Manchester United have confirmed the departure of manager David Moyes this morning after heavy speculation over his future yesterday.
The Red Devils released the news at 8.30am after refusing to confirm the Scot’s long-term position at the club.
“Manchester United has announced that David Moyes has left the club,” read a brief statement.
“The club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role.”
The 50-year-old has been in charge of the club for ten months after replacing Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired at the end of last season.
Veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs will take over as caretaker boss until the end of the season, with the Welshman to take charge of the Premier League fixtures against Norwich, Sunderland, Hull and Southampton.
Moyes’ dismissal comes a year to the day since United clinched their record 20th league title under Ferguson.
His reign at Old Trafford has been dogged by torrid home form with six defeats at the Theatre of Dreams this season.
However, only league leaders Liverpool have a better away record in the league.
But failure to secure a trophy has played a large role in Moyes’ downfall.
“I don’t think there will be many United fans who are too upset by the decision,” Andy Mitten, editor of Manchester United fanzine ‘United We Stand’, told the BBC News Channel.
“They know he is a good man, a good football manager, but he wasn’t the right manager for Manchester United.”
Despite an initial Community Shield win over Wigan, Moyes exited the Capital One Cup at the semi-final stage to Sunderland while they did no better in the FA Cup when they were knocked out in the third round against Swansea.
Failure to qualify for the Champions League next season has also been damning and United exited this year’s competition in the quarter-finals to champions Bayern Munich.
Moyes’ reign is the shortest United tenure since Walter Crickmer lasted only 43 games from November 1931 to July 1932, apart from Sir Matt Busby’s brief second term.
Image courtesy of Carl Recine/Action Images, with thanks.
