 Gavin Dykes only took over at Derry last September |
Derry City manager Gavin Dykes resigned after Saturday night's 2-0 Eircom Premier Division defeat against Drogheda United at the Brandywell. The former Derry and Finn Harps player, who took over as Candystripes boss in September 2003, had been under pressure following a poor start to the season.
Alan Riley (16) and Declan O'Brien (70) scored the Drogheda goals.
United's Andy Myler missed a penalty while City striker Alan Murphy saw his deflected free-kick hit the crossbar.
Dykes told the BBC that it was "time to go".
"I looked where we are - the truth is that we're second bottom in the table," said Dykes.
"The buck stops with me. We haven't scored a goal in six games.
 |  It wasn't working out for me and I think the time was right to move on |
"Things didn't go the way they should have gone.
"I felt we had assembled a good squad and I still believe that Derry will get themselves out of trouble this season.
"But it wasn't working out for me and I think the time was right to move on."
Dykes said he wished the players and the board "all the best for the future."
"The board were very, very good to me and it's a wrench leaving the players as well. Some of them were in tears in the dressing-room when I left there last night."
Dykes added that he hadn't expected to be involved in another relegation battle this season.
"We looked down and out last season when I came in but we kept them in the Premier Division which I was very proud of.
| Becoming manager has never been my long-term goal |
"I expected much better this season but it hasn't happened."
Saturday's defeat leaves Derry in the promotion-relegation play-off position and they seem destined for another season of struggle in the Eircom League.
Last season, they narrowly avoided the drop to Division One by beating neighbours Finn Harps in the play-off.
Dykes' recently-appointed assistant Liam Coyle appears to have ruled himself out as a possible successor.
"I've always said that if Derry City needed me, I would help out so if they want me to step in for a match or two until they get the man they want, I would be prepared to do it," Coyle told the BBC.
"But I haven't spoken to anybody on the board and to be honest, becoming manager has never been my long-term goal."
MMIX
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