Owen Coyle quits role as Queen's Park manager following play-off defeat

Owen Coyle has quit as Queen’s Park manager after the Glasgow side failed to win promotion to the Premiership.

Queen’s Park were in the running to win the Championship going into the final day of the season but lost 5-3 to Dundee in a thrilling head-to-head finale that saw the Dark Blues clinch the title.

That loss put Queen’s Park in the promotion play-offs where the side fell at the first hurdle, losing the first leg of their tie with Partick Thistle 4-3 at Firhill and then crashing to a 4-0 second-leg loss at Ochilview.

Coyle has now reached the decision that he will not continue with the team for another attempt at promotion next season.

In a statement on the club website he said: “It’s with a heavy heart that I inform everyone that I will be leaving Queen’s Park.

“I informed the club of my wish to leave after what has been an outstanding last 12 months winning promotion to the Championship when nobody gave us a chance of doing so and then coming so close to winning the league and reaching the SPFL playing exciting and entertaining football.

“I would like to thank my 1st team staff and everyone that helped make it an enjoyable year, Queen’s Park is a wonderful club with an amazing set of supporters who I want to personally thank. I wish the club continued success on its journey.”

Leeann Dempster, chief executive at Queen’s Park, added: “Although disappointing, we respect Owen’s decision and wish him well for the future, and we thank him for his efforts over the last twelve months.”

“We now begin the task of finding a new head coach to help us in our aims of being the best club to develop talented young players and achieving success on the pitch.”