STEVE WATSON has left York City with immediate effect, the club confirmed on Saturday night.

Watson's last game in charge was the weekend's 0-0 draw at Curzon Ashton, which was marked by fans confronting the boss as he tried to bring substitute Jason Gilchrist on.

Assistant manager Micky Cummins has also left the club.

John Askey, who came in to assist Watson last week, has taken interim charge.

Appointed as manager in January 2019, Watson leaves without having had the chance to complete a full season at York. The coronavirus pandemic stalled his side's promotion bid in 2019/20, and the following season barely ever got going.

The club said: "We can confirm that Steve Watson has left York City Football Club with immediate effect.

"After the game (on Saturday) there has been a conversation with Steve and we have mutually agreed that it hasn’t worked out as anticipated and therefore, we need to part company.

"The board feels that this outcome will give the club the best possible opportunity of achieving promotion this season.

"We would like to thank Steve and Micky for their contribution to the club and we wish them both well for the future."

Askey takes charge of a team who sit 11th in National League North, with six wins, six defeats, and Curzon their first draw.

It has been a tricky season from the off for City, who lost left-back Scott Barrow to an Achilles injury in pre-season. Still awaiting his comeback, City have collected a seemingly ever-rotating laundry list of absentees.

Off the field, it has not been much easier, with calls for the board's sacking from fans increasing in volume, while both centre-back Josh King and Cummins have been caught in a betting scandal.

The Minstermen started term poorly with three abysmal defeats but made a fine recovery, winning nine of their subsequent 12 games.

City's progress has seemed to stall, and after a season-best performance at home to National League North whipping boys Blyth, they slumped out of the FA Cup first round against lower-league Buxton before labouring to defeat at Leamington in midweek and drawing on Saturday.