Former Premier League player Julio Arca has been sacked as manager of non-league side South Shields.
The 42-year-old, who played for Sunderland and Middlesbrough, had replaced his former Black Cats team-mate Kevin Phillips in the dug-out of the National League North side back in April.
Arca, who previously came out of retirement to play for South Shields during his playing career, made an impressive start as manager and were second in the standings in mid-November.
However, since then they have won just one game and he has been sacked after six games without a win - with a 3-1 Boxing Day loss to rivals Blyth Spartans proving to be the final straw.