Stoke City sack manager Alex Neil with Potters 20th in the Championship

10 December 2023 , 18:17

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Stoke City manager Alex Neil at the full-time whistle during the Sky Bet Championship match at the bet365 Stadium, Stoke. Picture date: Saturday November 4, 2023. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Stoke City have given the boot to manager Alex Neil after a string of poor performances left them languishing in 20th place in the Championship.

The final straw came with a 1-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday, marking their fourth loss on the trot. Neil, who took over the reins in August 2022 after leaving Sunderland, failed to steer the Potters towards a promotion challenge. Despite finishing 16th last season, this term's results have been disappointing.

Paul Gallagher has stepped in as caretaker manager for Tuesday's match against Swansea, with Alex Morris and ex-Potter Ryan Shawcross assisting him. Stoke chairman John Coates expressed his gratitude to Neil for his efforts, stating on the club's official website: "Alex is a man of absolute integrity who has given his all for Stoke City and we would like to thank him for his hard work during his time with the club."

He added: "However, with the way the results have been so far, we have made the difficult decision to seek a new direction for the team at this time. Nothing matters to me more than the success of our club and we are now working towards the appointment of Alex's successor."

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