Peterborough United have parted company with manager Darren Ferguson following a 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Blackpool, which left the club bottom of League One. The loss, decided by a late Scott Banks goal, proved the final straw for chairman Darragh MacAnthony, who confirmed the decision with a heavy heart.
Blackpool, now under the management of Ian Evatt after he replaced the sacked Steve Bruce, took the lead on 35 minutes when a Josh Bowler shot deflected off Peter Kioso and into the net. Peterborough equalised just before half-time through Matt Garbett's strike from outside the box, but Banks curled home the winner with five minutes remaining.
Ferguson, who had been in his fourth spell at the club, acknowledged after the match that results were not good enough but urged unity. However, MacAnthony announced the termination of his contract, describing Ferguson as the greatest manager in the club's history and a member of his family. "I am devastated he is no longer our manager," MacAnthony said in a statement, adding that the decision was made to allow the club to "freshen up and enter a new period of growth."
Evatt, meanwhile, expressed delight at his new role and saw signs of progress despite the difficult circumstances. "It has been a brilliant week," he said. "We are down to the bones, but the players have been brilliant and fully engaged. Today wasn't perfect, but you can see what type of team we want to be."
