Brian Kidd's fondness for northern values is such that it will probably take him no more than three or four days to come to terms with a spectacular failure after his reign as manager of struggling Blackburn ended yesterday. Rovers announced yesterday that following a meeting between owner Jack Walker and Kidd, Walker had decided to terminate the manager's contract 11 months after he arrived at Ewood Park.

However, there are few who would gorge themselves upon the sight of a good man undone by an unholy alliance of circumstances and his own naivety.

The signs were ominous in late August, when Blackburn's owner, Jack Walker, spoke of the club's crisis. "Things are going bloody awful. We need to start putting things right sooner rather than later," he said.

Yesterday, the manager who wore his heart on his sleeve slipped quietly away to contemplate his future.

In December of last year Kidd did the unthinkable by walking out on Manchester United and, more significantly, the man he described as "mentor, friend and guiding force", Alex Ferguson.

Kidd's main failing was in the transfer market. He spent around £30 million on 13 players - an entire team. The plan was to win the fight against relegation from the Premiership he had inherited from his predecessor Roy Hodgson and then re-establish Blackburn - the 1995 league champions - as a club of promise and style. No chance. Rovers slipped down into the First Division.

About 10 days ago, Kidd halted a press conference after his side had again under-achieved and asked the assembled press where precisely he had gone wrong. The obvious answer was in leaving the security of life in Old Trafford's shadows - but no one was brave enough to tell him.