Manchester City sack manager Pearce

LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) Manchester City have sacked manager Stuart Pearce with immediate effect, the Premier League club said today.

City finished a disappointing season in 14th place, having scored a meagre 29 goals in their 38 league matches.

''The Board of Directors would like to thank Stuart for his hard work and service during his six years here at Manchester City and wish him well for the future,'' chief executive Alistair Mackintosh said in a club statement.

Former England fullback Pearce, who took over at City with eight games remaining of the 2004-05 season, had come under pressure this season with the club's dismal home form a particular cause of discontent among fans.

In 19 home league matches they scored just 10 goals, the lowest total in the English top flight since league soccer began in 1888.

Their last home league goal was on New Year's Day in a 2-1 defeat of Everton.

Pearce made his name as a player with Nottingham Forest, chalking up more than 500 appearances, before spells with Newcastle United, West Ham United and Manchester City.

Paul Jewell, who resigned as manager of Wigan Athletic earlier in the day, ruled himself out of taking over at City, saying he wanted a break from the game.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said he was certain Jewell had not quit to take over at the City of Manchester stadium.

''If Manchester City went for Paul Jewell I would be very surprised,'' Whelan told reporters. ''I would say don't waste your time because Paul Jewell is a man of his word.

''I asked him a straightforward question about whether he has been tapped up and he said on his children's lives that he hadn't been.

''Paul told me he wanted to resign and I told him to go and spend a bit of time in my house in Barbados and think about it.

''But he is determined he wants to take six months out and have a break from football.'' Jewell's resignation came less than 24 hours after Wigan beat Sheffield United 2-1 on the last day of the season to avoid relegation. City lost their final game under Pearce at Tottenham Hotspur.

REUTERS TB PM2152