Burnley sack boss Nicky Hayen after 12 Championship games New York Times (Online) Leon Imber Burnley have sacked head coach Nicky Hayen after Saturday's 4-1 defeat to Lincoln City which left them with just one win from 12 Championship matches. Hayen, who was appointed on a three-year deal from Belgian side Genk in the summer, departs with Burnley on eight points 22nd in the table, three points behind Watford who sit one place above the relegation zone. Burnley confirmed Hayen's dismissal on Saturday evening, saying the club's board had “taken the decision following a disappointing start to the Championship season”. Saturday's heavy away defeat to Lincoln was Burnley's sixth loss of the campaign, with five draws and one win. Their only victory came at Watford on October 10, as Hayen's side won 4-0. Burnley Football Club has dismissed Head Coach Nicky Hayen with immediate effect. The Board has taken the decision following a disappointing start to the Championship season. pic.twitter.com/rPai3oFHVU — Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) October 24, 2026 Andreas Hountondji had put Burnley ahead on 39 minutes, but Lincoln's Ben House equalised just before the break. The promoted side then scored three times in 18 second-half minutes, prompting some Burnley fans to leave the away end early. It marked their joint-heaviest defeat of the season, alongside the 4-1 loss to Norwich. It has been a tough start to the season for Burnley, with sections of supporters regularly voicing their displeasure towards Hayen and the club's chairman, Alan Pace, following the club's relegation from the Premier League last term. It has now been more than a year since they won a league match at Turf Moor. Speaking after Burnley's 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on October 16, Hayen acknowledged it would be “normal” for a coach in his position to lose their job. “I don't know,” Hayen said when asked if he was likely to continue, in quotes reported by the Burnley Express . “But I'm not thinking about that because then this is something where you lose energy” “Of course, if you're in this situation, it's normal that it can happen. But again, it's not something that I'm thinking about because then I lose also my focus on the players I want to work with, so it's a question for other people.” Prior to his appointment at Burnley, Hayen had spent his entire coaching career in his native Belgium. He led Club Brugge to the Pro League title in the 2023-24 season, and their run to the Champions League last 16 the following year. Analysis by Burnley writer Andy Jones It felt like the writing has been on wall for some time for Burnley's now former head coach Nicky Hayen. The growing noise reached a crescendo with the dreadful 4-1 defeat to Lincoln City which left Burnley in the relegation zone and with nowhere else to go. It has been far from the ideal conditions for the 46-year-old, who arrived after the start of pre-season and had limited time to shape a muddled squad ahead of the new season. There have also been injuries to key players, leading to a lack of consistency in team selection. Yet, Hayen did not help his cause with some confusing team selections and too often his team lacked any identity. Performances have been littered with defensive mistakes, a lack of intensity and poor game management. They have dropped 18 points from winning positions. Hayen had repeatedly spoken about the importance of the recent three-week international break to put things right. They returned with a 4-0 victory over Watford, but then conceded a last minute equaliser to Charlton Athletic and lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers and then Lincoln. The problems at Burnley go much deeper, however. Supporters in the stands directed their discontent towards the club's owners, ALK Capital, and chairman Alan Pace, as well as the players and coaching staff. Burnley were relegated from the Premier League last season, and another relegation looks more likely than promotion at this stage. They have won one league game since February and by the time they play their next game, at Turf Moor against Portsmouth on October 31, they will have failed to win a league game at home for 377 days – setting a new record in English football.