St Johnstone have announced the shock departure of Tommy Wright from the club.
The Northern Irishman has been at the Perth outfit since 2013 and guided them to a famous Scottish Cup victory in 2014 with a win over Dundee United at Celtic Park.
Wright has been at odds with the club at times this season, with criticism of the transfer strategy leading to a fractious relationship with chairman Steve Brown.
And St Johnstone admit there was already talks underway for him to leave at the end of the season, despite having two years left on his deal.
And due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, both the club and Wright feel now is the correct time to end their lengthy partnership.
Despite their row earlier in the season, Saints say that there will be a continued strong relationship with Wright - who has been linked with the Northern Ireland job as a replacement for Michael O'Neill.
And Wright said: "I’ve had a fantastic journey with the club and I would like to personally thank Steve, Stan and Charlie for their continued support during my time as manager.
"I would also like to thank all the staff and players that have been on this journey during my time at the club.
"Finally, I want to take the opportunity to say that the support I have had from the fans has been incredible and contributed immensely to my experience with the club.
"So, to the club, its staff, players and fans – I’ll always hold a very special place for you all and I look forward to coming back to McDiarmid Park – I am so proud of what we have achieved together.
"We have an exciting group of young players and I look forward to seeing their progression with you all."
