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Carlisle United have today parted company with manager John Ward by mutual consent. The club thank John for his service over the last 13 months but after suffering 10 defeats and a draw in our last 11 games - a run which has seen us slide from second to 20th in the League One table - we agreed the time had come for us to go our separate ways.
Assistant manager Greg Abbott has immediately been appointed caretaker manager with the full backing of everyone at the club. Greg had been hugely disappointed not to get the manager's job here on a full-time basis last season after having been caretaker manager following Neil McDonald's departure until John Ward's appointment. That was despite having won five and drawn two of his 10 games in charge.
We would ask all Carlisle United fans to give their full backing to Greg and the squad, starting with Saturday's FA Cup first round tie at home to Grays Athletic.
The club and John parting ways will come as no surprise to nearly every Blues fan, with a recent run of just one point gained from 30 available in League One leading to the Carlisle board taking action this morning. Ward, in a meeting this morning seemingly agreeing that he could do no more to arrest United's alarming slide down the table.
The 57-year old had been appointed as Blues boss in early October 2007, following the departure of Neil McDonald, as he took over from the caretaker manager spell of Greg Abbott. Ward, having been lured from Cheltenham Town with a four-year contract, in a deal that will have cost the Cumbrians all round after compensation had been paid to the Robins and then the Blues having paid off the remaining two years and eleven months of his deal today.
Under Ward Carlisle had a record 14 consecutive home wins last season, but after defeating Northampton 2-0 at Brunton Park in March 2008 the Blues blew a glorious chance of promotion to the Championship as they eventually lost out to Leeds in the League One play-offs. Four wins and a draw in the league did start off the current campaign though, but since then a disastrous run of form has seen United drop from 2nd to 20th, seperated from the relegation zone only by one point.
So, Greg Abbott is in temporary charge again, and after being disappointed not to get the job full-time last year, after five wins, two draws and three defeats in his time in the post, he will undoubtedly be keen to take the job as Carlisle United boss permanently this time. Abbott's first chance to get a win in his second reign coming when United face Grays at home in the first round of the FA Cup this Saturday.