Dover Athletic sack manager Martin Hayes

Hayes led Dover to the FA Cup third round last season

Dover Athletic have sacked manager Martin Hayes after 15 months in charge.

The Blue Square Bet South club were one of the early season favourites for the title but they are 12th in the table with just three wins from 11 games.

Chairman Jim Parmenter told BBC Radio Kent: "It's a sad day to tell an honest and decent fellow he's out of a job.

"Results have not gone as we had anticipated so with 25% of the season gone we felt it was the right time to make a change."

Hayes arrived in the summer of 2010 after Ian Hendon left to join Kent rivals Gillingham without taking charge of a Dover game.

I am sure we will have someone in place before the weekend

Chairman Jim Parmenter

Hayes' finest hour at Dover was a 2-0 win away to Gillingham in the FA Cup first round, a run which saw the club reach the third round for the first time in their history.

Dover had drawn their last four games and had won just one of their last nine matches.

Parmenter added: "The game on Saturday (a 1-1 draw with Havant and Waterlooville) was our worst performance of the season, a very disappointing display. We have had a number of home game to put right whatever is not firing so we had to join the conclusion it was not going to turn round in the immediate future."

However Dover are likely to start this season's FA Cup run on Saturday at home to Carshalton with a new manager in place.

Parmenter said: "I am sure we will have someone in place before the weekend. We know lots of people around, lots of people would like to manage Dover, I've already had phone calls this morning and it's to the well being of the club that we make a quick appointment so we are up and running for the FA Cup on Saturday."