Blackwell sacked as Luton manager

Blackwell's departure is another blow for the struggling club

Luton Town manager Kevin Blackwell has been sacked from the financially stricken League One club which is currently in administration.

Blackwell had already handed in his resignation on Friday and was due to leave the club on 9 February.

But a club statement said: "Brendan Guilfoyle, joint administrator of Luton Town, has terminated the contract of Kevin Blackwell with immediate effect."

Mick Harford has been named caretaker manager for the rest of the season.

Interview: Kevin Blackwell

Assistant manager Sam Ellis and coach John Carver have also left the Hatters.

Blackwell and his staff had intended to work a month's notice, even though they were not required to do so, after announcing they were leaving.

But the administrator has ended his stint at Kenilworth Road after the FA Cup replay loss to Liverpool on Tuesday.

606: DEBATE Who will become Luton's new boss?

Blackwell, who was angry with the administrators after they sold off key players at the start of the January transfer window, told BBC 5 Live: "It is not so much a shock.

"We made it clear that we didn't agree with what was happening at the football club.

"Players were being sold at a crucial time was wrong and the administrator has taken humpage to it and he has done what he has done.

"I said after the game against Liverpool I didn't know what the future held because no-one was speaking and letting us know what was going on.

"That was a major bone of contention for the last couple of months.

"You just have to get on dust yourself down and start all over again and that's exactly what I will do."

When the new owners come in they need to make their own appointment to give a mandate for a manager to manage Kevin Blackwell

Luton agreed a deal with a consortium led by television presenter Nick Owen to buy the club on Tuesday and are close to sealing the takeover.

Owen, who will be the club's non-executive chairman, said he had not spoken to Blackwell about the manager's future.

"I haven't spoken to him (Blackwell)," said Owen. "I'm more the face of the bid. I'm not going to be part of the decision-making process. I really can't make decisions or forecast what's going to happen."

The administrators of the club have sold defender Chris Coyne, 29, to Colchester for £350,000.

Midfielder David Edwards, 21, has joined Wolves for £675,000 and Ahmet Brkovic, 33, has made his loan move to Millwall permanent.

Lewis Emanuel and Ed Asafu-Adjaye have been allowed to go out on loan, while bids have been lodged for three other players.

The administrator has accepted an offer by an unnamed club for goalkeeper Dean Brill while Calvin Andrew and Drew Talbot are considering offers from Plymouth.

Luton are third from bottom in League One after being given an obligatory 10-point deduction for entering administration in November last year.

Blackwell confirmed he had not spoken to the new consortium set to buy the club and played down any return to the club as manager.

"I have not spoken to anybody," he added. "When the new owners come in they need to make their own appointment to give a mandate for a manager to manage.

"By doing what I was doing it would give the opportunity to say if they wanted me or if they didn't and that's how I've left it.

"As it is now I've left the club and I don't see them going back on that."