Shreeves steps in after Jewell is sacked
Monday, 12 February 2001 20:06Sheffield Wednesday, currently bottom of the English first division, sacked manager Paul Jewell today and once again turned to Peter Shreeves as caretaker. The club's chairman Howard Culley resigned after the announcement and was replaced by board member Geoff Hulley.
Jewell became the club's fifth manager in three years when he took over at the start of the season after relegation last year. The former Bradford City boss has been forced to sell several players and has had none of the proceeds to spend on replacements. He told the club's official website he had been devastated by the decision.
"It's not nice getting the sack," he said. "I don't think I have been given enough time to turn things around, and it doesn't take too much common sense to realise that it was always going to be a difficult task to stay in this league."
Culley added: "In view of the board's decision to terminate the employment of Paul Jewell, I have decided to step aside as chairman. I have also offered to resign as a director of the club, but at the request of the other directors have agreed to continue as a board member at least until it can be strengthened by the recruitment of suitably qualified new members."
Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Wimbledon left Wednesday rooted to the foot of the table and prompted the call for former Tottenham Hotspur manager Shreeves, who becomes caretaker-manager at Hillsborough for the third time in as many years.
He first stepped in back in November 1997 after the dismissal of David Pleat. His one match in charge was a 5-0 thrashing of Bolton before Ron Atkinson was appointed manager. Last season he took over on March 21 after Danny Wilson was sacked. Wednesday won three of their remaining nine matches and were relegated.
"We've got 15 games to go, last time I came in there was nine, so that's in my favour, Shreeves said. "For a team that's not been winning, I've got to find six wins from somewhere."
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
