Former Bristol City defender Vegard Hansen has left his job at Norwegian side Mjondalen IF - ending his spell as the second longest-standing coach in the world after almost 17 years.
Hansen, 53, was first appointed player/coach of his former club in October 2005 and oversaw 551 games across 6,155 days. He earned two promotions to the top flight, marking their first appearance in the Eliteserien league for the first time in 22 years.
He leaves the club with his side 10th in the Norwegian first division having endured a run of four straight defeats including a 4-0 home defeat in their last outing against Sogndal.
Upon leaving his position, he said in a press conference: "I think that is the right decision. The results have been poor.
"I've noticed it for the past couple of years, and increasingly this year. We have had a terrible run of results. First of all, I am very sorry. I think it's terribly sad.
"I think it hurts in a lot of ways. I think it's a shame that we didn't stay last year and establish ourselves in the Eliteserien, and I'm sorry that I didn't get more out of the crew we have."
Hansen spent two seasons with the Robins having joined the club in 1994 from Kongsvinger. It was a period when City experienced a remarkable turnover of players with 17 signed in the space of eight months including Scott Paterson, David Seal, Jim Brennan, Richard Dryden, Gary Owers and Martin Kuhl.
He made 37 appearances for City having faced relegation from the First Division in 1995 with the club winning just 11 of their 46 league matches.
His departure left his side shocked with captain Olsen Solberg reportedly struggling to hold back tears when asked on his sacking. He said: "It is a group that has great loyalty to Vegard. We were shocked and sorry when we got the news.
"It will be strange. I have had Vegard since 2008 and he has not only been a football coach for me. It just really hurts. He has been important to my football career and to me as a person. He has made me who I am today. It is a day of mourning and it is very painful."
Writer Brendan Husebo claims Vegard was the second-longest standing in the world while it's believed Stephen Baxter, manager of Northern Irish side Crusaders, is the current longest having taken charge 17 years and five months ago.
Harrogate's Simon Weaver is the longest-serving current manager in England having taken charge of the League Two side 13 years ago.
He's followed by Wycombe's Gareth Ainsworth who is approaching his 10th anniversary as manager. The longest-serving current manager in the Championship is Coventry's Mark Robins who has been in charge of the Sky Blues for five years and 165 days.
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