Chairman Lee Carter today lambasted the “farcical” sacking culture in British football ahead of AFC Telford United’s trip to managerless Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday.

Trinity boss Steve Charles was given the boot on Tuesday, a day after losing 3-2 at Hyde in only his side’s fourth game of the Blue Square North season.

The dismissal of Norwich manager Bryan Gunn has also been a high-profile example in recent weeks, the Canaries chief axed just two games in to the season.

A perplexed Carter said: “The Bryan Gunn situation, in particular, is absolutely farcical and demonstrates to football fans how crazy a world football really is.

“To sack a manager after two games, three months after giving him a new contract and a few weeks after allowing to spend around half a million pounds (on Shrewsbury forward Grant Holt) is ridiculous.

“I don’t believe anyone in their right mind can justify sacking a manager just four or five games into a new season. We’ve only sacked one manager in five years (Bernard McNally in January 2006) and that was only after we knew we’d given him every bit of support we could as a Board.

“You have to give him time to get his ideas across and get a settled side in place. You can’t do that after only a few games.

“It might be that there are things behind the scenes we don’t know about at Gainsborough but, to me, if you start a season with a manager then you have a duty to at least give him 15 to 20 matches.”

Carter also remains confident that Telford will be in and around the promotion picture in the Blue Square North once again.

“There’s 38 games remaining and there’s no panic,” he added. “We’ve all got to stay very relaxed.”

“We’ve got a talented squad and a good relationship with the manager so if he needs to strengthen the side because of injuries and suspensions we can have a look at that.”

By CHRIS HUDSON