THE Jets have sacked Mark Jones as coach after a disastrous form slump that culminated in Newcastle collecting the A-League wooden spoon on Saturday.
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Newcastle’s 2-0 final-round loss to Sydney – their sixth on the trot – confirmed they would finish in the competition cellar.
Jones follows Scott Miller as the second coaching casualty of Martin Lee’s 10-month tenure as Jets owner.
In a statement, the Jets said pre-season training for 2017-18 would kick off in late June and “it is intended that a new head coach will be in place before this time”.
Assistant coach Clayton Zane will oversee training before the playing group breaks for their annual leave in early May.
In the club statement, the Jets thanked Jones and “wish him well for the future”.
Jones was Newcastle’s ninth coach in the 11 seasons since the A-League kicked off, and their fifth head tactician in the past four campaigns.
Newcastle won five of 27 games under him, and conceded 53 goals, the most in the competition.
Yet until round 21, they were in contention for the top six. They then endured a club-record six-game losing streak and conceded 19 unanswered goals, a competition record.
The Jets have failed to make the finals in their past seven seasons, and their three wooden spoons are the most by any club.
