Roy Keane was fired as manager of Ipswich yesterday after the former Manchester United and Ireland captain failed to put the east England club in contention for promotion to the Premier League.

The 39-year-old Keane won 28 of 81 matches during 21 months in charge of the second-tier side and leaves Ipswich 19th in the 24-team Championship.

Ipswich was ninth when Keane took over in April 2009. His predecessor, Jim Magilton, was fired for failing to guide the former UEFA Cup champion into the promotion playoffs.

“Results haven’t been as good as I’d have hoped so far this season and when results aren’t good the manager gets the sack, that’s the game,” Keane said in a statement released through the League Managers’ Association. “However, I have a genuine belief that we were making progress and that the players have what it takes to turn this season around.”

Ipswich, which is set to face Chelsea in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday, has qualified for the League Cup semifinals and hosts Arsenal in the first leg on Wednesday.