Sheffield Wednesday's former fan favourite sacked by Celtic and Rangers' Scottish Premiership rivals

Steven MacLean – who played for the Owls for three seasons from 2004 to 2007, scoring 32 goals in 87 games including a strike in the League One play-off final against Hartlepool in 2005 – has parted company with the Saints following a shocking start to their season.

The Perth club are bottom of the cinch Premiership with just four points from nine fixtures and without a league win.

MacLean, 41, a former Scottish Under-21s international who played for Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle after leaving the Owls in 2007, was in his first job in management.

A former Saints striker, MacLean was first-team coach under former boss Callum Davidson.

He was scathing after his side’s 4-0 league defeat by St Mirren in Paisley on Saturday and warned that some of his players might have played their last game under him.

He said: “The goals we lost are unacceptable. It’s the basics of football. In the second half, we just imploded and it looked like a couple of players chucked it.

“It is my responsibility and some of these players will be lucky if they play for me again. It is not happening under my watch and it might be I need to play young boys. I thought it was really, really poor.

“You need to show a bravery in those situations and you need people to lead. I just thought we lacked that all over.”

St Johnstone play Kilmarnock at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday night.

The McDiarmid Park club released a statement which read: “St Johnstone Football Club can announce that it has parted company with Steven MacLean and Liam Craig.

“In the interim, Alex Cleland will assume responsibilities for first team matters.”

St Johnstone also lost to Stenhousemuir, Stirling Albion and Ayr in the Viaplay Cup earlier in the season.