MEGSON PAYS PRICE FOR AUTOMATIC "FAILURE"

The Owls will start Thursday morning looking for their 30^th manager. There is nothing new about Wednesday sacking a manager, infact it has become something of a novelty over the past decade.

However, there is surely no sacking more surprising or ill-timed than when the news broke on Wednesday evening that Gary Megson had been relieved of his duties. Megson departs Hillsborough with a hugely respectable win percentage of 47.06% - the second highest of any Wednesday boss, and on the back of a Steel City derby success which looked to have re-ignited an automatic promotion push.

Yet despite this record and recent win, there is no doubting recent that events across the city played a huge part in his departure. Despite recording a well-earned win against the Blades just three days prior to his dismissal, Megson ultimately paid the price for four consecutive losses beforehand and more importantly the way that United were going about their League One business.

In a city where football is mentioned in every workplace and where the two teams are passionately followed, there is almost no escape from scrutiny for managers and especially in the rare scenario when they are both in the same league and competing for promotion.

The run of four consecutive defeats in February, combined with United forming a gap in the crucial second automatic spot, outweighed the joy of that derby victory and saw Megson depart S6 after barely twelve months, even less time than his predecessor Alan Irvine lasted.

The Blades holding on to second spot meant that the recent run of defeats was magnified furthermore, and shows the cutthroat nature of football as well as the desperate need to return Championship football to the club.

Whether people think it is justified or not is irrelevant. Milan Mandaric has surely got the backing of fans after saving the club from financial oblivion and he has chosen to act quickly and rather ruthlessly. He maintains that automatic promotion is still the aim this season and with this in mind, it is evident he believes automatic elevation is still a possibility rather than to risk the route of the play-offs, which is the way Wednesday were heading.

Time will tell whether this shock sacking was worth it. It will certainly be interesting to see who takes the reins over, with Dave Jones, Lee Clark and Billy Davies just three of the names touted so far.

One thing’s for sure, it’s never dull following Wednesday.