Strachan parts company with Boro

Gordon Strachan's reign as Middlesbrough manager is over, Press Association Sport understands.

The 53-year-old Scot's stay at the Riverside Stadium has come to an end a few days short of a year since he replaced Gareth Southgate.

Strachan won just 13 of the 46 games for which he was in charge despite his side being installed as pre-season favourites to win promotion back to the Barclays Premier League.

Speculation over the former Celtic manager's future has been circulating for several weeks, and that grew today when he cancelled his pre-match press conference, although the official reason was that he was ill.

The Scot was appointed as successor to Gareth Southgate on October 26 last year with chairman Steve Gibson deciding the club needed a change despite lying in fourth place in the Championship table and only a point behind then leaders West Brom.

But they finished the campaign 40 points worse off than eventual champions Newcastle and eight behind sixth-placed Blackpool, who went on to win the play-off final.

Boro were installed as pre-season favourites to win promotion back to the Barclays Premier League this time around, but head into tomorrow night's clash with Nottingham Forest 16 points adrift of current leaders QPR and seven shy of the play-off places.