Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Felix Magath yesterday paid the price for poor starts to the Sky Bet Championship campaign by relegated clubs Cardiff City and Fulham respectively.

Solskjaer's departure after only 8½ months at Cardiff was announced yesterday after talks in London between the manager and and the City hierarchy. The two parties said they parted on amicable terms but Solskjaer made clear it was him who decided to step aside after the club dropped to 17th in the Champiuonship after Tuesday night's 1-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough.

"I want to thank Vincent for giving me the opportunity to manage Cardiff," said the Norwegian in a statement. "He has my full respect and I really wish him all the best in his pursuit of making this football club successful. However, our difference in philosophy on how to manage the club made me decide to step aside and allow the club to move forward in the direction Vincent wants."

Malaysian businessman Tan, who had fallen out spectacularly with previous manager Malky Mackay before the Scot's departure in December, revealed he had been advised in the summer following Cardiff's relegation from the Barclays Premier League to dispense with Solskjaer's services. "Ole was hired by Cardiff on our understanding and belief he would help us fight relegation," Tan told the club website. "Unfortunately that did not happen."

Shahid Khan, the Fulham chairman, has replaced Magath following the London side's dismal start to the campaign. Fulham lie bottom of the Championship with one point from their opening seven games.

The final straw was Wednesday night's 5-3 defeat at leaders Nottingham Forest, where visiting fans once again called for the German to be sacked. Fulham's under-21 coach Kit Symons has been placed in caretaker charge for tomorrow's visit of Blackburn Rovers.