Strachan will not seek compensation after deciding to quit Boro

The 53-year-old former Celtic, Coventry and Southampton manager left with Boro languishing in 20th place in the npower Championship table having taken just 11 points from as many games this season.

Chairman Steve Gibson confirmed Strachan's departure by mutual consent live on BBC Radio Tees last night.

Strachan, who signed a deal amounting to almost four years, has left the club without asking for a penny in compensation.

Gibson said: "It's a sad day. Gordon worked very hard for the football club.

"He would be the first to admit that things haven't turned out as we would have hoped.

"We have had some hard, long, very honest discussions in the last month, and (yesterday) Gordon met with me mid-morning. We had a long discussion and during that debate, he offered his resignation and I accepted it."

Gibson said: "Gordon is a very rare guy. He is better for knowing. I like him enormously, but it just hasn't worked and we had to face up to it.

"The integrity he has shown, he made life very easy for me. Not only did he offer his resignation, but in doing so, he tore up his contract.

"He sought no compensation, he walked away from the club with empty hands, and it's a measure of the man."

Former Middlesbrough defender Tony Mowbray is the fans' favourite to succeed Strachan, but as Gibson launches a search for a fourth manager in four and a half years, he is looking at a range of options.

Gibson said: "I am not going to talk about specifics. To concentrate on one individual wouldn't be the wisest thing to do.

"There is a list, and since the rumours broke about Gordon, I have got agents putting forward all sorts of names.

"I have been in football a long time and I know a lot of people in the game, so we will see what happens. It's not going to be something we will rush into."

Speculation over former Leeds United captain Strachan's future has been growing for several weeks, and that growth escalated yesterday when Strachan cancelled his pre-match press conference, although the official reason was given that he was ill.

The Scot was appointed as successor to Gareth Southgate on October 26 last year, with chairman Gibson deciding a change was needed despite the team lying fourth in the Championship and only a point behind then leaders West Brom.

But they finished the campaign 40 points worse off than eventual champions Newcastle and eight behind sixth-placed Blackpool, who went on to win the play-off final.

Boro were installed as pre-season favourites to win promotion back to the Barclays Premier League this time around, but head into tonight's game with Nottingham Forest 16 points adrift of current leaders QPR and seven shy of the play-off places.

Strachan managed only 13 victories in his 46-match reign despite an extensive overhaul of the squad, funded in part by the 8m sale of Adam Johnson to Manchester City, which saw him repeatedly head back across the border to snap up signings.

Saturday evening's 2-1 home defeat by Leeds at the Riverside Stadium, proved the final straw.