Former managers of Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United have all experienced that sinking feeling twice.
Former Derby manager Steve McClaren
After a poor run of results, Steve McClaren was shown the door by Derby County at the weekend. Unfortunately for McClaren, it is not the first time that he has been given the boot at Pride Park, and he is not alone in being sacked by the same club twice during his career.
With that in mind, HITC Sport has taken a look at some of the managers who have been dismissed by the same club on two occasions during their careers...
Steve McClaren (Derby County)
As we have already mentioned, Steve McClaren has now been shown the door twice by Derby County. The first occasion came when the Rams endured a 13-game run of form at the end of the 2014-15 season that saw them fall from the top of the Championship to outside of the play-off places on the final day. This time around, a similar run of form has seen them fall 10 points off the top six.
Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)
Jose Mourinho will probably be remembered as the greatest manager in Chelsea's history, but he has still been sacked twice by the Blues. He won six trophies in his first spell but was dismissed in his fourth season at Stamford Bridge. He returned for a second spell in 2013, but was sacked again two years later. He did deliver a third Premier League title during that second spell however.
Billy Davies
Billy Davies (Nottingham Forest)
Billy Davies guided Nottingham Forest to the play-offs twice during his first spell at the City Ground but was sacked after they failed to secure promotion back to the top flight. His second sacking came when Forest were one place outside the top six in March. While that dismissal came in the wake of a 5-0 loss to Derby County, most Forest fans would give anything to be in that position in the table now.
Alan Smith (Crystal Palace)
Alan Smith was sacked by Crystal Palace in 1995 after their final position of fourth from bottom with 48 points was not enough to keep them in the Premier League as the division was getting ready to be reduced to 20 teams. He returned for a second spell in 2000, but was dismissed less than a year later as relegation to the third tier loomed. The change paid off as the Eagles somehow stayed up.
Tony Pulis (Stoke City)
Like Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, Tony Pulis will arguably be considered Stoke's best manager given that he turned them into a Premier League stalwart. He was however, dismissed by the Potters before even leading them to the top flight as he left the club in 2005 after falling out with the board. He returned in 2006 following the change of ownership and led them to the promised land. After five mid-table finishes and an arguably not particularly exciting brand of football on show, his second spell came to an end as the club pursued a new direction.
Neil Warnock (Crystal Palace)
Neil Warnock did a good job with Crystal Palace during his first spell considering that the club's finances were in real trouble. However, following their fall into administration, Warnock departed. With the club in a much better place - the Premier League to be precise - Warnock returned to Selhurst Park in 2014, but was sacked just a few months later with Palace in the bottom three.
Brian McDermott
Brian McDermott (Reading)
The final name on the list is Brian McDermott, who was sacked twice by Reading. His first spell saw him take the Royals into the play-offs one season, before guiding them to the Championship title the next. However, with relegation back to the second tier on the horizon, he was sacked in 2013. His second spell lasted just six months and was obviously, nowhere near as successful.
Unfortunately for McDermott, while it may be the only time he has been sacked twice by the same club, it is not the only time that the writing has appeared to be on the wall on two occasions with the same team...
Brian McDermott (Leeds)
McDermott may have only actually left Leeds once, but it appears that he got his marching orders on two occasions with then-incoming owner Massimo Cellino prematurely dismissing him upon his arrival at Elland Road before he actually had any right to do so in January 2014. McDermott returned to the Leeds dugout but left again once the season came to a close.
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