Neal Ardley has left AFC Wimbledon after six years as manager, with the club second from bottom of League One.
Wimbledon have won their two past games, beating Stevenage and Haringey Borough in the EFL Trophy and FA Cup respectively, but a run of seven league defeats has left them 23rd in the table, six points from safety.
Ardley, who had been the third-longest serving manager in English football, said before Friday’s Cup tie against Haringey that defeat would see him lose his job, and despite securing a 1-0 victory in the last minute of the game, he has left his role.
In a statement Wimbledon said that assistant manager Neil Cox has also left the club, and that first-team coach Simon Bassey would take over on an interim basis while the search for Ardley’s replacement began.
“First team manager Neal Ardley is leaving the club by mutual agreement, with immediate effect,” read a statement on Monday morning.
“As a club, Wimbledon has always punched above its weight and Neal made sure we continued to do so for the following seasons culminating in winning a play-off final in 2015/16 where he led the team out at Wembley to fulfil a long term ambition.
“In the two seasons since that promotion Neal established us as a League 1 club despite the continued constraints on investment. Throughout his time with us he lived our values of openness and honesty.
“We thank him for the massive role he has played for us over the last six years and wish him well in his future career.”
Ardley was appointed in October 2012, keeping the club in the Football League on a dramatic final day of the League Two season before later leading them into League One for the first time via the 2015-16 play-offs.
He was born in south-west London and spent most of his playing career at Wimbledon, before the club’s controversial move to Milton Keynes which led local fans to establish AFC Wimbledon in 2002.
Chief executive Erik Samuelson said: “Neal has been a credit to the club in everything he has done. He is a clear thinker, a superb man-manager and a fine coach. I’ve enjoyed working with him and am absolutely certain that he will achieve even greater success in his next roles. So, he leaves with my personal thanks and gratitude for what he has done in his time here at AFC Wimbledon.
“I also want to register the club’s and my personal thanks to Neil Cox who has provided massive support to Neal throughout his time here and has been a great ambassador for the club. We wish him well in his future career.”
