Leeds United: Dave Hockaday sacked after six games
Last updated on .From the section Leeds United
Leeds United manager Dave Hockaday has been sacked after only six games in charge of the Championship club.
Assistant manager Junior Lewis has also been dismissed, with Neil Redfearn taking over until a permanent replacement is appointed.
Hockaday, 56, was a shock appointment in June with his only managerial experience at non-league Forest Green.
Leeds were beaten by Bradford in the League Cup on Wednesday after losing 4-1 at Watford on Saturday.
| Dave Hockaday's results at Leeds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competition | Result | Date |
| Championship | Millwall 2-0 Leeds | Sat, 9 Aug |
| League Cup - first round | Leeds 2-1 Accrington | Tue, 12 Aug |
| Championship | Leeds 1-0 Middlesbrough | Sat, 16 Aug |
| Championship | Leeds 0-2 Brighton | Tue, 19 Aug |
| Championship | Watford 4-1 Leeds | Sat, 23 Aug |
| League Cup - second round | Bradford 2-1 Leeds | Wed, 27 Aug |
Owner Massimo Cellino had been set to fire Hockaday at the weekend but changed his mind and said: "It's too simple to sack him - I am more responsible than him now."
But just five days later the former Cagliari owner has done another U-turn and ended Hockaday's unhappy reign, who saw two wins and four defeats.
"The results since the start of the season have meant we needed to act and make this decision," said Cellino, who took control of Leeds in April.
"After the defeat at Bradford I realised that my decision to keep David at the club following the defeat at Watford was wrong and I had to change my mind on the coaches' position.
"As a club we will now begin our search for a new head coach."
| BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope |
|---|
| "In the shark infested waters of Championship management the United fans, let alone Cellino, were not prepared to give the former non league boss the chance to swim. Any remnant of goodwill had already disintegrated last Saturday in the 4-1 collapse at Watford amidst cries of "you don't know what you're doing". Cellino's notoriously trigger happy approach to his coaches affords him the nickname of "il mangiallenatori". The surprise for many is that the "manager eater" left it this long before firing the fatal bullet. |
Leeds's last managerial departure was also in newsworthy circumstances.
When Cellino's deal to take the majority shareholding of Leeds from GFH Capital was confirmed in January, Brian McDermott was sacked, only to be reinstated a day later.
He eventually left by mutual consent at the end of the season.
In 22 years in charge of Italian side Cagliari, Cellino sacked 36 managers.
United's next match is at home to Bolton in the Championship on Saturday.
Redfearn, 49, will be in the dugout, as he was in the aftermath of Simon Grayson's sacking in 2012, and a year later when Neil Warnock left.