Ex-Walsall player and Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia has resigned after helping the Black Cats avoid relegation from the Premier League.
The Wearsiders were beaten 3-2 at home by Chelsea on the final day of the campaign, but escaped relegation following the defeats suffered by Middlesbrough and Newcastle United at the hands of West Ham and Aston Villa.
Fifty-two-year-old Sbragia signed for Walsall in 0ctober 1978 for £15,000 and helped the team secure promotion when finishing second in Division Four (1979-80). That summer he was sold to Blackpool for £35,000.
Sbragia took charge at Sunderland late last year following the departure of Roy Keane and was quicdkly rewarded for his early results with an 18-month contract, a matter of weeks later.
His coaching CV shows previous stints as a coach with Manchester United where his successful reserve side enabled Kieron Richardson and Darren Fletcher to make the break through. He then went to Bolton Wanderers working under Sam Allardyce. After his resignation from the First Team Manager position it has been talked about hecould stay with the Stadium of Light club in some capacity.
Chairman Niall Quinn told the club's official website: "Ricky took over at a very difficult time when we were already in the bottom three and unexpectedly left without a manager.
"He didn't ask for the position, but stepped in when others would have walked away. I had to convince him to take the job, but he's achieved the goal we set him and the implications of that are absolutely enormous for the club.
"Ricky is a really genuine and honourable man and has told me this evening that he doesn't want to take up the option of a second year on his contract and I've accepted his decision.
"In stepping aside he's shown again that he always puts the club first in everything he does.
"Ricky is going to take some time off and think about his future, but I've told him there will always be a role for him here if he wants it."
