IAN McGarry has been sacked by struggling Great Harwood Town in the wake of their latest defeat at Trafford on Saturday.

He was told the news by Harwood chairman Bill Holden at the end of a match which saw the controversial Showground boss in more touchline trouble - 'sent off' by the referee around 15 minutes from the end.

"All I was doing was remonstrating with my own players. I was giving them a rollicking from the dugout," said McGarry, who was fiercely critical of the referee.

"I didn't say anything worse than Alex Ferguson said in front of 10 million people on TV."

Mr Holden said the decision to axe McGarry was based purely on results.

"I told Ian I didn't think it was working, it was nothing personal just down to results," said the chairman, who hopes to have a new man in place this week.

"When he took the job last season, he did well in difficult circumstances and, given a bit of luck, we could now have been mid-table.

"He has also had to work with a limited budget.

"But I do believe that a new man may be able to turn things round. Our situation is more serious than last season but we have to believe we can get enough points to stay in the Unibond League.

"Ian will always be welcome at Great Harwood. He has worked extremely hard for us but it comes down to results.

"We have always had a problem competing at this level but we have never been so far adrift. "I haven't got any pre-conceived ideas about a new manager but I will be talking to people in the next few days. I felt I had to do something to try to turn things round and we have to give it a go."

McGarry accepted his fate as a " fact of life".

He said: "When you are bottom of the league you are always half expecting it. At the end of the day, results make all the difference.

"Those who live by the sword die by the sword but I still think Harwood have a chance of getting out of trouble.

"There are a lot of reasons, umpteen things but when results are bad you have to expect something to happen."

Will he look for another job?

"At the moment, Tesco sounds all right on a Saturday afternoon," he added.

There has not been any change in Harwood's situation regarding the ground imrpovements they are under orders to make or face the consequences.

"We are no nearer to getting a new lease from the present owners but the ground is for sale. We might be able to negotiate if someone comes in and buys it," said Mr Holden.

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