Ipswich Town have parted company with manager Roy Keane following a disappointing first half of their Championship campaign.
Former Sunderland boss Keane took over at Portman Road in April 2009 and immediately set his sights on guiding the Tractor Boys back to the Premier League.
However, they finished in the bottom half of the table last season and currently sit just three points above the drop-zone, prompting the decision to make a change of manager.
CEO Simon Clegg told Ipswich’s official website: “Today is a sad day for me.
“I have enjoyed working with Roy over the past two seasons and I would like to thank him for his tremendous dedication and professionalism during that period.
“Regrettably though, we have not made the progress that we had all expected over the last 20 months and this season in particular with the side slipping to 19th place in the Championship table.”
Clegg added on Sky Sports News: “(Keane’s) reaction to the news is as I would have hoped and expected from someone I've got to know over the past two years. One of disappointment and sadness and coupled with the acknowledgment of the opportunity he was given and support he has received.
“We wanted to give Roy Keane the sufficient time to get the team right and to improve the situation.
“However, as he has said himself, the performances on the pitch since November have simply not been good enough. The results speak for themselves.
“We all carry a degree of responsibility for this failure and I include myself in this.
“I'm convinced that with a new manager we can achieve the objective and goals we have set for this club.”