Scott Fitzgerald has been sacked as manager of Brentford in the wake of the club's relegation to League Two.

Easter Monday's 3-1 defeat at Crewe Alexandra meant that the Bees were the first team in the Coca-Cola League to be relegated this season.

Fitzgerald's assistant and former Wimbledon team-mate Alan Reeves has also left Griffin Park.

Head of youth development Barry Quin will be in charge for Saturday's home match with Nottingham Forest, but chairman Greg Dyke said he would not be considered for the post full time.

"The best thing we can say about this season is that it is now effectively over and we are sorry it has been such a disaster," Dyke told Brentford's official website.

"We would like to thank the fans who have stayed loyal to Brentford at such a difficult time."

The Griffin Park club have been on a downward spiral since Martin Allen quit to join MK Dons last summer.

With DJ Campbell, Sam Sodje, Jay Tabb and Michael Turner all leaving during 2006, the Bees squad immediately looked ill-equipped to cope with the demands of League One football.

The appointment of Leroy Rosenior proved disastrous.

After a promising opening few weeks to the season, he was helpless as Brentford plummeted down the table.

A few eyebrows were raised when youth-team boss Fitzgerald, a former Wimbledon player given the job on a temporary basis in December, was given the job full-time.

It emerged that number one candidate Darren Patterson had turned down the job, but Fitzgerald's appointment initially marked an upturn in fortunes.

And victories in successive matches over Blackpool, Brighton and Huddersfield at the start of February, sparked hopes of a great escape, particularly with the arrival of striker Neil Shipperley from Sheffield United.

But Brentford haven't won since, a televised 1-0 home defeat by Northampton Town proving a turning point.

The Bees' best player this season Jo Kuffour's controversial red card and subsequent three-match ban for a red card in the next match at Bradford City left Fitzgerald's firepower looking painfully thin.

Despite home defeats by relegation rivals Rotherham United and Cheltenham Town, Fitzgerald gamely refused to accept defeat in his quest to keep Brentford up.

But the defeat at Gresty Road was Brentford's sixth in seven games and, not only had Fitzgerald failed with his mission impossible, he also did not persuade the Bees board he was the right man to turn around the club's fortunes.

Dyke said "The entire focus now is to rebuild for next season, thus giving us the best opportunity to bounce back into League One.

"It is encouraging that all four clubs relegated from League One last season are contenders for promotion this year.

"Hopefully we can match their performance next season."