Gary Graham: Nottingham Panthers sack head coach after less than four months

Nottingham Panthers have sacked head coach Gary Graham after less than four months with the Elite Ice Hockey League side.

The 43-year-old leaves with the Panthers sixth in the league following back-to-back defeats by leaders Guildford at the weekend.

Graham started as Nottingham boss in August, having been appointed in May.

"Unfortunately, results have not been what the club was looking for," said Panthers chief executive Omar Pacha.

"We feel making a change and bringing in a new voice will help give new direction to the group."

Graham's successor will be the Panthers third permanent head coach this year, with Tim Wallace sacked by the East Midlands club in January.

Mark Matheson took the job on an interim basis as player-coach to finish last season, guiding Panthers to fourth in the league.

Graham, who spent six years in charge of the Fort Wayne Komets in the United States and had a stint coaching in China, arrived with ambitions of ending the longest trophy drought the club has endured this century.

He has overseen just six wins from 15 league games, leaving Panthers 18 points adrift of leaders Guilford who have played three games more.

Panthers also scraped through to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals as the lowest ranked team following the group stages of the competition.

The eight-time Challenge Cup winners claimed their last major trophy under Corey Neilson - the Continental Cup, which was their first European honour - in 2017.