Soccer:Coventry have sacked manager Chris Coleman with immediate effect following a board meeting last night.
The Welshman took charge at the Ricoh Arena in February 2008, signing a three-and-a-half year contract, and had already planned for a big summer of transfer activity over the coming months in order to re-establish the club as promotion contenders.
But chairman Ray Ranson has taken the decision to part company after the club's disappointing end to the campaign - sliding from play-off contenders in mid-March to end the season winless in 11 games and eventually finished 19th.
There has been plenty of clamour for his head from City supporters and Sunday's final-day 4-0 home reverse to Watford - their heaviest defeat of the season - certainly did not do him any favours.
But the Coventry board are keen to stress their decision was not a knee-jerk reaction to Sunday's match but was made after assessing the last two years as a whole, while reflecting a deterioration in form towards the end of the season for the second year running.
Ranson said: "It is true I enjoyed a very close working relationship with Chris and it's been a pleasure to work with him since his arrival in February 2008.
"The board would like to place on record their thanks for his efforts over two and a half years.
"We will not be rushed into finding a successor and the board will explore every avenue to appoint the right manager to take Coventry City Football Club forward."
Speaking after his side's abject display against the Hornets at the weekend, Coleman admitted he was not getting things right but felt the blame could not be laid solely at his feet.
He said: "I'm doing something wrong - I am - but it's not all just me making mistakes as a manager. I've got a great staff who work very hard but we need to make changes and that was evident in the game.
"There were no positives to that, not one. It was an embarrassing end to the season for us. It was the worst possible way to go out.
"It is not good enough and I apologise. The players went out after the game to say thank you to the supporters but if I had been a supporter, I would have gone. In fact, I would have gone before the end."