No one can accuse Steve Gibson of being the kind of football chairman who sacks his managers lightly.

He could have ended Gareth Southgate's reign as Middlesbrough manager when the club was relegated last season but he gave the rookie manager a chance to bounce back.

The timing of Southgate's sacking late last night came as a surprise because Boro are only a point off the top of the league.

But the truth is that they haven't been convincing and their lofty position reflects more on the standard of the Championship than the quality of their performances.

Attendances have declined alarmingly and there are clear financial concerns which made up Gibson's mind.

He has a plan which he believes will give the club a better chance of guaranteeing promotion and I hope it pays off.

But I am also sorry to see Southgate go. He has acted with dignity and honesty throughout his football career, both as a player and manager.

At a time when too many managers blame everyone from the opposition to the media and referees, Southgate was a credit to the game.

He has been a great supporter of our Local Heroes Awards for the past few years, always being generous with his time. I thank him for that.

Ultimately, of course, football fans want winners, not nice guys and time will tell whether Southgate was too nice to be a successful football manager.

But I hope he gets another chance to prove there is room for his intelligent style of management in the cut-throat world of football.