Norwich sack Dean Smith as Championship promotion hopes falter

Norwich have sacked their manager, Dean Smith, following a poor run of results and increasing anger from supporters.

Norwich slipped to a third defeat in four Championship matches on Boxing Day to leave the club fifth in the table but with only a three-point buffer to 16th.

Norwich have won just three of their past 13 matches, with defeat at 10-man Luton prompting the hierarchy to act. Norwich are admirers of the Swansea head coach, Russell Martin, a former Norwich captain who has 18 months to run on his contract in Wales.

Having succeeded Daniel Farke, Smith failed to keep Norwich in the Premier League last season and was expected to challenge for automatic promotion this campaign. After a 2-1 defeat at Luton on Monday, Smith revealed he had told his family to stay away from games because of the personal abuse he was receiving at matches.

“This was a tough decision, but one that we felt was necessary to give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving our objective of promotion to the Premier League this season,” said the Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber.

“With just under half of the season remaining and three consecutive home games on the horizon we now have a real opportunity to build some forward and positive momentum, both on and off the pitch.”

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Smith and his assistant, Craig Shakespeare, were informed of their departures on Tuesday. Norwich host Reading on Friday.