JOHN TOSHACK, under fire manager of struggling Spanish first division Deportivo La Coruna, has resigned.

Club president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro confirmed Toshack's departure after meeting the 47 year old Welshman following yesterday's 2-2 league draw with Celta Vigo.

Deportivo are without a win so far this year. Toshack, who coached Real Madrid to the 1990 championship, joined Deportivo in 1995 and he has been locked in a row with the club's directors over their transfer policy. He has also come under pressure from local fans who have been greeting him at training sessions with banners proclaiming "Toshack go home".

Meanwhile, pressure mounted on Bobby Robson last night after his Barcelona side slumped to a 2-0 defeat at lowly Espanyol - leaving them eight points behind deadly rivals Real Madrid in the race for the title.

Barca were undone by two penalties - both put away with a flourish by West Ham flop Florin Raducioiu - in the Catalan derby.