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      Biggest ever FA Cup giantkillings including Man Utd shock and famous final after Liverpool are humiliated by Plymouth

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      LIVERPOOL suffered a huge FA Cup upset as they crashed out of the FA Cup against Plymouth.Ryan Hardie’s 53rd-minute spot-kick proved decisive as the rock-bottom Championship side – 43 places below the Premier League leaders – were given a helping hand by Harvey Elliott’s inexplicable handball.Plymouth pulled off a major FA Cup upset against LiverpoolCredit: GettyThere have been some major early round upsets in recent years like Chelsea losing 4-2 to BradfordCredit: GettyOne famous final upset saw Wigan stun Man City before they were relegated a week laterCredit: PA:Empics SportLeague Two Stevenage pulled off a massive upset against Newcastle in 2011Credit: Getty – ContributorIt was only the fourth time a team outside of the top flight has knocked out the leaders of the Premier League.However, Argyle’s historic win was the latest in a long-line of incredible FA Cup upsets.Hereford 2-1 Newcastle – 1972The quintessential classic FA Cup fairytale. And with good reason.Non-league Hereford had already defied the odds by taking Newcastle to a replay in the FA Cup third round in 1972 with a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut the replay set itself into the very foundations of English football as Ronnie Radford’s stunning volley typified the magic of the oldest football cup competition in the world.Radford’s iconic volley from range was the equalising goal to send the match into extra time.Super sub Ricky George stepped up to score the decisive goal to prompt jubilant scenes at Edgar Street.The result still holds the record for the lowest ranked side to beat top flight opposition.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSWimbledon 1-0 Liverpool – 1988Another upset involving the Reds, the 1988 FA Cup final saw the “Crazy Gang” pull off one of the craziest results in English football history.Liverpool were the dominant force of England in the 1980s, having won six league titles across the decade including the 1988 First Division title.ITV forced to apologise as Plymouth hero says ‘I f—ing love it’ TWICE live on air after shocking LiverpoolBut Lawrie Sanchez’s solitary goal paid no mind to the respective history of the clubs, with Wimbledon only having been in the top flight for a total of 11 years in their history at the time.It remains the Dons’ only FA Cup triumph.Wrexham 2-1 Arsenal, 1992Back in 1992 there were a whopping 81 places in the English football pyramid which separated Wrexham and Arsenal in their FA Cup third round clash.The Welsh minnows were struggling in the fourth division while Arsenal were the reigning English champions.However, the Gunners had wet powder as 37-year-old Mickey Thomas hit a 25-yard free-kick to level the match in the 82nd minute after Alan Smith scored the opener before half-time.Steve Watkin delivered the decisive shot two minutes later as he bundled home the winner, prompting a pitch invasion.Bournemouth 2-0 Man Utd, 1984While Man Utd were far from the peak of their powers in the mid 80s, third-division Bournemouth were still relative minnows next to former European Champions and reigning holders of the FA Cup.But under the guidance of Harry Redknapp, Bournemouth conjured up a heroic 2-0 victory.In a whirlwind five minutes, Milton Graham and Ian Thompson struck to send the Cherries into dreamland.United fans stormed the pitch to try and halt the result, but the final whistle confirmed one of the most memorable giant killings of all time.Wigan 1-0 Man City, 2013When relegation-threatened Wigan rocked up to Wembley for the FA Cup final against Manchester City, many saw a win for mega-spending City as a formality.But Roberto Martinez’s underdogs were not content at being resigned to the losers column of FA Cup finalists.The Lactics’ heroic performance finally paid its dividends when Ben Watson headed home an incredible winner in injury time to bag them their first ever FA Cup trophy.A week later Wigan suffered relegation to the Championship, while it turned out to be the last time City would lose a major final before the 2021 Champions League final, when they lost to Chelsea.Sunderland 1-0 Leeds, 1973Another final upset saw Sunderland stun a then-dominant Leeds team to become the first team outside of the First Division to win the FA Cup since West Brom in 1931.Leeds were the reigning champions of the Cup while Sunderland competed in the second tier and had been trophyless for more than 50 years.Yet 100,000 at the Old Wembley watched as Ian Porterfield’s 32nd minute goal won the Black Cats the FA Cup.The match also holds special recognition for a stunning save made by goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery to deny Peter Lorimer from 10 yards, with the stop drawing comparisons to Gordon Banks’ stop for England against Brazil in the 1970 World Cup.Chelsea 2-4 Bradford, 2015Bradford conjured up one of the most surprising results in recent FA Cup memory when they rocked up to Stamford Bridge to batter Chelsea.With 49 places separating them in the English pyramid, League One Bradford were not given much of a chance against Jose Mourinho’s high-flying Blues.The fourth-round clash started smoothly for the Premier League giants, who took a 2-0 lead.A goal from Jon Stead before half-time gave Bradford hope, before a trio of late goals saw Bradford roar into a two-goal lead in what was an incredibly fourth round clash.Newport County 2-1 Leicester, 2019League Two Newport produced the shock of the season when they beat Leicester in the third round of the FA Cup back in 2019.A staggering 74 places split the teams when they met in early January.Yet Jamille Matt’s goal after just 10 minutes set up what would be a monumental upset.Rachid Ghezzal threatened to ruin the party with an 82nd minute goal before a late penalty from Padraig Amond sent Rodney Parade into pandemonium.Sutton United 2-1 Coventry, 1989Coventry had been the FA Cup holders just 18 months earlier.Yet when the top flight side travelled south to face Sutton in the third round they were left feeling blue by non-league opposition.Goals from Tony Rains and Matthew Hanlan set Sutton on their way to a huge upset at Gander Green Lane.The Us remained the most recent non-league team to beat top flight opponents all the way until 2013 when Luton beat Norwich.Stevenage 3-1 Newcastle, 2011It was only Stevenage’s first season in the EFL.Yet that did not stop them from making Newcastle only the fourth Premier League team ever at the time to lose to fourth-tier opposition in 2011.READ MORE SUN STORIESGoals from Stacy Long, Michael Bostwick and Peter Winn sealed a famous victory.Joey Barton had pulled one back for the Toon in injury time, but Cheick Tiote’s sending off in the 71st minute seemed to confirm the direction of the match before the final whistle blew.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. 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      Birmingham 2 Newcastle 3: Joe Willock’s double wins FA Cup thriller but Brum owner Tom Brady picks Super Bowl instead

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      SEVEN-TIME Super Bowl winner Tom Brady decided to give this game a miss. What a mug!Because he passed on an absolute epic tie as League One Birmingham and Premier League Newcastle went toe-to-toe to produce an all-time FA Cup classic.Newcastle won an absolute thriller in the FA Cup at BirminghamCredit: GettyJoe Willock led Newcastle to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a braceCredit: GettyBirmingham came close to a massive upset victory over NewcastleCredit: GettyBirmingham minority owner Tom Brady opted for the Super BowlCredit: APBrady, a Birmingham City minority shareholder, is in New Orleans where he will commentate on tonight’s Super Bowl.But there is no way the Philadelphia’s Eagles will dig deeper than Eddie Howe’s Magpies — no chance Kansas City will battle harder than Birmingham did here.At full-time as weary players dropped to the turf, St Andrew’s rose as one to applaud two sets of players who gave everything for 90 sensational minutes.Joe Willock’s double settled this fourth-round FA Cup belter, while Brum’s Tomoki Iwata had to settle for scoring arguably the goal of the season.Read More on FootballThe Geordies were still celebrating reaching the Carabao Cup final — but the Toon balloon was punctured inside a minute as Blues stormed into the lead.Kieran Dowell fired in a deep corner and Keshi Anderson rose unchallenged to nod the ball back into the box.Right-back Ethan Laird fired in a shot which took a wicked deflection off Callum Wilson and the ball flew high into the roof of Nick Pope’s net.St Andrew’s went ballistic as Wilson cursed his luck on his first start for 280 days, while Laird celebrated only the third goal of his career.Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThe Magpies had been knocked out of the FA Cup by clubs from a lower division 32 times — only Everton (42 times) have suffered more.Meanwhile, Birmingham had eliminated top-flight clubs 23 times — second only to Millwall and Southampton (25 each).BBC makes half-time innovation in FA Cup clash between Leyton Orient and Man CitySo Newcastle should really have seen the danger signs.Chris Davies’ Blues played with the swagger of a team riding high at the top of League One and unbeaten in 18 games.The Geordies were clearly rattled and Dan Burn earned an early booking for trying to swap shirts with Scott Wright, during the action!From the free-kick, Christoph Klarer headed down Marc Leonard’s delivery and Anderson’s shot deflected off Burn but was brilliantly pushed away by Pope.That turned out to be a significant stop because it gave the Magpies the platform to stun Birmingham with a quick double to seize the lead in five crazy minutes.Wilson went on a rampaging run and swept in a low cross which Bailey Peacock-Farrell decided not to come for.Absolute thrillerBig mistake! Because William Osula cut the ball back from the far post to Willock whose shot was clawed out by Peacock-Farrell in the 21st minute.There was then a delayed reaction until far-side assistant referee Nigel Lugg decided to step in and flagged for a goal.It took a few seconds for the Toon Army to cotton on to what had just happened — then they went bonkers.Blues looked to have a legitimate grievance as the assistant ref was behind play and — without goal-line technology — could only have guessed that the whole of the ball crossed the whole of the line.Birmingham were still reeling when they suddenly found themselves behind.Osula showed a fabulous first touch to cushion Pope’s long clearance and fired in a shot which Peacock-Farrell beat out.Goal of the season candidateThe ball was recycled by Tino Livramento who centred and, although Osula got his feet tangled in front of goal, the ball broke to Wilson on 26 minutes.He somehow got his boot up to shoulder height to force the ball over the line to mark his return with a goal.Willock thought he had given the Magpies a two-goal cushion but he bundled the ball home from an offside position after Burn’s header sent him through.Jay Stansfield headed wide with the goal at his mercy before Wright drilled the ball weakly into the turf, allowing Pope to save.Yet there was nothing timid about the goal that rocked St Andrew’s five minutes before half-time as Iwata scored a sensational equaliser that will go down in Blues folklore.Leonard’s cross was headed out by Matt Targett and from 22 yards Iwata smashed in a screamer which flew into the roof of Pope’s net to leave the goalie helpless.Tempers flaredThere were shades of Ronnie Radford’s never-to-be-forgotten FA Cup banger for Hereford about the Japanese midfielder’s sensational strike.Tempers flared on the stroke of half-time, resulting in bookings for Osula and Anderson.The second half was not as frantic as the first, mainly due to a lengthy stoppage for Leonard, who was carried off after taking a heavy knock in a clash with Lewis Miley.There was a real edge to this tie now and Stansfield, then Klarer, were both booked for bundling Fabian Schar and Willock into the advertising boards. Those bookings sandwiched a yellow card for Willock for going in late on Laird and sub Willum Willumsson joined him for a late challenge on Willock.Willock wins itBrum chief Davies made a trio of substitutions but it was Newcastle who got the pay-off as Willock fired them back in front with his second goal of the night on 82 minutes.Sean Longstaff beat Ben Davies in a 50-50 for Livramento’s through pass and the ball fell to Willock, who drilled it through Peacock-Farrell’s legs.READ MORE SUN STORIESNewcastle thought they had finally killed off the Blues when Jacob Murphy rounded Peacock-Farrell but his shot was cleared off the line by Davies.But they held firm to keep their dream of another Wembley appearance to add to the Carabao Cup final. More

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      ‘We were extremely disappointed’ – Leeds release statement after Millwall fans’ vile chants about murdered supporters

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      LEEDS said they were “extremely disappointed” after Millwall fans chanted about the deaths of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight.The two Leeds supporters were stabbed to death in Istanbul in 2000, ahead of the club’s UEFA Cup semi-final against Galatasaray.Leeds have released a statement after vile chants were heard in their FA Cup game with MillwallCredit: GettyThe visitors reached the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 victoryCredit: AlamyLeeds welcomed Millwall to Elland Road on Saturday afternoon in the FA Cup fourth round.But vile chants were heard from the away end, with Leeds responding after the game. A statement from the Championship leaders read: “We were extremely disappointed to hear vile chants relating to football tragedies from the away section at Elland Road.”We know the impact this has on the families of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, along with the whole fan base of Leeds United.READ MORE ON FOOTBALL”We will work with the police and Millwall Football Club to identify those involved.”We will also continue our efforts with the football authorities to help eradicate these chants from the game.”Leeds boss Daniel Farke added: “Life and death and the health of human beings is much more important than a football game.”The whole football world stands for this and wants to back those values.Most read in Football”Obviously it is a situation which needs to be looked into.”A Millwall spokesman added: “Both clubs have suffered tragic losses to their respective families in recent history.”Chanting about this is entirely unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the club or the governing bodies.”It has no place in football and the club will work closely with Leeds United and authorities to identify those responsible.”Leeds fell to a 2-0 defeat on the day after thanks to a brace from Millwall striker Femi Azeez.It was Farke’s side’s first loss on home soil since September and the Lions’ first win at Elland Road since 2018. More

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      Sheffield Wednesday in sights of controversial owner who took EFL club to brink of COLLAPSE

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      TALAL AL HAMMAD aims to make a comeback as a football owner – with Sheffield Wednesday firmly in his sights.The Bahraini had a disastrous spell at Wigan but now wants another shot in England.Talal Al Hammad is eyeing a shock move to become owner of Sheffield WednesdayCredit: GettyThe former Wigan owner left the Latics on the brink of bankruptcyCredit: GettyDejphon Chansiri has owned the Owls since 2015Credit: GettyAl Hammad bought the Latics when they were in administration four years ago.But after a frantic period in charge, he took the club to the brink of collapse.However, the Arab is now keen to cooperate with unhappy Owls fan groups who are trying to oust controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri.Chansiri disappointed supporters with a quiet January transfer window as the Owls chase the Championship play-offs – only fanning resentment.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLBut he wants big money for the club, so that may be beyond the reach of Al Hammad.Young German coach Danny Rohl has guided Wednesday to the cusp of the playoff spots.In a disastrous fan forum last month Chansiri admitted he hadn’t spoken to Rohl since December.Wednesday, four-time league champions and three-time FA Cup winners, haven’t been in the top flight in 25 years.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe club were relegated from the Premier League in 2000.They have since bounced around between League One and the Championship, with Rohl saving them from the drop last season.Fan confronts stewards armed with CORNER FLAG as Sheffield Wednesday fans invade pitch after all-but avoiding relegationWednesday’s last Championship playoff campaign was way back in 2017, when they lost in the semi-finals to Huddersfield Town. Protests were held at the recent Yorkshire derby against Leeds by the 1867 Group against Chansiri’s ownership. Club legend Chris Waddle begged the Thai businessman to sell up prior to kick-off at Elland Road.Waddle told ITV Sport: “Rohl has got great believe in his squad.”They work tirelessly and have overachieved this season in my eyes.”It’s a great club. Great fan base, great history and I’d love somebody to buy them.”Wednesday fans recently protested against the owner and called on him to sell the clubCredit: Getty More

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      Inside Birmingham’s feel-good relegation, with ticket sales UP, wages at staggering level and ambitious plans for future

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      IF EVER there was a feel-good  reaction to being relegated from the Championship, Birmingham had it last year.You could have forgiven supporters for venting their anger after a season which saw them use four managers and drop into League One.Tom Wagner has helped transform BirminghamCredit: RexTom Brady invited pal David Beckham to watch against WrexhamCredit: GettyBrum striker Jay Stansfield and Co are now hoping to stun NewcastleCredit: RexBut with the stardust of seven-time Super Bowl-winner Tom Brady in the background and a £20million transfer kitty, this was different.The message from the club now is: “It’s not the league you’re in, it’s the club that you are.”Even fans who demand instant  success could see there was something bigger at work here.Under American owner Tom Wagner and the Knighthead Capital Management group  — who took over in 2023 — things are on the up.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBlues sit four points clear at the top of League One, with two games in hand on their promotion rivals.And as they host Premier League side Newcastle on Saturday, the gap between the teams may not be as great as you think.The Tynesiders have plans for a new stadium but so does big-spending Wagner, with a 60,000-seater arena scheduled for 2029 at the earliest.It could have been a summer of misery after Brum’s relegation but  season ticket sales were their best in 13 years, such was the optimism over the club’s rebuild.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSMost home games are near sell-outs at the 29,409-capacity St Andrew’s.Manager Chris Davies was allowed  to spend £20m on a squad rebuild, including a new League One transfer record to bring in striker Jay Stansfield from Fulham for an initial £12m rising to £15m.David Beckham: Beyond the Pitch and Into the ScreenThe wage bill this season is in the region of £20m-£9m more than the next highest in the division — which would see them having a sizeable budget even in the Championship.But crucially there are no Profit and Sustainability Rules at work here.Birmingham are subject to SCMP  — Salary Cost Management Protocols — and, as a newly-relegated club, they can spend 75 per cent of turnover on player expenditure.Financial priorities will change with a  return to PSR in the  Championship.In the second tier clubs can lose up to £39m over a rolling three-year   period before being hit with any  punishment.But with promotion looking likely, Davies will be looking at another large transfer kitty.That is currently being helped by the generation of huge revenues from  partnerships with the likes of Nike, Delta Air Lines and sportswear brand Undefeated.And on Super Bowl weekend, it cannot be forgotten NFL legend Brady is also listed as a “minority owner” at St Andrew’s.When Birmingham hosted Hollywood-backed Wrexham earlier this season, Brady brought along pal David Beckham to watch the game.Yet, despite plans for a new Sports Quarter and super stadium, an incredible £15m was spent on their current home in the summer.And that was after making repairs to dilapidated areas of the ground.Newcastle celebrated reaching the Carabao Cup final but face a daunting FA Cup fourth-round clash at League One leaders BirminghamCredit: ReutersBrum chiefs have splashed out on their ground but want a new baseCredit: GettyBut why splash out on major improvements to their current home when a move is in the pipeline?The Blues are thinking on their feet. The reasoning is they want to grow their fanbase, as a leap from 29,000-plus crowds to more than 60,000 does not happen overnight.Wagner and his team want fans on board now and that means offering a matchday experience.Birmingham are already working on attracting more eight to 14-year-olds to games as they feel there has been a ‘lost generation’ of fans who were fed up of seeing them tread water under a Far Eastern ownership that appeared detached from supporters.Chief executive Jeremy Dale says they are already geared up to compete in the Championship — and beyond.He told Birmingham Live this week: “From a commercial perspective, the club is doing better than ever before.”If we got promoted, even to the Premier League, if we had the Premier League TV money we wouldn’t be in the bottom few teams in that league.“We’d be just below halfway, from a commercial perspective.“We believe next season, from a commercial point of view, we would be performing within the top five or six in the Championship.READ MORE SUN STORIES“The commercial partners say they can feel the vibe as they walk around the stadium — which is entirely different to what there was before.“They realise it’s not the league you’re in, it’s the club you are.” More

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      West Brom’s Kyle Bartley sparks mass brawl at final whistle v Sheff Weds for shoving his arm into rival’s face

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      KYLE BARTLEY saw red as tempers flared following West Brom’s dramatic win over Sheffield Wednesday.The Baggies netted in the 97th minute to gain three vital points in the race for the Championship playoffs. Kyle Bartley (No. 5) was seen pushing his arm into an opponent’s face after West Brom’s win over Sheffield WednesdayCredit: PAThe West Brom captain was dragged away by teammates following the meleeCredit: PAWednesday’s Svante Ingelsson (No. 8) had been unhappy with Jayson Mulumby’s celebrationsCredit: X formerly Twitter / @SkyFootballMolumby had won the game in the seventh minute of stoppage timeCredit: GettyBartley was given a straight red card for raising his handsCredit: X formerly Twitter / @SkyFootballJayson Molumby turned in a corner seconds from the end as West Brom cemented their place in the top six.But following the final whistle at the Hawthorns, home skipper Bartley was sent off during an ugly brawl. Players from both sides were embroiled in a shoving match, with Bartley and Wednesday’s Svante Ingelsson at the centre. West Brom’s goal hero Molumby was perceived by some Wednesday players as goading them after his dramatic late winner.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLAs Ingelsson raced to confront the Irishman, Bartley was seen pushing an arm into the midfielder’s face.The incident was spotted by referee Tom Nield, who dished out a straight red to the Baggies captain. Bartley has only just returned following a calf injury which kept him out for much of January. He will now miss three games after the straight red card for violent conduct. Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN-UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe 33-year-old joined West Brom in 2018 and is one of their longest-serving players. It was a day of high drama at the Hawthorns, with the early Championship kick-off firing into life in the closing stages.Hibs and Rangers stars involved in heated full time clash as teammates forced to intervene as tempers frayCallum Paterson thought he had snatched a point for Danny Rohl’s seventh-placed Wednesday with a 93rd-minute leveller.But Molumby netted his fourth goal of the season to keep Tony Mowbray’s side fifth and spark jubilant scenes. More

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      Huge EFL rule change hit by MAJOR setback with request for a vote rejected and ‘no commitment made’

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      The EFL are set to a reject a request from the National League to commit to a vote on granting them three promotion places.SunSport has learned that the matter was discussed at an EFL Board meeting yesterday. The EFL are set to a reject a request from the National League to commit to a vote on granting them an additional promotion placeCredit: GettyThe Board concluded that the promotion and relegation issue should be passed to the clubs for talks at their divisional meetings later this month, with no commitment made to vote at the end of the season.The National League wrote to the EFL earlier this week requesting a vote at their summer AGM so the new promotion and relegation model could be introduced next season. In addition the National League have launched a public 3UP campaign, but have been unable to secure any commitment from the EFL at this stage.The EFL declined to comment, and are planning to write to the National League to explain their position in detail.Read More in FootballAny rule change requires a majority vote from the 72 EFL clubs, including a majority of the 24 in the Championship.The EFL are expected to set out their concerns to the clubs later this month, including the fact that National League clubs are not subject to the same cost control rules.Agreeing the same spending rules is viewed by many as essential before three-up three-down can be introduced, and that will not happen before the end of the season.EFL bosses have previously spoken positively about the idea but a switch would need the formal backing of the clubs.Most read in EFLCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSNational League chairman Jack Pearce suggested the likely arrival of the Government’s new Independent Football Regulator this summer meant that the EFL had to respond.Pearce said: “The Regulator’s stated objectives include providing financial sustainability, economic resilience and preserving the heritage of the sport. ‘Classless’ – Fans fume as EFL star’s ‘disgusting’ behaviour sparks row that sees manager sent off days after dad died-Locat“In terms of heritage, National League clubs are at the heart of towns and cities across the whole country, with clubs that are part of the fabric of their communities.“An extra promotion place would create an invaluable aspiration for all these clubs and supporters – plus clubs in the leagues below. We simply can’t wait any longer for parity within the game.”Pearce argues that three clubs switching each season would create a “fluid” pyramid while also providing greater opportunity for relegated clubs to “bounce back” into the EFL. More

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      Derby County SACK Paul Warne as horror run of seven straight defeats leaves Rams in relegation zone

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      DERBY COUNTY have sacked Paul Warne after a nightmare run of seven straight defeats.The horror form sees the Rams in the Championship relegation zone, two points from safety.Paul Warne was sacked as Derby managerCredit: GettyThe Rams have lost seven in a row in the ChampionshipCredit: PAWarne took over from Wayne Rooney after Liam Rosenior’s interim spell in September 2022. Following his arrival from Rotherham, the ex-midfielder had a strong start but form collapsed and Derby missed out on a League One play-off spot.However, Warne took them back into the Championship at the second time of asking in 2023-24, finishing second.But he has overseen just seven wins and six draws from 30 league games in the second tier so far this season. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd with Derby two points off the bottom and two points off 21st-placed Hull, owner David Clowes made the decision to fire Warne.A Rams statement said: “It is with regret that Derby County have decided to relieve Paul Warne of his position.”While Paul and his staff helped deliver on the club’s objective of a return to the Championship last season, the recent run of results necessitates a change.”Clowes added: “Paul is a man of great integrity and embodies the values we hold important at Derby County. Most read in ChampionshipCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”No fan should ever forget his contribution in securing promotion to the Championship. I certainly won’t.“However, results in football dictate decisions and we felt that to give us the best chance of retaining our Championship status, the time was right to make a change.“Paul goes with our thanks, gratitude and best wishes. He and his family will always be welcome at Pride Park.”Former Rotherham, Oldham and Yeovil ace Warne enjoyed three promotions in charge at the Millers before leaving for the East Midlands two-and-a-half years ago. He oversaw major squad overhauls during both summers in charge.However, after releasing seven first-team players before beginning their Championship campaign, Warne’s squad was not ready for the start of the season and struggled for early results – plus lost to Barrow in the Carabao Cup. Early odds for Derby job4/5 Steven Gerrard9/4 Steve Cooper3/1 Rob Edwards9/2 Russell Martin8/1 Ryan Lowe10/1 Wayne RooneyOdds according to CoralWhen Mark Robins left Coventry in November, the Derby boss became the longest-serving manager in the division.However, his time came to an end after successive losses to Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Bristol City, Watford, Sunderland, Cardiff and Sheffield United – as well as a penalty shootout exit to Leyton Orient in the FA Cup. The Blades defeat was on Saturday – six days ago – and the announcement of Warne’s sacking came just 24 hours before kick-off away at Norwich tomorrow. It means Michael Carrick is now the gaffer who has been in his post at a Championship club for the longest time – with his Middlesbrough appointment in October 2022. READ MORE SUN STORIESSteven Gerrard is the early odds-on favourite to follow in Rooney and Frank Lampard’s boots by taking on the Derby job – he is 4/5 with Coral following his Saudi sacking.Ex-Nottingham Forest and Leicester boss Steve Cooper, Rob Edwards and Russell Martin are also in contention – while Rooney himself is 10/1 to make a dramatic Pride Park return as he looks to get back in the dugout after a brief stint at Plymouth. Steven Gerrard is the early favourite to replace Warne at Pride ParkCredit: Getty More