Salford City Dismiss Manager Karl Robinson Following Play-Off Defeat

Salford City has terminated the contract of head coach Karl Robinson, effective immediately, following the team’s elimination from the League Two promotion race. The decision arrives just nine days after the club suffered a 3-0 defeat to Notts County in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

Robinson, whose previous managerial roles included tenures at MK Dons, Charlton, and Oxford United, led Salford for nearly two and a half years. This stint makes him, alongside Graham Alexander, the longest-serving manager in the club’s Football League history.

In a formal statement, the club announced: "Salford City Football Club can confirm that Karl Robinson will leave his position today as head coach with immediate effect." The organization noted that the choice was made unanimously by the board and executive team after a comprehensive evaluation of football operations.

"While Karl has conducted himself throughout his time at Salford City with professionalism and integrity, these decisions are never easy," the statement continued. "We believe this is the right moment to make a change as we look ahead to the next chapter in Salford City's development."

The departure marks a shift in direction for a club that underwent a new ownership structure last season. Among the remaining investors from the original 'Class of 92' are Gary Neville and David Beckham, both of whom attended the Wembley match.

Salford entered the season with strong promotion ambitions, but their path was disrupted by a poor run of form, including five losses in six matches during January and February. Their hopes of securing an automatic spot were extinguished on the final day when they failed to secure a victory against Crawley, who sat third from the bottom of the table.

Following the play-off final loss, Robinson issued an apology to the fans, admitting that his squad had "let them down."

The club confirmed that recruitment efforts for a new head coach are underway immediately. The future of assistant manager Alex Bruce and the broader coaching staff remains undecided.

In addition to the managerial change, Salford announced a series of player departures. Top scorer Cole Stockton and right-back Haji Mnoga are being released ahead of the end of the month. Stockton, 32, had been the team’s leading scorer in his debut 2024-25 season with 17 goals in 38 league games. However, his output dropped to six goals across all competitions this term due to injury concerns, and he found himself on the bench during the final stages of the season.

Mnoga, who joined as a free agent in 2024, has been a staple under Robinson and has also established himself as a regular for the Tanzania national team.

Other players leaving the club include former Liverpool striker Fabio Borini and midfielders Ossama Ashley and Dan Chesters, whose contracts expire at the month’s end. Ashley’s recent season was marred by injury, despite being a midfield regular in 2024-25. Defender Tom Edwards has also been released.

Conversely, Ollie Turton, who made 39 league appearances during the 2025-26 season, has been presented with a new contract offer, though his current deal is set to expire at the end of this month.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-02 21:29:19 UTC