Everton's board of directors were ordered to stay away from Goodison Park due to perceived security risks but what they missed was their relegation-threatened team plunging into further trouble after a 2-1 defeat to bottom side Southampton.
In an unprecedented move the executives did not attend after offensive messages - including death threats to chairman Bill Kenwright - were made to specific individuals during the week by angry fans.
Club officials called it a "profoundly sad day" but things were not much better on the pitch as Everton squandered a lead given to them by Amadou Onana's first goal for the Toffees.
James Ward-Prowse scored twice as Saints moved level on points with their hosts, who are only kept off the bottom of the table by goal difference after just one win in 11 league matches and have their lowest tally (15) at the halfway stage of a Premier League campaign.
It added extra numbers to the previously-planned sit-in protest after the final whistle by fans angry at the way they perceive those executives have run the club.
By then Southampton's players, who had enjoyed a morale-boosting midweek Carabao Cup win over Manchester City, had long departed with new manager Nathan Jones celebrating his first league win after four successive defeats.
Onana was the host's best player and he got his rewards after a fairly nondescript opening 39 minutes by beating Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu with a downward header from Demarai Gray's right-wing corner.
Everton have been guilty of not pressing home their advantage on the rare occasions they have had one this season and, moments later, Alex Iwobi cut in from the left and curled a shot wide of the far post. It was no surprise when their bubble was burst early in the second half.
It gave Saints the confidence to exert greater control on the game, with Ward-Prowse at the heart, and under-pressure manager Frank Lampard's response was to switch from five at the back to 4-3-3 with Ireland captain and wing-back Seamus Coleman replaced by forward Anthony Gordon.
Saints captain Ward-Prowse levelled when Che Adams' cushioned header dropped to him 20 yards out and he side-stepped Ben Godfrey to slot past Pickford to cancel out Onana's maiden goal.
Gordon's reckless and unnecessary foul on Adams 30 yards out, 12 minutes from time, was right in Ward-Prowse's range and he duly whipped a free-kick over the wall leaving Pickford motionless.
The Gwladys Street chanted "sack the board" at the final whistle after a fourth successive home league defeat, the first time that has happened since a club-record run of seven in 1958.
It was a marked contrast to the celebrations taking place in the away section, who sang: "We're staying up."
West Ham slumped into the bottom three following defeat at fellow strugglers Wolves.
Both sides went into the Molineux meeting out of form in the league but it was the hosts who sealed a 1-0 victory courtesy of a smart Daniel Podence strike which lifts them out of the relegation zone.
West Ham headed to the Black Country having won just one of their last nine Premier League games, taking a single point from their previous six.
It left the Hammers looking over their shoulder and into the drop zone, where their hosts sat following an equalling galling run of results.
Julen Lopetegui has arrested a slide but is still calling for more from his new charges, who had just one victory in eight before this game.
They were not at their best here but still had enough to beat a poor West Ham side, with the visitors barely testing Jose Sa in the Wolves goal throughout the afternoon.
Brennan Johnson scored two second-half goals as Nottingham Forest further strengthened their survival bid with an impressive 2-0 win over Leicester, whose miserable run continues.
The Wales international registered his first league goals since September to move Forest above their East Midlands rivals, who have now lost four in a row, and four points clear of the relegation zone.
It is a marked turnaround since the reverse fixture in October that saw Leicester win 4-0 which Forest boss Steve Cooper called the worst game of his managerial career.
His side looked doomed that night, but now they have real hope of staying out of relegation trouble after an impressive run that has seen them lose just one of their last six Premier League games.
That victory kick-started Leicester's season but their form has been woeful since the season resumed after the World Cup as they have lost all four games.
The pressure is back on Brendan Rodgers, who is desperate for reinforcements this month as his side try to avoid getting pulled back into a relegation scrap.
