Burnley sack Nicky Hayen after 4-1 defeat at Lincoln leaves Clarets in relegation zone

Burnley sacked head coach Nicky Hayen on 24 October 2026 after a 4-1 defeat at Lincoln that left the Clarets in the Championship’s relegation zone. The Belgian had been in charge for 14 games and won only one of them.

Hayen was appointed in the summer as the permanent successor to Scott Parker, who left in April with relegation from the Premier League inevitable. He leaves having won just one match, a 4-0 league victory at Watford on 10 October. In his first match in charge Burnley edged past Notts County on penalties in the Carabao Cup, and they recovered in the last seven minutes from 2-0 down to draw at home to West Ham in their opening game of the Championship season.

That early resilience gave way to a sequence of poor results: Burnley lost badly at West Brom and Norwich, with a shootout exit from the Carabao Cup at Bradford sandwiched between those defeats, and the pattern began to take hold. Wolves’ come-from-behind win at Turf Moor last weekend left Hayen on the brink of the job. The club acted after the 4-1 loss at Lincoln pushed them into the relegation places.

Burnley released a statement confirming the dismissal and said: "Burnley Football Club has dismissed head coach Nicky Hayen with immediate effect. The board has taken the decision following a disappointing start to the Championship season." The club described the decision as immediate in the same announcement.

Hayen had spoken at his post-match press conference before news of his dismissal emerged and said: "It’s frustrating for everyone, especially the fans. I want to apologise to them, but I know it doesn’t matter because it’s another hard defeat for them and I can understand their criticism.

"We haven’t got the results. I will keep on working hard as long as I have the chance. But there will be a day if it carries on like this that it stops. I know it’s a really tough defeat and something to think about for the board."

Burnley had been fancied to push for promotion after achieving promotion in their past two Championship seasons, but the club now sit in the relegation zone and are at risk of relegation.