Cheltenham Town sacks Michael Flynn after poor start to the season

Cheltenham Town has sacked manager Michael Flynn after a dreadful start to the season, the club announced following Saturday's 3-0 home defeat by Oldham Athletic that left the Robins bottom of League Two after seven losses in nine league games. Flynn, 44, departs after 16 months in charge, with a 25-13-30 record in 68 games.

Flynn took charge in early 2024 after spells with Newport County, Walsall and Swindon. Cheltenham were relegated back to League Two ahead of the 2024-25 campaign after three seasons in the third tier, and last month the club was taken over by former Burnley chairman Mike Garlick. Garlick previously said the club would turn things around under Flynn and urged supporters to back the manager, but results have continued to falter. Four of Cheltenham's last six matches in all competitions have ended in defeat, leaving them propping up the EFL.

Cheltenham Town confirmed the decision in a club statement: the Robins can confirm that we have parted company with manager Michael Flynn following today's defeat to Oldham Athletic. The club thanked Flynn for his efforts during his time in charge and wished him well for the future.

Flynn spoke after the Oldham defeat about the situation, acknowledging that performances of that standard justify managerial scrutiny while stressing that responsibility for the results rests on the team as a whole. He indicated that improvements were required quickly and that he would continue to be honest about the situation.

In context, Cheltenham finished 15th in League Two last season and were relegated to the fourth tier the season before. The takeover by Garlick came amid expectations of stability and revival, but the current run has left the club occupying the bottom spot in the table and facing a difficult early part of the campaign.