Sunday 31 January 2016 17:19, UK
Gary Locke has resigned as Kilmarnock manager, and Lee McCulloch is to take over as interim boss at Rugby Park.
Sky sources understand the former Hearts boss was on the brink of being removed from his position after recent results; they lost heavily at bottom club Dundee United last week before going down 1-0 at home to Hamilton on Saturday.
McCulloch's first game in charge will be against Rangers - the team he captained until last season - at Ibrox next Saturday in the Scottish Cup fifth round, live on Sky Sports.
A Kilmarnock statement read: "Gary Locke has resigned as first team manager this evening and will be replaced by Lee McCulloch on an interim basis pending a permanent appointment. Lee will be assisted by Peter Leven and U20 head coach Alan Robertson.
"The board of directors would like to thank Gary for his time with the club and wish him every success in the future. Lee McCulloch is the holder of a UEFA Pro Licence and has been acting as a first team coach this season, although he remains registered as a player."
Former Motherwell manager Billy Davies has been linked with the vacant post. Davies, who spent three years at Fir Park, has been out of management since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in March 2014.
Locke, who played for Hearts and Bradford City, made over 100 appearances for Kilmarnock as player before cutting his managerial teeth under Jim Jefferies at Hearts. He took interim charge at Tynecastle in 2013 as the club's financial meltdown culminated in administration.
Having left Hearts two years ago, he returned to Kilmarnock as assistant manager and was put in caretaker charge of the team after Allan Johnston left in February 2015 before being appointed on a permanent basis two months later.
Locke won 11 of his 43 matches in charge, a win percentage of just over 25. Killie are currently 11th - in the relegation play-off place, one point behind Partick Thistle.
Asked about the opprobrium he had to endure against Accies, Locke said: "You are going to get criticism when you are in the position in the league that we are.
"I am not going to shirk away from that, that's football. Every manager gets stick when the team is not doing well."
