Preston manager Alex Neil has left the club after a poor run of form, the Sky Bet Championship club has announced.

The 39-year-old Scot’s reign was brought to a close on Sunday after the previous day’s 1-0 home defeat by Luton, the club’s third in succession and eighth in 12 league games.

A statement on the cub’s official website read: “Preston North End Football Club can confirm that it has today parted with the services of its manager, Alex Neil.

“Alex joined the club in the summer of 2017 and he leaves us with our thanks and very best wishes for the future.

“It is the intention that Frankie McAvoy will take up the position of interim head coach and work with Steve Thompson, Mike Pollitt and Paul Gallagher in taking the team for the remaining eight games of the season.”

North End currently sit in 16th place in the table, nine points clear of the relegation zone, but 18 adrift of the play-off places.

Midfielder Alan Browne, currently on international duty with the Republic of Ireland, admitted the players had let Neil down.

Asked about the news at an Ireland press conference on Sunday afternoon, Browne said: “I was pretty gutted earlier. He has been fantastic for me and my career, a lot of the lads at Preston as well.

“He did a fantastic job and us as players, ultimately we let him down as he’s not the one going out on the pitch, but he’s the one taking the criticism, so its gutting for me.

“But I am here in the camp now and need to put all my focus on that and worry about that when I get back to my club.”