BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche moved up to 22nd in the list of longest-serving managers after Cheltenham Town parted company with former Clarets player and coach Mark Yates yesterday.

Yates was the third longest-serving boss throughout the top four English divisions, behind Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Exeter City chief Paul Tisdale, having been appointed at Whaddon Road in December 2009.

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Yates had twice guided Cheltenham into the League Two play-offs during his tenure, in 2011/12 and 2012/13.

But with the Robins losing four league games on the spin, conceding nine of the 14 goals in that time in their last two matches, the club announced yesterday that the search for their first new manager in five seasons has started.

A statement on the club’s official website read: “Cheltenham Town have parted company with manager Mark Yates with immediate effect.

“A popular figure and promotion-winning captain during his playing days, Yates returned to take charge at Whaddon Road on December 22, 2009 after leaving Kidderminster.

“He has since overseen more than 250 matches, twice guiding the club into the League Two play-offs (2011/12 and 2012/13).”

Former midfielder Yates was the Robins’ seventh permanent manager since the club won promotion to the Football League for the first time in 1999. Cheltenham slipped to a fourth-straight defeat at the weekend, 4-1 at home to Wycombe, and have conceded 14 goals in the process.

They currently lie 18th in League Two, 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

On Monday, Robins chairman Paul Baker issued a statement in which he said he shared the fans’ concerns about the run they were on.

“I have always said that first and foremost I am a fan of the football club and have been for years,” he said.

“I am equally concerned and worried about the recent run of the results and the impact it is potentially having on attendances and our league position.

“We fought for a long time to get into the Football League and while we are only a couple of wins outside the play-offs, we know we are not playing well and we are letting in lots of goals and not picking up many points.

“If we hadn’t had the Swindon Town result (5-0 win) in the FA Cup first round things may have come to a head more quickly.

“I think there are extenuating factors, but this sort of run is not down to one injury, or one player being recalled from a loan. There does seem to be underlying issues and I am not sure what they are.

“As a board, we need to try and understand what that issue is and it’s important we do what we can to address those issues.

“We are not able to invest large sums of money in the squad. We had a meeting with Mark Yates and Shaun North last week and brought in Kane Ferdinand on loan, but the last two results have been especially disappointing.

“There are some basic things wrong with the team at the moment in terms of pace and mobility, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. How we fix it is the crucial thing and whether Mark is able to fix it, nobody knows at this stage.

“We have been in difficult situations under Mark’s management before and pulled through and his overall track record has been good.

“Who is to say he isn’t man to take us out of this difficult phase? We will discuss it as directors and come to a view.

“The fans have to trust the board to make decisions on their behalf, but we always listen. We see what the fans see and we are not that removed. I was at Stevenage and at the Wycombe game and the team we are seeing now is very different to the team we saw at the start of the season.”

Yates’ position became vacant less than 24 hours after the statement was made.