Nottingham Forest have sacked manager Colin Calderwood following a 4-2 drubbing at home to fellow Championship strugglers Doncaster.

The result saw Forest remain in the bottom three, where they have won just four times this season since their promotion from League One.

First-team coach David Kerslake has also left the club and chief executive Mark Arthur said: "We're grateful to Colin for his efforts over the last two and a half years, in particular for leading us to promotion from League One.

"But we're in a results business and it's imperative that the club stays in the Championship. We need to give ourselves every opportunity to do that."

Speaking after the defeat to their fellow strugglers — in which they trailed 4-0 before netting two consolation efforts — Calderwood admitted it was his side's "worst performance of the season".

He said: "It was just one thing after another for us — we were poor with the ball and horrific without it.

"We have been doing well recently but you have to come home and do the job in front of your own supporters. We didn't do that today."