Keith Stopps has been sacked by Milton United as the club bid to arrest an alarming slump which has seen them drop into the relegation zone in the GLS Hellenic League Premier Division.

Following a meeting with Stopps on Monday, Milton chairman Ken Tull said he could not see a way forward under the present manager, and so relieved him of his duties.

Stopps has been in charge since November 2001, overseeing the club's promotion from Division 1 East last season.

But Milton have had a difficult time of it in the Premier Division, and are currently struggling in the bottom four.

A 3-1 defeat at Sandhurst in the FA Vase on Saturday was the final straw.

A decision regarding the first team management will be announced shortly, but one of the names linked to the job is believed to be former Witney Town boss Gary Ackling, who left Hungerford Town earlier this season and is looking to get back into the game.