and his family, and beyond. The area reminded me so much of south Wales, where the community was cherished and people, especially at the club, could not do enough for you.

After the last game of the 2018-19 season I was completely shot, and frustrated that we had not reached the Championship play-offs. My drive home that night was long and lonely but I felt worn out.

Once the dust had settled on that season, Steve and I met up in London. Our discussions were honest and open but my contract was up and we both agreed it was a good time for me to leave – I wanted it to end on good terms, and we certainly did that.

After dinner we had a fair few drinks and it ended up being a very, very late night. We arranged to have breakfast the following morning but I told him I have always been an early riser so, by 6am, I was up and on my way to the station to get back home.

My wife had just picked me up in Bournemouth at just after 8am when Steve rang to ask if I was down for breakfast yet – and he didn’t believe me when I said no, I am back home.

I missed breakfast, but we remained good friends. Steve is a class act and I always hold Boro up as a club that deserves to be successful because of the attitude, commitment and honesty of everyone we came across.

My family still talk about how much they loved going there, and were genuinely disappointed when I left – something that doesn’t apply to all my former clubs, obviously!

Tony Pulis was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.