BRISTOL CITY SACK HEAD COACH DEAN HOLDEN

Featured Image Credit: Sky Sports

Bristol City have parted company with head coach Dean Holden after only six months in the post, with the Robins slipping to 13th in the Championship after losing to Reading.

The 2-0 home defeat was the 10th loss in the last 13 games for Bristol City as their play-off ambitions began to falter and became endangered by a possible relegation battle.

When asked on Monday whether he believed he was the right man to take Bristol City forward, Holden replied “100% yes,” but after another toothless attacking display, the board disagreed.

Facing Reading was going to be a crucial opportunity to bounce back from a catastrophic 6-0 defeat to Watford, but another performance with only a single shot on target meant the furture looked bleak for Holden.

The ex-Bolton defender’s tenure has been hampered by injuries, missing at least six key players for every game this season and he never was able to use the midfielder he wished to build around, Liam Walsh.

The likes of Alfie Mawson, Andreas Weimann, Joe Williams and many more have barely been able to feature and has made it very difficult for Holden to find a consistent system.

No formation appears to have brought back the form from the start of the season, with the Robins taking the least shots per game in the Championship (8.5) and facing the second most per game (14.3).

No striker has broken double figures for goals in the league, with Nahki Wells only scoring six times and much of the responsibility must fall on poor performances from the players.

The pitiful display against the Royals did not seem one of the players trying to save their managers job, with no single starter putting in a ‘good’ display (other than the busy keeper Dan Bentley).

Assistant coaches Keith Downing and Paul Simpson will be taking over training and temporary charge of the side, the club announced but it is unknown who is in line to take over permanently.

Fans are hopeful that the process is quicker than that to appoint Holden, where a seven weeklong interview and deliberation lead to keeping the man already in the post.