Town on look-out for new boss

League One promotion hopefuls Huddersfield Town have sacked manager Lee Clark and his coaching staff.


Clark joined the West Yorkshire club in December 2008 and led them to last season’s play-off final at Old Trafford, where they lost 3-0 to Peterborough United.

The 39-year-old leaves the club following a disappointing home defeat to promotion rivals Sheffield United.

Chairman Dean Hoyle said: "We still have an opportunity to achieve promotion and we have made this change with this in mind.

"This was a very difficult decision, one not taken lightly or in response to one result. Concerns have been raised in recent weeks."

Clark, who was recently linked with the vacant managerial post at Leeds United, won just under half of his live football games as Town boss and oversaw the longest unbeaten run in the club’s history. Huddersfield went 43 regular season games without defeat before losing 2-0 to Charlton in November.

Huddersfield have lost twice since then, including the damaging defeat against Sheffield United on Tuesday night. Despite the 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Blades, Town have lost just three of their last 55 league games and were still among the favourites in the soccer betting for promotion.

Clark was given the news in a surprise two-minute phone call from Hoyle. It is thought the former Newcastle United midfielder will lodge a claim for unfair dismissal. Any such case would rule out an immediate return to management.

In a twist of fate, former Leeds boss Simon Grayson has emerged as an early frontrunner for the role. Grayson achieved promotion from League One with Leeds in his first full season in charge.

Academy manager Mark Lillis has been placed in temporary charge of the first team.