HUDDERSFIELD Town's League I promotion rivals Charlton Athletic have parted company with Phil Parkinson.

Parkinson, not pictured above, became notorious among Town fans after pulling out of the Terriers' top job just a few minutes before a press conference to announce his arrival as manager in 2007.

Andy Richie would eventually take over and Parkinson stayed at Charlton as then-boss Alan Pardew's deputy. 

He eventually became manager after Pardew was sacked in November 2008.

Parkinson leaves Charlton fifth in League One - two points behind Town but with a game in hand.

Chairman Michael Slater told the club website: "Clearly improvement is needed on the field."

Charlton were taken over by a group represented by former chief executive Peter Varney on December 31.

Slater added: "The team has not won in the league since November and recent performances have simply not been good enough.

"Last night's defeat convinced us as a board that change is required now we are still in the hunt for promotion, and that we must appoint a new manager to give us every chance of going up."

Another casualty today was Walsall boss Chris Hutchings.

The Holme Valley-based boss and his assistant manager Martin O'Connor have been sacked with immediate effect.

The Saddlers are bottom of League One, eight points adrift of safety, having recorded just five league wins.

Former Bradford and Wigan boss Hutchings had been at the Banks's Stadium since January 2009.

Chairman Jeff Bonser told the club website: "Their preparation and professionalism has been second to none but we are in a results business."

August 9 - Martin O’Neill (Aston Villa)
August 12 - Steve Coppell (Bristol City)
August 14 - Kevin Blackwell (Sheffield United)
August 19 - Chris Turner (Hartlepool)
August 30 - Alan Pardew (Southampton)
September 12 - Nigel Adkins (Scunthorpe)
September 29 - Chris Sutton (Lincoln)
October 1 - Paulo Sousa (Leicester)
October 4 - Simon Davey (Hereford)
October 18 - Gordon Strachan (Middlesbrough)
October 24 - Craig Short (Notts County)
December 6 - Chris Hughton (Newcastle)
December 13 - Sam Allardyce (Blackburn)
December 15 - Paul Trollope (Bristol Rovers)
December 29 - Brian Laws (Burnley)
December 29 - Darren Ferguson (Preston)
January 1 - George Burley (Crystal Palace)
January 1 - Mark Stimson (Barnet)
January 4 - Chris Hutchings (Walsall)
January 4 - Phil Parkinson (Charlton)