Barnsley 0 Birmingham 3: Manager David Flitcroft sacked after Reds drop to the bottom of the Championship with home defeat

Barnsley have won just two of their 17 league games this season

David Flitcroft has been sacked by Barnsley after the 3-0 home defeat to Birmingham (GETTY IMAGES)

Barnsley have sacked manager David Flitcroft after their home defeat to Birmingham sent them sliding to the bottom of the Sky Bet Championship.

The Reds have won only twice in 17 league games this season and a 10th defeat, 3-0 at the hands of fellow strugglers Birmingham, was one too many for the Oakwell board.

Former Bury and Rochdale midfielder Flitcroft, 39, was in charge of the club for less than a year after taking over from Keith Hill in December 2012.

Flitcroft, appointed permanent boss after two wins in three games as caretaker, guided the South Yorkshire club to safety on the final day of last season.

A statement on the club's official website, http://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk: "Barnsley Football Club can confirm first team manager David Flitcroft has been relieved of his position at the football club.

"Technical coach Martin Scott and strength and conditioning coach Guy Proctor have also parted company with the club.

"Assistant manager Micky Mellon has been placed in caretaker charge of first-team affairs, assisted by development coach Paul Heckingbottom in the meantime.

"There will be no further statements from the club until Wednesday.

"The club would like to place on record their appreciation and thanks for what David, Martin and Guy have achieved."

Barnsley head to Brighton in the Championship on Tuesday night.

Birmingham manager Lee Clark admitted his side had possibly been fortunate to get the penalty for Paul Caddis' second goal after being on the wrong end of several refereeing decisions this season.

Birmingham defender Caddis scored twice and Nikola Zigic once before the break as the visitors secured a win which was followed by Flitcroft's sacking.

Referring to the penalty incident, Clark said: "The referee seemed to be in a good position."

The Birmingham manager, talking before news of Flitcroft's sacking had been announced, added: "We've been on the end of some strange decisions this season and we've had to dust ourselves down, I'm sure David (Flitcroft) is frustrated with that.

"He did have a conversation as Nikola (Zigic) came off and he asked him hand on heart did he think it was a penalty, and Nikola replied that he did."

PA