NEWCASTLE UNITED HAVE sacked manager Chris Hughton this afternoon.
The decision comes 24 hours after the Magpies were beaten 3-1 at West Brom.
The newly-promoted side were still lying in 11th place in the table however.
The former Ireland full back led Newcastle back into the top flight in May after their relegation in the 2008-09 campaign.
But despite his successful tenure in the hot seat, the club decided to wield the axe this morning.
A club statement on the official website read:
Newcastle United Football Club have today parted company with manager Chris Hughton. Goalkeeping coach Paul Barron also leaves the club today.
The board would like to place on record their thanks to Chris for his considerable efforts during the club’s transition from Championship to Premier League football.
Chris has shown exceptional character and commitment since being appointed manager in October 2009. The club wishes him well for the future.
Regrettably the board now feels that an individual with more managerial experience is needed to take the club forward. The task of appointing a new manager now begins.
An announcement will be made shortly regarding transitional arrangements pending the appointment of a successor.
St James’ Park Argentine defender Jonas Gutierrez tweeted in the past hour:
Gracias Chris Hughton por creer en nosotros cuando nadie confiaba en nosotros.
Or for those of us who realise that the he’s not asking for ‘two beers please’ but not too much more, the translation is:
Thank you Chris Hughton for believing in us when nobody believed in us
Yesterday, the former Ireland assistant manager was said to have ‘read the riot act’ to his players after a poor display at the Hawthorns.
Hughton held a 60-minute inquest immediately after the final whistle to clear the air with his squad. He explained:
We’ve had a meeting with the players. We weren’t good enough in enough departments and that’s why I’ve been so long.
Some of it is about getting answers. Some of it’s about venting some of your anger.
What you want to do after a game like this is get certain things off your chest. We haven’t been good today. The inquest at the end of the game if we are in the changing room for quite some time afterwards it is always very much a team discussion.
