Manager Paul Hart leaves QPR after five games

Three of Hart's five games in charge were against Sheffield United

Manager Paul Hart has left Queens Park Rangers after only five games in charge of the Loftus Road club.

Assistant boss Mick Harford will take temporary charge of the team, starting with Saturday's match with Blackpool.

Former Portsmouth boss Hart, 56, took over on 17 December and managed one win in his five games, up to Tuesday's FA Cup defeat by Sheffield United.

Hart was the ninth man to take charge there since Italian Flavio Briatore took over as chairman in August 2007.

A Rangers statement read: "The club can confirm that manager Paul Hart has decided to leave QPR with immediate effect.

"Assistant manager Mick Harford will be taking charge of first-team affairs, starting with this weekend's Championship fixture at Blackpool."

Hart, who replaced Jim Magilton, was given a contract until the end of the season along with Harford.

PAUL FLETCHER'S BLOG Flavio Briatore ought to be a chairman craving a long-term managerial appointment Paul Fletcher

Three of his games in charge came against Sheffield United, 1-1 draws in the league and FA Cup before the Blades eventually won the Cup replay 3-2 on Tuesday.

QPR, watched by co-owners Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, fell 3-0 behind in front of their home supporters, with Hart booed when he brought off midfielder Alejandro Faurlin, to replace him with Adel Taarabt.

Hart's other games were a 2-1 home win over Bristol City and a 3-0 defeat at Ipswich, both in the league.

QPR lie 10th in the Championship, four points outside the play-off places.

Under Briatore, managers John Gregory, Luigi De Canio, Iain Dowie, Paulo Sousa, Magilton and Hart have departed while Harford, Gareth Ainsworth (twice) and youth coaches Steve Gallen and Marc Bircham have had spells in caretaker charge.

Former Charlton and West Ham manager Alan Curbishley has already been linked with the job, along with ex-Reading boss Steve Coppell.