Strachan and 'Boro part ways

Gordon Strachan’s reign as Middlesbrough manager is over, it is understood.

Gordon Strachan’s reign as Middlesbrough manager is over, it was confirmed this evening.

Middlesbrough confirmed Strachan’s exit in a statement on their official website, stating he departed by mutual consent.

Chairman Steve Gibson said: “Gordon is a man of great integrity. He has torn up his contract and walked away without compensation because he felt it was in the best interests of this football club.

“There are very few managers who have ever done that but that is the mark of the man.

“He feels he has given it everything he has got here but it hasn’t worked out and he has taken full responsibility for that.

“He knew that first-team results weren’t anything like as good as we had hoped they would be and he agreed that the change had to be made.

“We are now working on a shortlist of potential candidates as Gordon’s successor. It is crucial we put the right man in charge so I will not rush into a decision.”

Coach Steve Agnew has been put in caretaker charge of the team.

The 53-year-old Scot’s stay at the Riverside Stadium came to an end a few days short of a year since he replaced Gareth Southgate.

Strachan won just 13 of the 46 games for which he was in charge despite his side being installed as pre-season favourites to win promotion back to the Barclays Premier League.

Speculation over the former Celtic manager's future had been circulating for several weeks, and that grew today when he cancelled his pre-match press conference, although the official reason was that he was ill.

The Scot was appointed as successor to Southgate on October 26 last year with Gibson deciding the club needed a change despite lying in fourth place in the Championship table and only a point behind then leaders West Brom.

But they finished the campaign 40 points worse off than eventual champions Newcastle and eight behind sixth-placed Blackpool, who went on to win the play-off final.

Boro were installed as pre-season favourites to win promotion back to the Barclays Premier League this time around, but head into tomorrow night’s clash with Nottingham Forest 16 points adrift of current leaders QPR and seven shy of the play-off places.