Gillingham have terminated the contract of manager Martin Allen with immediate effect.

Gills have made a struggling start to life in League 1 following promotion in 48-year-old Allen's first season in the Priestfield hot-seat as League 2 champions last year.

Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Shrewsbury was the Gills' sixth in 11 league games and Allen leaves with his side sitting 17th in the table.

They were winless in their opening eight league games and fell at the first hurdle in the Capital One Cup and Johnston's Paint Trophy, with the first win of the campaign in any competition not arriving until the win at Crewe on September 28.

A statement from club chairman Paul Scally on Sunday evening claimed "in the long term interests of the Club it was felt a change now was essential."

Mr Scally said: "It is always a hugely difficult time when a managerial change occurs and this moment is no exception, and whilst the decision taken was made unanimously by the Board, it was an exceptionally difficult one, but one which after long deliberation was felt absolutely necessary.

"I would like to wish Martin every success in his future career, I have no doubt he will be back managing very shortly and I have very much enjoyed the experience of working with him, on both a business and

personal level over the past 16 months."

Allen was working as a pundit for BT Sport at the Barnet v Wrexham Skrill Premier clash shortly before news of his departure broke.

Allen was appointed by Mr Scally in July 2012 and led the club to their first title in 49 years and his first promotion in nine seasons as a manager.

Known in the game as 'Mad Dog', Allen began his managerial career at Barnet in 2003/04 before two years at Brentford, a season at MK Dons, a short spell at Leicester, a season at Cheltenham and two brief stints back at Underhill, either side of an ill-fated period at Notts County.

Allen's playing career saw him play 11 seasons combined at QPR and West Ham before spells with Portsmouth and Southend.

Gillingham's next game is at home to Preston on Saturday with the visit of Notts County to follow three days later.

Former Gillingham manager Peter Taylor has been installed as the bookies' favourite to take over. His odds had already shortened to just 2/5 on Sunday evening. Taylor, who has been spotted at recent Gillingham matches, was previously in charge at Priestfield in the 1999/2000 season. During that spell he guided the Gills to victory over Wigan in the Division 2 play-off final, as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.