Staunton leaves Leeds position

FORMER Ireland manager Steve Staunton has followed Gary McAllister out of Leeds United after the Scot was sacked on Sunday.

The former team mates oversaw Leeds’ 3-1 loss at MK Dons on Saturday, the club’s fourth successive league defeat.

Staunton had been appointed to the role of assistant manager in McAllister’s backroom team.

But the club yesterday confirmed that Staunton, sacked as Irish boss in October 2007 after 18 months in charge, has also been relieved of his duties

A club statement read: “Following the departure of first-team manager Gary McAllister, assistant manager Steve Staunton has parted company with the club.

“The first-team squad returned to Thorp Arch on Monday morning with Neil Thompson and Andy Beasley taking training.

“The club would like to re-iterate that we hope to appoint a new manager as quickly as possible.”

Staunton teamed up with McAllister at Elland Road in February and in September he received his UEFA A Licence for coaching.

McAllister had been appointed as Dennis Wise’s successor at Elland Road in January, but paid the price for a miserable sequence of results which saw them knocked out of the FA Cup at non-league Histon and slide out of the top six in League One.

A former Leeds and Scotland midfielder, McAllister was given a mandate by chairman Ken Bates to deliver promotion this season following the club’s play-off final heartache in May.

Meanwhile, Blackpool have refused Leeds permission to speak to their manager Simon Grayson about the vacancy.