Ally McCoist has offered his resignation as manager of Sevco amid reports that Terry Butcher is about to be appointed as manager.
The dramatic news emerged at lunchtime today following a week of cuts at the club that saw David Somers admit that the crowd for the visit of Cowdenbeath was below 20,000, director Norman Crichton walk away and the staff Christmas party axed.
McCoist, the highest paid manager in Scotland on a basic of £800,000-a-year, has stuck firmly to his ‘won’t do walking away line’ but now appears to have reneged on that vow.
By offering his resignation McCoist is likely to force the board into a sacking that would trigger a seven figure pay-out with fears already in place that the club will be unable to meet the December payroll.
Long standing coaches Kenny McDowall and Ian Durrant are also expected to leave with the club toiling nine points behind Hearts. Under the terms of his contract McCoist will take charge of the club at Queen of the South tonight unless the board intervene which could be seen as constructive dismissal.
“No I’m too concentrated on the game here,” he replied after being asked if he’d quit following the 3-2 defeat away to Alloa.
“My decision is to look at the performance tonight, particularly after we went 2-0 up, then sit down with the boys and go through it. It won’t be a pleasant meeting but it has to be done and it will be done.”
Butcher was interviewed for the vacancy at Motherwell in midweek but now looks set for Ibrox with his only rival for the job being Stuart McCall.
After replacing Walter Smith in the summer of 2011 McCoist’s managerial record has been one disaster after another with defeats to Malmo and Maribor hurtling the club towards administration.
Further defeats to Falkirk and Dundee United followed as a 15 point lead over Celtic was thrown away with a squad valued at over £40m.
Since being voted into the Scottish Football League in 2012 McCoist has presided over cup defeats to Inverness Caley Thistle, Queen of the South, Dundee United (twice), Forfar Athletic, Raith Rovers and most recently Alloa Athletic.