Glasgow Clan head coach Jason Morgan departs after failure to reach play-offs

Glasgow Clan has announced that head coach Jason Morgan has left the club “with immediate effect” after a season in which the club missed out on the play-offs for only the second time in their history.

Morgan, who was also the head of football operations, had been in the position for less than a year.

The 47-year-old Canadian had joined from Heilbronner Falken shortly after businessman Michael O’Rourke had taken over at Clan.

Morgan had previously coached Aalborg Pirates in the Champions Hockey League and having guided DVTK Jegesmedvék to three play-off championships and two league titles in Hungary.

Defeat to Cardiff Devils in their last league fixture had left the team finishing tenth out of ten teams in the Elite League.

The coach’s departure comes days after Clan owner O’Rourke and the board had published an apology to supporters after a dismal season where Morgan had been backed with the club’s biggest ever playing budget.

It read: “Following our extremely disappointing tenth place finish and failure to make the playoffs for only the second time in the club’s history, the Glasgow Clan would like to issue the following statement in light of the 2023/24 season.

“Firstly and most importantly, we’d like to thank the whole of the Purple Army for all your outstanding support during the past eight months. We appreciate you have continued to stick with us through the ups and downs.

“The fact that we have had record attendances at Braehead Arena and 12 sellout attendances is testament to your passion and support for the club.

“A long term vision is in place for our organisation and while success will take time, progress year on year must be bold and steady.

“Despite investing heavily in the club with our biggest ever playing budget, finishing bottom of the EIHL table was not in the script for this season and everyone connected with the Clan fully acknowledges that it is unacceptable.

“It’s not where we expected to be and it falls way short of where we have set our sights for this club – for that we apologise.

“There is no doubt that it has been a challenge to bring success to Braehead Arena, but we believe the full commitment and focus is evident all around the club and Arena itself. All of this is directed at driving winning on-ice performances, which is rightly and ultimately how we will be judged.

“More information will follow in the near future, including a date for an open Q&A, plus an update relating to on-ice recruitment and our exciting 2024/25 preseason plans.

“We thank you for your unwavering support and salute you!”