Yorath quits Wednesday

Yorath has failed to turn around the club's fortunes

Terry Yorath has resigned as manager of Sheffield Wednesday following a poor start to the season.

Who will succeed Yorath?

Yorath had insisted he would carry on in charge at Hillsborough despite the 1-0 home defeat by Millwall on Wednesday.

I have enjoyed working with the players, who have given me 100%, and I would like to pay tribute to the club's supporters

Terry Yorath

But the former Wales coach changed his mind after reflecting on his side's eighth loss of the season, which left them third from bottom in Division One with 12 points from 16 games.

"I talked to the board last night after the game and it is very mutual that I should resign," said Yorath.

"Results haven't gone for us and it can't keep going this way.

"This is a great football club with great facilities and fantastic support, but it's a club that needs to be switched around.

  A decade of decline

1992/93: Trevor Francis guides Wednesday to FA and League Cup finals and seventh in the league.

1993/94: FA Cup semi-finalists and seventh in the league again.

1994/95: A 13th-place finish and a 7-1 defeat by Nottingham Forest spell the end for Francis.

1995/96: David Pleat's team avoid relegation by just two points.

1997/98: Pleat is sacked after a run of two wins in 11 games and a 6-1 defeat by Man Utd.

1999/2000: Danny Wilson's Wednesday open with eight defeats in nine games. He goes in March.

2000/01: Paul Jewell lasts eight months and caretaker Peter Shreeves staves off relegation.

2001/02: Shreeves is sacked after opening with 13 games without a win. Terry Yorath then avoids relegation by one point.

2002/03: Yorath quits after one win in nine games.

"The club doesn't need to stand still and it doesn't need to go backwards, it needs to go forward.

"I am certain the players here are good enough and they are capable of not only keeping the club in this division but of achieving a much higher position."

Yorath, who replaced Peter Shreeves in October 2001, had been a target of fans' anger for some time.

He managed to keep the Owls in Division One by a single point last season and was rewarded with a two-year contract.

But the pressure on him intensified as the side continued to struggle and Yorath revealed it was a female supported that prompted his decision.

"What got me thinking overnight is that a lady came up to me five minutes before the end of the game," he added.

"She said to me 'Terry, you are a nice fellow but do the best thing for this club and quit'.

"Her words haunted me throughout the night and after talking about it with my family I decided the best thing for me to do would be the sensible thing and go."

Photo gallery: Owls' comings & goings

Owls chairman Geoff Hulley said he was saddened by Yorath's decision to quit the club.

"I am sad to see Terry leave, but I fully understand his position," said Hulley.

"Our results have been disappointing but the board are extremely grateful to Terry for his tireless efforts on behalf of Sheffield Wednesday."