Aston Villa sack manager Tim Sherwood

Tim Sherwood has been sacked as manager of Aston Villa

ASTON VILLA have sacked manager Tim Sherwood after eight months in charge, with the club 19th in the Premier League table.

 

Sherwood only took charge in February, but has paid the price for the club's dismal start to the Premier League season.

A 2-1 home defeat by Swansea City on Saturday was their sixth league defeat in a row, and they are four points from the safety, having not won since the opening day.

Sherwood reached the FA Cup final with Villa in his first season in charge, but has overseen just 28 games in all competitions - the shortest spell of any permanent Villa manager.

Assistant manager Ray Wilkins, first-team coach Mark Robson and performance analyst Seamus Brady have also left, with Kevin MacDonald, who has been coaching the under-21s, placed in temporary charge.

 



Sherwood has overseen just 28 games in all competitions as Villa manager



In a statement the club said: "Aston Villa Football Club has parted company with manager Tim Sherwood today.

"The Board has monitored the performances closely all season and believes the results on the pitch were simply not good enough and that a change is imperative.

"However, the Club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Tim for all his efforts during a difficult period last season and for the many positive contributions he has made to the entire football setup during his time with the Club. We wish him well in the future.

"Assistant manager Ray Wilkins, first-team coach Mark Robson and performance analyst Seamus Brady have also left with immediate effect and do so with our best wishes.

 

Sherwood's last game in charge was Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Swansea

Club statement: Tim Sherwood. Information here: https://t.co/xImmX1naL9 #AVFC pic.twitter.com/MxuRnGxJR6

— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) October 25, 2015

"A search for a new manager has commenced and the squad will be managed in the interim by Kevin MacDonald.

"There will be no further comment from the Club at this stage."

Sherwood remained typically defiant on Saturday evening after the defeat to Swansea and insisted he had not had any contact with the club's owner Randy Lerner and that he would continue working flat out to improve the team's situation. 

However, Villa's defeat seems to have been the final straw as news of his departure was announced at Sunday lunchtime.