Villa sack Tim Sherwood after just eight months

Tim Sherwood was sacked after 28 matches in charge. Picture: Getty Images

He leaves after only taking charge in February, paying the price for the club’s dismal start to the Barclays Premier League season.

Villa lost 2-1 at home to Swansea on Saturday, a sixth straight defeat in the league, and they are two points adrift at the foot of the table, having not won since the opening day of the season.

Assistant manager Ray Wilkins, first-team coach Mark Robson and performance analyst Seamus Brady have also left, with Kevin MacDonald, who has been coaching the under-21s, placed in temporary charge.

The club said in a statement: “Aston Villa Football Club has parted company with manager Tim Sherwood today.

“The board has monitored the performances closely all season and believes the results on the pitch were simply not good enough and that a change is imperative.

“However, the club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Tim for all his efforts during a difficult period last season and for the many positive contributions he has made to the entire football set-up during his time with the club. We wish him well in the future.

“Assistant manager Ray Wilkins, first-team coach Mark Robson and performance analyst Seamus Brady have also left with immediate effect and do so with our best wishes.

“A search for a new manager has commenced and the squad will be managed in the interim by Kevin MacDonald.”

Sherwood had vowed to fight for his job but admitted last week he had been given no reassurances over his position by chief executive Tom Fox or owner Randy Lerner.

And, after Saturday’s loss to the Swans, he conceded he did not speak to chairman Lerner but used sporting director Hendrik Almstadt as a go-between.

Sherwood replaced Paul Lambert in February and guided Villa to safety last season as well as taking them to the FA Cup final, where they lost 4-0 to Arsenal.

The former Tottenham boss leaves Villa having lost 16 of his 28 games in charge, winning ten and drawing two.

MacDonald, who spent nine years at Villa as assistant manager between 2003 and 2012, became caretaker manager in 2010 after Martin O’Neill left and Sherwood only brought him back to the club in February following a coaching spell at Nottingham Forest.

His first game in charge will be Wednesday’s Capital One Cup fourth-round trip to Premier League rivals Southampton.

David Moyes, the former Everton and Manchester United manager, who is currently under pressure at Real Sociedad, has been heavily linked with replacing Sherwood, while reports in the Birmingham Mail last night claimed that the club were already in “advanced talks” with 49-year-old former Lyon boss Remi Garde.

Kevin MacDonald has taken temporary charge at Villa Park. Here we look at some of the names in the frame to land the manager’s job on a permanent basis.

DAVID MOYES

Former Everton and Manchester United manager is under pressure in Spain as Real Sociedad struggle in La Liga.

BRENDAN RODGERS

Ex-Liverpool manager could see the Villa job as an ideal route back into management after his Anfield sacking.

NIGEL PEARSON

Established Leicester City in the Premier League but off-field controversies dogged Pearson during his final days there and that could count against him in the eyes of Villa owner Randy Lerner.

BOB BRADLEY

The former United States head coach is currently in charge of Norwegian club Stabaek, who lie second in the Tippeligaen standings to Rosenborg.

SEAN DYCHE

Burnley manager has Premier League experience but would he swap a promotion battle for a relegation dogfight?

GARY ROWETT

Birmingham manager’s reputation is growing and he could follow Alex McLeish in crossing the divide.

REMI GARDE

Former Lyon boss is still on a sabbatical from football management following his exit from the French giants in 2014. Recently turned down the Newcastle job.