Gray out as Saints sign up Strachan

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Gray pays for failing to inspire Saints

Gordon Strachan will be unveiled as the new manager of Southampton today following the sacking last night of Stuart Gray. The appointment marks a rapid return to club management for the Scot, who parted company with Coventry earlier this season after the Highfield Road club had made a poor start to their First Division campaign.

Strachan's appointment brings to an end a short and unsuccessful tenure for Gray, who initially took over as Southampton's caretaker manager following the departure of Glenn Hoddle to Tottenham. Gray was awarded the job on a permanent basis in July but he fell a long way short of emulating the results achieved by his predecessor at Southampton.

Although he led the Saints to emotional wins over Manchester United and Arsenal in the final two games at The Dell at the end of last season, they were largely seen as meaningless games in competitive terms with both opponents having already secured their end-of-season placings.

Southampton have won just twice this season, both away, and lie second from bottom of the table after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at West Ham. They have yet to win a point, in three games, at their new St Mary's stadium. Confidence among the players has subsequently plunged and the Southampton board decided to act before matters deteriorated.

''This is about the future of Southampton Football Club and its fans," Rupert Lowe, Southampton's chairman, said in a statement. "We believe the club is in need of a fresh approach to bring some self-belief and cohesion to the squad to produce the results a club of this size expects.

"Stuart did a good job at the end of last season and we appointed him on the basis that the progress would continue. Regrettably, it has not been the case and with sadness the board decided that the time was right to seek new direction.

"In that respect, we are in discussion with Gordon Strachan and hope to have his appointment confirmed in time for him to take training on Monday morning. We wish Stuart and his assistant Mick Wadsworth, who has also left the club, every good fortune in their careers.''