Ted Lasso star sacked from National League head coaching role after just eight months

With vital games approaching in league and cup competition, the decision has been taken to relieve Cox of his duties and seek inspiration from a new voice in the dugout. A sorry run of one win from the club’s last 13 National League fixtures has led to an axe falling in west London.

Cox, who is a product of Tottenham’s academy system and spent much of his career in the non-league ranks, represented Wealdstone as a player between 2016 and 2018. A return to familiar surroundings has not played out as planned.

Club chairman Rory Fitzgerald said in a statement confirming Cox’s departure: “With so many games still left to play this season, our shared feeling was that a new energy and fresh impetus is urgently required to re-focus everyone’s minds on both the league and cup challenges ahead of us.

“Like all teams, we’ve had our injury challenges along the way, but we believe our squad can get back to the early-season form that would both secure our National League status and also give us a great chance of reaching Wembley. On behalf of the board, I’d like to wish Sam all the very best for his future coaching career in football.”

An official statement from the club read: “The Wealdstone FC Board of Directors has this afternoon unanimously agreed upon the decision to remove Sam Cox from the position of manager.

“The change also sees analyst Liam Badcock join Sam in leaving the club with immediate effect.

“Wealdstone FC offers sincere thanks to both Sam and Liam for their dedication and contribution to the Stones. First-Team coach Danny Payne, along with the rest of the management team, will take charge of team affairs for this Tuesday’s home match against Brackley Town.”

Wealdstone, who are into the sixth round of the FA Trophy, sit 17th in the National League table - six points clear of the relegation zone. They do boast games in hand on their closest rivals and face Brackley Town, Braintree and Morecambe in their next three fixtures - with those sides either sat directly above or just below them in the standings.

Cox has seen his schedule cleared as fans around the world eagerly wait on the return of Ted Lasso to global streaming services. Season 4 of that show is in production, with storylines being taken in a different direction.

Nick Mohammed, who plays kit man-turned-coach Nathan Shelley, has told Collider of what to expect from the next installment of AFC Richmond adventures: “I think sworn to secrecy is about right. Look, I know that it's about a whole different set of characters. I can't even talk about it without giving anything away! We'll have to see. We'll have to see who pops up where and when. But I know that they're filming it now, and I've been socialising with them all. They’re all very well, so we'll see what happens.”

He has previously said of Ted Lasso being brought back, with series three coming to a close in May 2023: “The storylines in Season 3 would suggest that there was a real sense of finality. Ted goes back home, right? But there were enough things that were set up that would suggest that there was a path to it coming back. We didn’t know for absolute definite, and it was always up to Jason as to whether he wanted to do more.”

Hollywood actor Jason Sudeikis, who plays the title character and is a writer of the show, has decided that there are more tales to tell. There remains no official word on when Ted Lasso Season 4 will be released.