Fleetwood Town have confirmed that Simon Wiles has been appointed temporary manager and will take charge of the team with immediate effect.
#ftfc can confirm @wilesy17 has been appointed interim manager and will take charge with immediate effect ?#OnwardTogether
— Fleetwood Town FC (@ftfc) January 4, 2021
Joey Barton was relieved of his managerial duties yesterday in a shock move by Fleetwood Town after three years of managing the League One side.
In a short statement on the club’s official website, they confirmed: “Fleetwood Town can confirm manager Joey Barton has left the club with immediate effect.
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“We would like to thank Joey for his work during his time at Highbury Stadium and wish him success in the future.”
The club are currently sitting in tenth place in League One and are just three points outside of the play-off places after a mixed start to the season. However, Barton’s sacking is thought to be linked to a bust-up with Ched Evans.
The former Welsh international has also left the club for disciplinary reasons and is being linked with a move to Preston.
According to the Daily Mail, the pair clashed after Barton failed to see the funny side of a comedy act delivered by Evans in recent weeks. The striker has been absent since the incident, with Barton refusing to consider the former Sheffield United star for selection.
The Daily Mail reports that Barton said: “It has been rumbling on with people asking me where he (Evans) is – and I’m not a manager who likes to hide the reality. I think it’s important for our fanbase and the people who care about Fleetwood to know where they stand.”
Fleetwood Chairman Andy Pilley has backed Barton in the past, but appears to have lost his patience with the former Newcastle and Manchester City star after this latest incident. The club took Barton on just a day after his ban for betting offences ended, and kept him in a job after he was charged with actual bodily harm, following a tunnel incident when the Fleetwood boss headbutted and punched the Barnsley manager.
Pilley told the Daily Mail: “He’s (Barton) no longer with us and he’ll leave the building due to his discipline and his behaviour. There’s been multiple infractions and we always try to give a bit of leeway but it’s just run its course.”