Burnley sack Nicky Hayen after just 14 games as Lincoln humiliation leaves Clarets in relegation zone
Burnley have sacked head coach Nicky Hayen after just 14 games in charge, the club acting in the wake of a chastening 4-1 defeat at Lincoln City that plunged the Clarets into the Championship's relegation zone.
Saturday's loss at the Imps proved the final straw. Burnley had led 1-0 before the hosts roared back to condemn them to a sixth defeat of the campaign, leaving the club 22nd in the second tier and firmly in a battle at the wrong end of the table.
A summer appointment that unravelled quickly
Hayen, a Belgian, was only appointed on 10 July, tasked with succeeding Scott Parker, who had departed at the end of April, days after Burnley's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.
He arrived with a strong pedigree, having won the Belgian title with Club Brugge in 2024, and was brought in by owner Alan Pace to oversee another promotion bid — with the Clarets having gone up in each of their previous two Championship campaigns, in 2023 and 2025.
There were early signs of encouragement. Hayen's first match in charge brought a Carabao Cup victory over Notts County on penalties, and his opening Championship fixture ended in a stirring comeback, Burnley recovering from 2-0 down inside the final seven minutes to draw at home to West Ham.
From promising start to freefall
The pattern, however, was set — and it was bleak. Burnley then lost heavily at West Brom and Norwich, sandwiched around a shootout exit from the Carabao Cup at Bradford. A first win of the season arrived in style earlier this month, a 4-0 demolition of struggling Watford, but it proved an isolated bright spot: a draw against Charlton and a defeat to Wolves followed, with the Clarets scoring first in both matches.
The manner of the Wolves loss — a come-from-behind win for the visitors at Turf Moor last weekend — left Hayen on the brink. Saturday's rout at Lincoln finished him.
The statistical picture is stark. Burnley have won just one of their past 24 league games and have conceded 25 goals across their opening 12 Championship fixtures this term — the worst defensive record in the division. They remain without a home league win since beating Leeds United at Turf Moor in the Premier League more than a year ago.
More to follow
Burnley are yet to confirm a successor, with the club needing a rapid turnaround to revive a season that had begun with genuine promotion ambitions.