Fleetwood Town make significant decision on Lee Johnson | OneFootball

Fleetwood Town have announced that manager Lee Johnson has left the club with immediate effect.

The 42-year-old joined the club in September 2023, after former boss Scott Brown lost his job.

They haven't won a league match since the 11th November, and they currently sit second bottom of the League One table. Assistant Manager Darren Way and First Team Coach Phil Jevons will also leave Highbury Stadium.

In a statement put out by the club this afternoon, they posted: "Everyone at the Club would like to place on record our thanks to Lee, Darren, and Phil for their hard work and professionalism during their time at the club.

After the former Celtic captain led the team to five out of six losses to start the 2023/24 season, Johnson came in as his successor. He came in with a more than reputable CV and had managed higher in the English footballing pyramid.

He was in charge of Bristol City for 217 games, and had other lengthy spells with the likes of Sunderland and Barnsley.

The 42-year-old had only left one of Scotland's biggest clubs, Hibernian, just over a week before making the switch to Fleetwood, but he wasn't able to show off his previous managerial pedigree in the few months that he spent at Highbury.

Johnson picked up a respectable seven points in his first five games with the club, including beating fellow relegation battlers Cheltenham Town 2-0, away from home.

That win came on the 3rd October, and, since that time, Fleetwood have won a measly two games, and have only drawn the same amount.

Those two draws could be considered important ones if they survive the drop to League Two, as they were against league leaders Portsmouth, and Carlisle United, who are the only side keeping them off the bottom of the League One table.

Ultimately, last night's 2-0 loss to Bolton Wanderers, in which they were dominated by a much superior side, was the final nail in Johnson's Fleetwood managerial coffin, and the two have now parted ways.

There are players in that team that should give the Town fans some confidence. Brendan-Sarpong Wiredu and Mohammed Lawal were two of the standout players in a fairly dull game against Carlisle, but they, and the likes of Phoenix Patterson and Jayden Stockley, have shown glimpses of form that could keep the club up.

As is the case for the rest of the teams that are trying to avoid the drop to the fourth division of English football, the next month will be huge for Fleetwood. No team has conceded more goals than them, so defensive reinforcements will be needed in January. Equally, the right manager could come in and fix these woes at the back.

Squad discipline has also been a big problem for Town. They have received six red cards within the first 23 games of the 23/24 League One season. Like the defence, this could be resolved with the right appointment.

Bringing in the right players in January may also be important, having brought in some decent players during the summer.