Dundee chief executive Scot Gardiner says he is not at liberty to reveal exactly why manager Barry Smith was sacked just six weeks after being given a ringing endorsement by the club board.
The Dark Blues sacked the 39-year-old on Wednesday morning and, after receiving the news, Smith said an emotional goodbye to the players at training.
The manager’s dismissal came with his side rooted to the foot of the SPL table, 15 points adrift of second bottom St Mirren.
The club announced his departure with a terse statement that read: “Dundee FC today have parted company with manager Barry Smith with immediate effect. Until matters regarding this have been formally concluded, no further statement will be made.”
Dundee have only won three league games this season. However, Smith was assured his position was safe last month when the club issued another statement saying that after a board meeting: “Each director indicated his 100% backing for the manager.”
Now though, the directors, Eddie Devlin, Maurice Kidd, Steve Martin, Fraser McDonald and newcomer Ian Crighton have decided the time is right to part company with a man who was a long and loyal servant as a player, and as a manager someone who kept the club in the First Division after they were docked 25 points for entering administration in 2010.
However, with a financial severance package still to be agreed between the club and Smith, there was little Gardiner could say.
He said: “This has been the most difficult day since I arrived at the club. I got to know Barry over a year and I count him as a friend, so it has been a very difficult day.
“Football can be very cruel and this has been one of those days.”
When asked what had changed since the statement from last month assuring Smith’s position was not in danger, Gardiner replied: “I think six weeks ago was a very different scenario. There was a lot of speculation but football changes very quickly.
“That doesn’t mean that something specific has changed. People can change their mind, things can happen. There has been a transfer window but the league position hasn’t changed and we are where we are.”
For more from Dens Park, see Thursday’s Courier or try our new digital edition.