Alan Irvine leaves Sheffield Wednesday, Gary Megson leading candidate

Assistant manager Rob Kelly and coach Billy Barr have been put in temporary charge for this weekend's home game against MK Dons.

The club has expressed its thanks to Irvine and wished him well for the future.

Chairman Milan Mandaric will be holding a press conference this afternoon.

In a statement he said: "I said when I took charge at Sheffield Wednesday that I would make some very tough decisions and the decision to part with Alan is one of the hardest I have had to make throughout all my time in the game.

"I supported Alan from the first day and I supported him through the January transfer window.

"But the performances were not consistent and the results were bad so although it was such a tough thing to do, I had to make a change.

"I have to emphasise now we are not writing off the season. Promotion was the target when I bought the club and is still the target now."

The Scot leaves the club in the wake of the 5-3 defeat to Peterborough on Tuesday night, which extended Wednesday's run to six league games without a win.

Gary Megson, the former Wednesday player, has been installed as the bookies favourite for the post.

Mandaric only took over the club in December, rescuing them from administration, but since his takeover was officially ratified, Wednesday have failed to win in the league.

Irvine had steered them into the fifth round of the FA Cup and to a plum tie at Premier League Birmingham City, but he had also brought in five players during the January transfer window and had yet to affect an improvement in results.

Irvine leaves Wednesday in 12th place in League One, seven points adrift of the play-offs and worryingly, only five points above the drop.

In his 13 months in charge at the club, since succeeding Brian Laws, Irvine had a win percentage of 41% and also oversaw their relegation from the Championship.

An official statement from the club is expected soon.

Keep checking the website for updates and for full analysis read Friday's Yorkshire Post.