RON ATKINSON ended 25 years in management yesterday in typical fashion: a flash of anger, a joke, then a champagne party with Coventry players at a secret destination.
Atkinson has been moved upstairs at Highfield Road to become director of football leaving his number two Gordon Strachan to take over as manager.
The move had been planned to take place at the end of the season, but was brought forward because the team currently lie third bottom of the Premiership despite Atkinson's £18 million outlay on players during his 19-month reign.
The question is whether Atkinson jumped or was pushed at last Friday's board meeting. The chairman, Bryan Richardson, claimed: "He was not sacked. He approached me at the end of last week to discuss the idea of Gordon taking over. All we've done is bring forward exactly what we said before."
But it is understood others on the board forced the change fearing Coventry could be relegated.
Either way Atkinson had planned to take a public announcement yesterday, presaging a smooth transition. But a story in the Daily Mirror saying he had been sacked pre-empted that and angered Atkinson. "It was leaked by a member of the board," he said. "I shan't name the person, but put it this way, I shall be voting Tory at the next election. He has let down the club and the chairman."
This is understood to refer to the millionaire Geoffrey Robinson, a Labour MP and board member whose financial input into the club enabled them to buy Gary McAllister for a club record £3 million.
One theory being voiced yesterday was that Robinson, worried at the cost of Coventry losing their Premiership status, demanded the change. Atkinson's supporters on the board then had to weigh up their opposition to the idea against the possibility of losing Robinson's patronage.
To make sure that a Coventry win at Everton on Monday night did not provide fresh ammunition for those who wanted Atkinson to stay, the story was leaked to the Mirror.
Whatever the truth, this appears to be a career end for one of the most flamboyant managers of his generation. The 57-year-old was known for his permanent tan, gold bracelets, dark glasses and trenchcoat, and at the beginning for his managerial success.
He won successive promotions at Cambridge, impressed at West Bromwich and won the FA Cup, though never the league, with Manchester United. He then won promotion and the League Cup with Sheffield Wednesday.
But his touch recently deserted him. Despite winning the League Cup with Aston Villa he was sacked because of the team's poor league form and at Coventry has presided over just 14 wins in 68 league games.
