Mark Hughes led Bradford to the League Two play-offs last season, losing to Carlisle in the semi-finals
Former Wales boss Mark Hughes has been sacked as Bradford City manager with the team 18th in League Two.
The 59-year-old guided the Bantams to the play-offs last season but they have only won three out of 11 games since the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
And he was booed by supporters after Bradford were beaten 3-1 at home by Walsall on Saturday.
“After 11 league games we find ourselves a long way away from where we expect to be,” said CEO Ryan Sparks.
“As a result, the decision has been taken to move in a different direction in an effort to get our season on track.
“On a personal level, I have very much enjoyed working alongside Mark and [assistant manager] Glyn [Hodges], and we go our separate ways on good terms.”
Kevin McDonald has been named interim player-manager.
Hughes was appointed in February 2022, having been out of management since December 2018 when he was sacked by Premier League side Southampton.
He steered Bradford to a 14th-place finish at the end of that season and they finished sixth last term, only to lose to Carlisle in the play-off semi-finals, meaning a fifth successive season in League Two.
“They made a great impact when they arrived at the club, both on and off the field, and last season came close to delivering on our aims,” Sparks told the club website.external-link
“Unfortunately, since our defeat at Carlisle in the play-off semi-final, results have been disappointing.”
The ex-Manchester United striker has also managed Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, Fulham and QPR in the top flight, as well as the Wales national team from 1999 to 2004.
He led Blackburn to a sixth-placed finish in the 2005-06 season, and took Manchester City to the Uefa Cup quarter-finals in the 2008-09 season.
As a player he scored 163 goals in 473 appearances across two spells with Manchester United, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Hughes also spent three years at Chelsea and played for European giants Barcelona and Bayern Munich, as well as winning 72 international caps.
Bradford are next in action at home to Swindon on Saturday.
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