Peterborough United: Grant McCann sacked as Darren Ferguson returns

McCann and assistant manager Cliff Byrne depart with Posh eighth in the table, having only won one of their last nine games.

They were beaten 2-1 at Portman Road last month.

Incredibly, Posh have replaced McCann with Darren Ferguson, who now begins his fourth stint in charge of the club.

Darragh MacAnthony has sacked Grant McCann

Chairman Darragh MacAnthony said: "Grant and Cliff have been very professional throughout their time with the football club.

"Sometimes in football, it just hasn’t worked out. With the squad that we have, at the beginning of January, where we are in the league table is not where we expected and we feel if we are going to give ourselves a chance of a promotion run, now is the time to make that change.

"After watching us lose 3-0 at home on New Year’s Day, that hammered home what kind of run we have been on, one win in ten weeks and that is just not going to cut it.

"We have high expectations, and those high expectations will continue."

Darren Ferguson is back for a fourth spell at Posh (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Of appointing Ferguson again, MacAnthony added: "We are delighted that Darren has agreed to take over until the end of the season.

"When you look for a manager in January, it is a very difficult time, an impossible time to get someone in, so if you were to write down what you would want in a manager, someone who identifies with how you work  was a football club, someone who has had multiple promotions on their CV, someone with a style of football that gets people off their seats, where would you find a manager like that?

"It just so happens we have one that lives nearby and has agreed to come and help us until the end of the season.

"We are not talking a long-term appointment, it has been agreed between ourselves and Darren that the best way is for him to come in and work with the squad.

The football club have parted company with manager Grant McCann and assistant manager Cliff Byrne.

The club have appointed Darren Ferguson as manager until the end of the season.

Full details are within this official statement. #pufc

— Peterborough United (@theposh) January 4, 2023

"He only left a year ago, none of the owners wanted him to leave, for us the Championship was a challenge for a club our size, he made the decision to leave, Darragh felt it was the wrong decision at the time, but we feel that after a year out, he is full of enthusiasm, he is going to come in and his motivation and aim is to get another promotion under the belt.

"He has won five promotions in his career; he will be going for number six and we are delighted that he has agreed to return. It is business as usual and on we go."