Dulieu quits Coventry after outcry over management role

Defender Jack Ainsley has signed a new deal to stay at Ipswich Town (Getty Images)

Former Coventry City chairman Ken Dulieu has resigned as head of football operations at the troubled Championship club. Dulieu, formerly of Southampton, only stood down as chairman at the start of the month in order to work more closely with manager Andy Thorn, insisting at the time that the first stages of a long-term turnaround plan had helped stop the financially-stricken club from "haemorrhaging cash".

His departure from the Ricoh Arena ends a nine-month spell at the Midlands outfit having only taken the reigns in late March after former chairman Ray Ranson resigned from his position.

Meanwhile, in a further reshuffle at Coventry, John Clarke has decided to focus his energies as an independent director on one board, CCFC (Holdings) Ltd, although he remains deputy chairman. Tim Fisher has replaced Clarke on the board of Coventry City Football Club Limited representing the major shareholder.

Meanwhile, Jack Ainsley has put pen to paper on a new 18-month contract at Ipswich. The 21-year-old defender signed a six-month deal in the summer which was due to expire next month, but manager Paul Jewell has put his trust in the academy graduate by handing him fresh terms until 2013. "The manager has shown a lot of faith in me and now I want to repay him," said a delighted Ainsley.

Millwall striker Jay Simpson admits his future in up in the air, with a return to Hull a possibility next month. Simpson is currently on loan from the Tigers, initially until the new year when the move was expected to be made permanent. "If there's a deal to be done then we'll see," said Simpson. "Hull might want to call me back in January."