Reading became the latest Coca-Cola Championship side to part company with their manager this evening as Brendan Rodgers left the club by mutual consent.
The Royals have followed in the footsteps of fellow strugglers Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday, with Paul Mariner taking over from Paul Sturrock as Argyle boss last week and Brian Laws leaving Hillsborough on Sunday.
Rodgers takes his leave with the Royals languishing one place and three points above the relegation zone.
A brief statement on the club's official website, www.readingfc.co.uk, read: "Following a meeting this afternoon, the chairman, the board of Reading Football Club and Brendan Rodgers have agreed by mutual consent that Brendan Rodgers will leave his position as first-team manager with immediate effect.
"Reading Football Club will make no further comment at this stage."
The club later revealed chief scout Brian McDermott will take temporary charge of first-team affairs, starting with Saturday's trip to Bristol City.
Rodgers' exit comes little more than six months after he took over at the Madejski Stadium and will be regarded by many as something of a surprise despite the club's lowly league position.
The Royals won only five league games under the Northern Irishman's stewardship and just one of those victories came at home - a 2-1 triumph over Blackpool on November 21.
However, results had started to improve in recent weeks and it was thought the 36-year-old would be given more time to haul the team away from the foot of the table.
In fact, last weekend's 1-1 draw at home to Scunthorpe proved to be Rodgers' last game in charge.
After the match, he praised the club's supporters for their understanding, saying: "The crowd are frustrated but they have been great because they can see we have young players, can see what we are trying to do and how we are going to be."
Rodgers began his coaching career with Reading before moving to Chelsea in 2004, where he graduated from youth-team manager to take control of the club's reserves.
In November 2008, he was handed his first managerial role at Watford but he spent only seven months at Vicarage Road before agreeing to succeed Steve Coppell at Reading in June.
The Royals agreed a substantial compensation package with their Championship rivals to secure Rodgers' services and handed their new boss a three-year contract, along with the target of promotion back to the Barclays Premier League.
But, with the club seemingly facing a tough battle at the opposite end of the table, chairman John Madejski will now begin the search for a new manager.
Rodgers takes his leave with the Royals languishing one place and three points above the relegation zone.
A brief statement on the club's official website, www.readingfc.co.uk, read: "Following a meeting this afternoon, the chairman, the board of Reading Football Club and Brendan Rodgers have agreed by mutual consent that Brendan Rodgers will leave his position as first-team manager with immediate effect.
"Reading Football Club will make no further comment at this stage."
The club later revealed chief scout Brian McDermott will take temporary charge of first-team affairs, starting with Saturday's trip to Bristol City.
Rodgers' exit comes little more than six months after he took over at the Madejski Stadium and will be regarded by many as something of a surprise despite the club's lowly league position.
The Royals won only five league games under the Northern Irishman's stewardship and just one of those victories came at home - a 2-1 triumph over Blackpool on November 21.
However, results had started to improve in recent weeks and it was thought the 36-year-old would be given more time to haul the team away from the foot of the table.
In fact, last weekend's 1-1 draw at home to Scunthorpe proved to be Rodgers' last game in charge.
After the match, he praised the club's supporters for their understanding, saying: "The crowd are frustrated but they have been great because they can see we have young players, can see what we are trying to do and how we are going to be."
Rodgers began his coaching career with Reading before moving to Chelsea in 2004, where he graduated from youth-team manager to take control of the club's reserves.
In November 2008, he was handed his first managerial role at Watford but he spent only seven months at Vicarage Road before agreeing to succeed Steve Coppell at Reading in June.
The Royals agreed a substantial compensation package with their Championship rivals to secure Rodgers' services and handed their new boss a three-year contract, along with the target of promotion back to the Barclays Premier League.
But, with the club seemingly facing a tough battle at the opposite end of the table, chairman John Madejski will now begin the search for a new manager.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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