Championship side Blackburn Rovers have released a statement to confirm that manager Gary Bowyer has been relieved of his duties at the club following a disappointing start to the season.
After a play-off push which resulted in a ninth-placed finish last season, Rovers have begun this term in sluggish fashion and currently find themselves down in 16th.
The statement on the club's official website confirmed that the search for a new manager will begin with immediate effect, and with a number of second-tier sides having parted company with their managers recently, there will be no shortage of potential candidates.
The 44-year-old Bowyer, formerly a youth academy coach at Ewood Park, took the reigns in May 2013 after two previous spells as caretaker boss of the Lancashire club.
Bowyer failed to reproduce last season's play-off push
However, despite a reasonably impressive season last year, Bowyer was unable to significantly strengthen his side over the summer due to a transfer embargo placed upon the club, and he has subsequently failed to replace the goals of former striker Rudy Gestede, now with Aston Villa.
The club did manage to keep hold of star man Jordan Rhodes over the summer despite protracted transfer discussions with promotion-chasing Middlesbrough, but they have struggled in the league despite his continuing goalscoring prowess.
The statement did seek to make clear the club's owners' "sincere gratitude for the hard work and determination" Bowyer had given the club in all his different capacities at the club, but said that the decision had to be made in order to give Rovers "the best chance of success" in the rest of the season.
As well as Bowyer, a number of his backroom staff members have also departed the club.
Bowyer's assistant Terry McPhillips, and coaches Craig Short, John Keeley and Tony Grant have vacated their roles with immediate effect.
Sacking season in the second tier
Bowyer becomes the eighth manager of the season to be axed in this year's Championship, and the fourth in the last week following the sackings of Chris Powell, Chris Ramsey and Kit Symons.
Should Blackburn find a new manager before the end of the current international break, the incoming boss will face fixtures with Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City as Rovers look to haul themselves away from a relegation fight and towards the safety of mid-table.