Preston have sacked manager Paul Simpson following the club's disastrous start to their Championship campaign.
Saturday's abject 3-0 surrender at Hull proved the final straw and has prompted chairman Derek Shaw to call time on the former Manchester City, Derby and Wolves midfielder's 17-month reign.
Simpson was appointed at Deepdale as Billy Davies' successor in June 2006 after guiding his hometown club Carlisle to successive promotions.
"It is with heavy heart that this type of decision has to be made, but the board and I felt that a change was necessary to try and halt the recent slide in results and performance," chairman Derek Shaw told the club's official website.
"Modern football is a cut-throat industry and is results based and without an away win in the league this season and with three away league wins in the whole of 2007 we felt we had to act now.
"We have asked Rob Kelly, Billy Barr and Dave Timmins to look after first-team training while we search for a successor to Paul, but we hope this process can be concluded quickly and hope to try and get someone in place before the next game, against Charlton Athletic a week on Saturday.
"May I place on record my thanks to Paul for his honest and hard-working approach in his time at the club and wish him every success in the future."
