Manager Warren Joyce Sacked By Wigan Athletic

Wigan have sacked manager Warren Joyce after less than five months in the role. His assistant Graham Barrow will take charge now on a deal until the end of the season.

Joyce, who was appointed on November 2, managed to win only six of his 24 games in charge of Wigan and leaves them in 23rd place in the Championship.

Andy Welsh, Wigan’s head of first team coaching, has also left with immediate effect.

Chairman David Sharp told the club’s official website: “It is unfortunate that we have made this decision but with the team in such a perilous position in the league, we need to act now because we cannot afford to fall any further behind.

“Warren was appointed with the future in mind in terms of developing players but preserving our Championship status is the absolute priority and we have a duty to do whatever gives us the best chance of doing that.

“Results and performances have simply not been up to standard often enough in recent matches and although we acknowledge the difficulties faced in managing a team in a league where we are competing against clubs with much larger budgets, the nature of some of our recent defeats, especially against close rivals, has fallen short in terms of what we as a club, and all our supporters, expect.”

Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat at the hands of relegation-threatened Bristol City turned out to be Joyce’s last match in Wigan dugout and the shocking loss left the Latics four points from safety.

Barrow’s first match in full charge will be against Aston Villa at the DW Stadium on Saturday.