By Paul Jones
Former Cardiff City striker Kenny Miller has been sacked by Huddersfield as their assistant manager in a big shake up by the Bluebirds’ rivals for Championship survival.
Miller, who was No.2 to fellow Scot Mark Fotheringham, has been dismissed with Fotheringham after little over four months in the job.
The Terriers, third from bottom in the Sky Bet Championship, will begin the search for their fifth permanent head coach in less than three years after their winless league run was extended to five matches on Tuesday night.
They are currently a point behind Cardiff, but have a game in hand. Huddersfield announced on Twitter: “@htafc have terminated the contract of head coach Mark Fotheringham with immediate effect.
“Kenny Miller has also left the club. Narcis Pelach will take control of the team for Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship game at Wigan Athletic.”
🚨 BREAKING! Mark Fotheringham and Kenny Miller sacked by Huddersfield amid relegation battlehttps://t.co/jcaZgKiTSX pic.twitter.com/UwpwUhr1vO
— Football Scotland ⚽️🏴 (@Football_Scot) February 8, 2023
Miller played 43 times for Cardiff between 2011 and 2012.
Fotheringham, 39, was handed his first managerial job by Huddersfield in September after they had sacked Danny Schofield, who lost seven of his nine league games in charge.
The Terriers were in 23rd place at the time, but have failed to climb out of the relegation zone under Fotheringham, who won just five of his 20 league games at the helm.
Fotheringham’s side led twice in his final match at 10-man Blackpool, but conceded a late equaliser to draw 2-2.
Town have dropped seven points from winning positions since the turn of the year and Fotheringham said afterwards: “To get yourself in a situation to take home three points, it’s absolutely unacceptable. I’m lost for words to be honest.
#htafc has terminated the contract of Head Coach Mark Fotheringham with immediate effect.
Kenny Miller has also left the Club.
Narcís Pèlach will take control of the team for Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship game at Wigan Athletic.
— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) February 8, 2023
“There’s a real collective anger in there. We all know that’s unacceptable and we’ve let the club down.”
Huddersfield, relegated from the Premier League in 2019, reached the Championship play-off final under former manager Carlos Corberan last season.
They have won only seven league games since and face another relegation rival, Wigan, at the DW Stadium on Saturday.