Craig Levein: St Johnstone sack manager after four consecutive defeats

St Johnstone have sacked manager Craig Levein after just 10 months, following a run of four consecutive defeats.

The 59-year-old was appointed last November – with St Johnstone three points adrift of Livingston at the bottom of the table – but guided them to safety.

However, this season the Saints have lost four of their five league games and are 10th in the Scottish Premiership, a point clear of Kilmarnock and two ahead of bottom-side Hearts.

A section of the travelling support chanted “Craig Levein, we want you to go” in the closing stages of last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Hibernian, and they have now got their wish.

“The board of directors can announce that St Johnstone Football Club has today parted company with manager Craig Levein,” read a statement from Saints on Tuesday afternoon.

“The football club would like to place on record its thanks to Craig for all of his efforts during his time at McDiarmid Park. A further update will follow in due course.”

St Johnstone’s new owner Adam Webb will now be charged with appointing his first manager since taking control of the club from the long-serving Brown family over the summer.

Boyd: Levein sacking not a surprise

Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd said: “It doesn’t come as a surprise – they haven’t started the season well.

“He was brought in to keep St Johnstone in the Premiership and he did that but it has not been the best of starts this time around. The worry for me is Kilmarnock and Hearts are below them and those two will improve – so where does that leave St Johnstone?

“They’ve got two games against Ross County in the next four – in between Rangers and Celtic – so you’re going to have to pick up points from the Ross County ones.”

St Johnstone’s next six games

• Ross County (a) – Scottish Premiership – Saturday
• Celtic (h) – Scottish Premiership – September 28
• Rangers (h) – Scottish Premiership – October 6
• Ross County (h) – Scottish Premiership – October 19
• Dundee (a) – Scottish Premiership – October 26
• St Mirren (a) – Scottish Premiership – October 30

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