25-01-2023, 16:00
The End
Forest Green Rovers part company with head coach Ian Burchnall, with the club bottom of League One.
Ex-Notts County boss Burchnall was appointed in May, after the departure of Rob Edwards to Watford and Forest Green's promotion to League One.
However, they have won just five of their 28 league matches this season and are four points from safety.
"The challenge was greater than I could have thought coming in," Burchnall said in a statement.
"For the fans, I am sorry that I couldn't make it work and that they didn't see the best of my team. I hope for them the team turns it around. They deserve a team in League One."
Under former boss Edwards, the Gloucestershire club won the League Two title and were promoted to the third tier for the first time in their history.
But they are now without a win in their last eight matches in all competitions, with Burchnall's departure coming after their 1-0 defeat at 10-man Bolton on Tuesday.
Forest Green have the worst goal difference in League One and have played more games than all of their relegation rivals.
"Our first season in League One was always going to be a challenge in itself but it's been been made more difficult by a number of factors, with their roots in last summer," said chairman Dale Vince.
"I believe in Ian as a coach, but circumstances have led us to this place, we've recruited strongly in the January window, player wise - now we need to recruit a new head coach - to give ourselves the best chance or staying in this league."
'A weaker team than last season'
Analysis - BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Paul Furley
Ian Burchnall leaves Forest Green with just five wins in 28 league games and no win since 10 December.
Dale Vince is usually a patient and loyal chairman, and as recently as the end of December was saying Burchnall needed to be given resources and time after a summer which saw key players Ebou Adams, Kane Wilson and Nicky Cadden depart, plus Matty Stevens and Jamille Matt struggling for fitness - their absence meant the team was weaker than last season's.
Vince has been consistent on that now, saying the root of the club's current plight lie in events of last summer.
There have been signings aplenty in the January transfer window, but those will take time to bed in - time a new manager will not have in a maximum of 18 games, inheriting a squad of someone else's players.
What ultimately may have cost Burchnall his job is that against a Bolton team, reduced to 10 men for more than an hour of Tuesday's game, Forest Green were unable to find a way through.
For all their possession, Rovers failed to produce the chances needed to score, which was not a good omen for the rest of the season playing against 11.
Forest Green Rovers part company with head coach Ian Burchnall, with the club bottom of League One.
Ex-Notts County boss Burchnall was appointed in May, after the departure of Rob Edwards to Watford and Forest Green's promotion to League One.
However, they have won just five of their 28 league matches this season and are four points from safety.
"The challenge was greater than I could have thought coming in," Burchnall said in a statement.
"For the fans, I am sorry that I couldn't make it work and that they didn't see the best of my team. I hope for them the team turns it around. They deserve a team in League One."
Under former boss Edwards, the Gloucestershire club won the League Two title and were promoted to the third tier for the first time in their history.
But they are now without a win in their last eight matches in all competitions, with Burchnall's departure coming after their 1-0 defeat at 10-man Bolton on Tuesday.
Forest Green have the worst goal difference in League One and have played more games than all of their relegation rivals.
"Our first season in League One was always going to be a challenge in itself but it's been been made more difficult by a number of factors, with their roots in last summer," said chairman Dale Vince.
"I believe in Ian as a coach, but circumstances have led us to this place, we've recruited strongly in the January window, player wise - now we need to recruit a new head coach - to give ourselves the best chance or staying in this league."
'A weaker team than last season'
Analysis - BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Paul Furley
Ian Burchnall leaves Forest Green with just five wins in 28 league games and no win since 10 December.
Dale Vince is usually a patient and loyal chairman, and as recently as the end of December was saying Burchnall needed to be given resources and time after a summer which saw key players Ebou Adams, Kane Wilson and Nicky Cadden depart, plus Matty Stevens and Jamille Matt struggling for fitness - their absence meant the team was weaker than last season's.
Vince has been consistent on that now, saying the root of the club's current plight lie in events of last summer.
There have been signings aplenty in the January transfer window, but those will take time to bed in - time a new manager will not have in a maximum of 18 games, inheriting a squad of someone else's players.
What ultimately may have cost Burchnall his job is that against a Bolton team, reduced to 10 men for more than an hour of Tuesday's game, Forest Green were unable to find a way through.
For all their possession, Rovers failed to produce the chances needed to score, which was not a good omen for the rest of the season playing against 11.
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?