THE worries have been increasing, the gap to the Premier League's bottom three reducing. But did Sunderland fans really think the man they always wanted in charge was going to go?

Martin O'Neill has gone. The name which was on so many Black Cats supporters' lips for years has had his 15-month reign come to a frustrating and disappointing end.

When he took over from Steve Bruce in December 2011 he talked about the affection he has had for the club since his childhood days in Northern Ireland and his intention to make them a Premier League force.

It was never going to be easy, but it is likely that not even O'Neill could have imagined just how difficult the task was going to be.

In recent weeks he has appeared more withdrawn, more downbeat in his press conferences, despite his instence on Thursday that he retained the same desire and enthusiasm to turn things around.

O'Neill was a likeable man and one whose passion for the game and ability to get the best out of players during spells with Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa led to his appointment at Sunderland.

But this season, as more and more defeats arrived and the worrying slide towards the Championship trapdoor continued, the spark faded after his £30m spending spree still waits to take off. 

Yet for all the growing restlessness among fans in recent weeks, it is hard to imagine that supporters really expected O'Neill to go just yet - specifically after a 1-0 defeat to runaway Premier League leaders Manchester United at the Stadium of Light.

But he has. Late on a Saturday night. So why now? The club's owner and chairman Ellis Short, never one to give interviews, clearly thinks the time is right to bring in a fresh face. It is hoped it will have the desired effect.

In making the move now, Short has a full week to bring in a replacement before next Sunday's trip to Chelsea. There will be a lot of names thrown around in the coming days - and debate will rage.

Last time O'Neill was the obvious candidate both in the boardroom and in the stands. Not this time. It's an open book.

It's a bold move. The players liked O'Neill, even if they have failed to deliver the results under him, so how soon will they respond to a new man in charge with just a point separating them from the bottom three.

These are fraught times on Wearside, and the alarm bells have been ringing for a while, but the story could only just be starting to unfold ...