TOWN today parted company with manager Stan Ternent by mutual consent.
The 62-year-old has departed along with his management team of former Town player Ronnie Jepson and Mick Docherty.
Also gone in the clear out is vice-chairman Andrew Watson, who was an integral part of the appointment process towards the end of last season.
Watson resigned from his post.
Ternent’s reign lasted just six months and included a pre-season in which he signed 11 new players for a League I campaign which marks Town’s centenary.
Results have not matched the ambitions of chairman Ken Davy and chairman-elect Dean Hoyle, however, as Town are 16th in the table, having won only four of their 15 matches in the Coca-Cola rankings.
The dramatic switch comes just days before Town entertain Port Vale at the Galpharm in the FA Cup first round – a tie for which director of football development, Gerry Murphy, is expected to be in charge.
Click here for a video of Examiner sports editor Mel Booth and his take on today's events.
Ternent’s last match with the club was Saturday’s 3-2 victory against Crewe Alexandra, when a last-gasp Keigan Parker strike saved Town from throwing away a two-goal lead.
Multi-millionaire Hoyle watched that match from the directors’ box and was aware of growing unrest among sections of support about the way Town have been playing.
Hoyle has set a minimum target this season of reaching the top-six play-offs, but Town have still to record back-to-back victories at senior level despite a record-breaking 100% start by the reserves.
Ternent was appointed on April 25 to succeed Andy Ritchie, leaving his job as assistant at Derby County to move to the Galpharm. He had previously worked with director Watson at Burnley.
He twice won promotion from League I with Bury and Burnley and hopes were he could replicate the feat at the Galpharm, but Town’s slow start has left them nine points off the top six.
When Ternent was appointed, Chris Hutchings (now assistant at Derby) was one of the front-runners, while former Town player Aidey Boothroyd is now available having left Watford yesterday. John Ward is also back in the market after departing Carlisle and Iain Dowie is also looking for a job following his stint at QPR.
Murphy is expected to step in for a third spell as caretaker, having guided Town to a spectacular winning finish to last season.
