Southampton sack Jones after three months in charge

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Southampton have sacked manager Nathan Jones after just 95 days in charge of the Premier League club. Former Luton Town boss Jones, 49, leaves with Saints bottom of the table after Saturday’s loss to 10-men Wolves.

The Welshman, who is Southampton’s shortest-serving boss in the Premier League era, lost nine of 14 matches after taking the job on 10 November.

That record included eight defeats in nine Premier League games and four successive home losses at St Mary’s.

First-team coaches Chris Cohen and Alan Sheehan have also left the club, while lead coach Ruben Selles will take charge of Saturday’s Premier League match at Chelsea.

Despite leading 1-0 with a man advantage on Saturday, Jones watched his side slump to a home defeat against fellow strugglers Wolves which was greeted with boos from the Saints fans at the full-time whistle.

He walked straight down the tunnel, rather than applaud the home support, and said after the match he did not know if it would be his last game in charge.

“I have never done that in my life before,” Jones said of his decision to immediately leave for the dressing room.

“In 390 games, I have never done that. But I am not sure if me going round clapping would have shown respect.”

Southampton supporters had chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” and “Nathan Jones, get out of our club” after their previous league defeat at Brentford.

Jones gave an emotional response to that 3-0 loss, saying he had “let the players down”.

“I haven’t really put my own stamp on it and I should have by now,” Jones told the BBC’s Match of the Day programme.

“I want to be brutally honest with this – I have let the players down.”