Bolton have parted company with manager Sammy Lee by mutual consent.
Rookie chief pays the price for poor start to the season
Bolton Wanderers have parted company with manager Sammy Lee 'by mutual consent' following the club's poor start to the season.
Lee was only appointed at the close of last season following Sam Allardyce's switch to Newcastle but he struggled to step from the shadow of one of the most successful managers in the club's history.
Bolton currently find themselves above only Derby in the Premier League table, despite finishing high enough last season to secure a Uefa Cup spot.
Mutual consent
"Bolton Wanderers football club, Sammy Lee and Frank McParland have agreed to part company by mutual consent," read an official statement from Bolton chairman Phil Gartside.
"This has been a difficult decision for all parties but we have agreed that time is right.
"Sammy has played an important role in the club's recent history. We wish Sammy and Frank well for the future.
"Our efforts will now be to look for a replacement manager and to concentrate on the future."
One win
Lee's regime at The Reebok Stadium lasted just nine league games, with the former Liverpool favourite managing only a solitary victory.
It has been reported in the past few weeks that several senior members of Bolton's squad were less than impressed with Lee's managerial style, with Gary Speed and Kevin Nolan both axed from his starting XI for recent games.
Speed was 'relieved' of his coaching details last week but it is now Lee who has parted company with immediate affect.
SAMMY LEE FACTFILE
1959: Born February 7 in Liverpool.
1978: Makes first-team debut for Liverpool, scoring in a 3-2 win over Leicester.
1982: November - Scores on senior England debut in a 3-0 win against Greece in Salonika. Wins 14 senior caps in all, the last coming in 1984 against Chile.
1986: Leaves Liverpool for QPR, having won three league titles, two European Cups and four League Cups in his eight years in the Reds first team. Lee has further spells with Spanish side Osasuna, Southampton and Bolton.
1993: Begins his coaching career as reserve-team boss at Liverpool under former Reds team-mate Graeme Souness.
1999: Appointed first-team coach by new Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier.
2001: Joins Sven-Goran Eriksson's England coaching staff, while helping Liverpool to a UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup treble.
2005: June - Moves back into club football by becoming Sam Allardyce's assistant manager at Bolton following the departure of previous number two Phil Brown to Derby.
2006: August - Offered the full-time England Under-21 coaching job by new senior manager Steve McClaren, but declines in order to concentrate on his role at Bolton.
2007: April 30 - Appointed Bolton manager in succession to Sam Allardyce, who resigned the previous day after seven-and-a-half years in charge.
October 7: Bolton remain 19th in the Premier League after a 1-0 home defeat by Chelsea leaves them with a solitary win from the opening nine matches.
October 11: Gary Speed, left out of the squad for the Chelsea match, is relieved of his coaching duties with Lee saying: "I would like him to focus on his game at this moment".
October 17: Bolton part company with Lee "by mutual consent", according to the club's official website.
