Niall Quinn was in no doubt. Unveiling David Miliband as his new vicechairman at Sunderland FC on Wednesday, he said: “I saw a light come on the second David was leaving the party conference in Manchester (having lost the Labour leadership). I saw what an opportunity someone else had turned down.”

I sat in the Stadium of Light car park, trying to remember where the entrance to Monkwearmouth Colliery had been, and tweeted the Sunderland chairman’s analysis of the Labour leadership election.

The replies shared Mr Quinn’s opinion of David. One said: “Certainly Sunderland’s gain, but even more certainly Labour’s loss!”

David is already regarded as the greatest leader Labour never had – which is a little harsh considering at 45, he is too young to be written off completely. I hope.

When last summer I chaired the North- East Labour leadership hustings at the Hancock Museum, I was struck by how David dominated the proceedings. Beforehand, the other four contenders sought out quiet corners to rehearse their lines, whereas he ranged around the green room with a leggy stride, greeting all with a huge handshake.

Ed Miliband was in mid-mutter with an aid when David sprang over like a cat and gave him a loud, brotherly pawing.

All the contenders seemed in awe of David.

Perhaps because he was out-and-out favourite; perhaps because, as former Foreign Secretary, he’d already had a seat at the top table to which they aspired; perhaps because he has an ebullient charisma, and a ready humour, that allows him to dominate his environment.

This may sound petty, but he also has an enviable leanness. Even Niall Quinn, a former international footballer now 44, has filled out in both face and physique, but on Wednesday David slapped his thumbs in his waistband as if to draw attention to his washboard figure.

So two days later at the Sage, the first thing I noticed about Ed, 41, was that he was exhibiting the first signs of the rotundity that afflicts nearly all men when they touch 40.

The silver buckle on his black belt, which would once have pointed youthfully at the horizon, is now drooping towards the floor.

As, alas, is my own.

It may have been unfair to judge Ed yesterday.

He had such a heavy cold that his eyes were closing as if he were a rabbit with myxamatosis, but he didn’t dominate the Sage stage as David would have done. In fact, when big Ed Balls bowled on and held forth slap bang from the centre, Ed backed off and watched from the wings, transfixed.

His speech, though, was thoughtful with a powerful theme. It was delivered without any support beyond the ideas in his head.

His problem is that having overcome one Dominant David, he is faced with another.

While he has been gradually finding his feet as party leader, David Cameron has grabbed the mantle of national leader. He feels he is impregnable. He plunges headlong from one poll tax moment to the next – tuition fees, NHS reforms, child benefit and now forests – and emerges unscathed and unbowed.

“Cameron’s on one – big time,” one North- East Labour MP said this week, almost awestruck.

Ed is not there yet.

STATISTIC of the day: Ed Miliband said yesterday that the average age that a couple, who did not have parental financial help, could afford their first step on the housing ladder is now 37.