Tottenham Hotspur sack Martin Jol

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur have sacked their Dutch manager Martin Jol, the Premier League club said in a statement on Thursday.

"We can confirm that the board has this evening asked Martin Jol, the club manager, and Chris Hughton, the first team coach, to stand down from their positions with immediate effect," the statement read.

In a bizarre end to his three-year reign at the north London club, Jol was in the dugout for the 2-1 UEFA Cup defeat by Spanish side Getafe despite rumours circulating around the ground that he had already been sacked.

Fans sang the Dutchman's name in the closing stages as a stony-faced Jol stood largely in silence on the touchline.

Jol's departure has been widely tipped since Tottenham, regarded as potential top-four challengers this season after successive fifth-placed finishes, lost their opening league game against promoted Sunderland.

Tottenham officials were photographed meeting Seville's Juande Ramos in August, although chairman Daniel Levy publicly offered his backing to the beleaguered Jol.

The team's performances have not improved and a 3-1 defeat at Newcastle United on Monday left them third from bottom with just one win from their opening 10 games.

They have the second worst defensive record in the division.