Jack Ross has been sacked as manager of Sunderland, the English club has announced.

The Scot was tasked with leading the club out of League One but leaves with them sitting in sixth place, having failed to achieve promotion last season.

Ross, who won the Championship with St Mirren in 2018, joined the Black Cats in May last year and took the team to the play-off final last season, losing to Charlton. He also guided his side to the EFL Trophy final but lost to Portsmouth at Wembley.

A 2-0 defeat to Lincoln City on Saturday saw the team booed off and Sunderland have taken action, with chairman Stewart Donald wishing Ross all the best but saying that the search for a new manager will begin immediately.

Donald said: "This is a decision that has been made with a heavy heart. When we arrived at the club 18 months ago, we appointed Jack because we felt that he was the right man to take Sunderland forward over a number of years.

"Jack has worked extremely hard, and has helped us achieve stability at the club, and I sincerely thank him for his efforts. I hope and believe that he will go on to have a successful career in management."

Assistant manager James Fowler has been placed in temporary charge will oversee the home game against Grimsby Town in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday evening.