Burnley sack Nicky Hayen after 14 games and Lincoln defeat
Burnley dismissed head coach Nicky Hayen within two hours of a 4-1 loss at Lincoln City that left the relegated club 22nd in the Championship.
Burnley have sacked head coach Nicky Hayen after only 14 games in charge, with the club announcing the decision in a short two-sentence statement less than two hours after Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Lincoln City. The loss was Burnley's sixth of the campaign and left them 22nd in the Championship.
At the ProAmpac Stadium, Burnley led 1-0 before Lincoln came back to win emphatically. In his post-match press conference, Hayen had addressed speculation about his position by saying he would not lose his energy over something he described as out of his hands.
The Belgian was appointed on 10 July to replace Scott Parker, who departed at the end of April, days after Burnley's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed. Hayen arrived with a strong track record, having won the Belgian title with Club Brugge in 2024, and owner Alan Pace brought him in to oversee a promotion push. Burnley had gone up in their previous two Championship campaigns, in 2023 and 2025.
The season began with a promising draw against West Ham, but results deteriorated. Burnley beat struggling Watford 4-0 after the extended international break for their first win of the season, then drew with Charlton and lost to Wolves, scoring first in both of those matches. Saturday's result means they have won just one of their past 24 league games and have conceded 25 goals in their opening 12 Championship fixtures, the worst record in the division. They are also without a home league win since beating Leeds United at Turf Moor in the Premier League more than a year ago.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
