Sunderland Football Club Dismiss Manager Phil Parkinson
Sunderland Football Club have this afternoon confirmed they have parted company with manager Phil Parkinson after thirteen months in charge of the Sky Bet League One club. Parkinson’s assistant Steve Parkin has also left with first-team coach Andrew Taylor to take caretaker charge.
Friday’s draw at Fleetwood was a third league game without a win for the Black Cats leaving them eighth in the table. The former Bolton Wanderers and Bradford City boss replaced Jack Ross at the Stadium of Light and led them to eighth place last season.
In a short statement Sunderland said the club’s board “will now begin the search for a new manager”. They are winless in five in all competitions, having lost at home to League Two side Mansfield in the FA Cup first round. Sunderland were in the Premier League as recently as the 2016-17 season, but after suffering consecutive relegations, are in their third season at Sky Bet League One level.
They suffered a play-off final defeat to Charlton Athletic in the 2018-19 campaign and narrowly missed out on the top six when the 2019-20 season was cut short because of coronavirus and decided via points per game.
