Rodger and Out!

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 06/11/2006

GRAHAM Rodger has been dismissed as Grimsby Town's manager with immediate effect. Assistant manager Stuart Watkiss has been named as caretaker boss until a permanent appointment can be made.

Rodger took over at Blundell Park in the summer after Russell Slade left to move to Yeovil following the club's defeat in the play-off final at the end of last season. A disastrous string of results has seen the Mariners slip into the bottom three of League Two, with relegation to the Nationwide Conference looking a serious possibility had a change not been made.

With Grimsby's next league game not until November 18th at Wycombe it gives the Town board 12 days to find a successor in time for the trip to Buckinghamshire. In the meantime the slight matter of an FA Cup tie at Northampton on Saturday awaits the Mariners.

A statement from the club reads: "Graham's relentless efforts, hard work and dedication behind the scenes have not been blessed with results or performances that he deserved. Such is the pressure on this results based industry that the Board has arrived at one of its most difficult decisions, to relieve the Manager of his current duties.

"Graham Rodger has been most loyal and dedicated servant to the Club, which started back in 1992, he has qualities this Club needs, the shame of it is that this man deserved better. Sadly, he has become a victim of circumstances' fallen in his current roll due to the unrelenting pressures and lack of patience that surrounds football.

"The Board hopes that you all will join them in thanking Graham for his years of dedication and wishing him all of the best in the future."

Who should be next Grimsby manager. Answers on the message board at : Message Board

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