Bryan Robson has left Sheffield United after turning down an offer to become the club’s director of football, with Kevin Blackwell, the former assistant to Neil Warnock, being tonight named as his successor until the end of the season and Sam Ellis as the new No 2.

Robson, 51, met with Kevin McCabe, the club’s plc chairman, in Brussels yesterday to discuss his future, the crisis talks having been arranged after fans protested against his tenure following Saturday's goalless draw with Scunthorpe United.

The former Middlesbrough, Bradford City and West Bromwich Albion manager had been under increasing pressure since replacing Warnock in the summer after the club’s expected promotion challenge has failed to materialise.

United lie 16th in the Coca-Cola Championship and have won just nine of their 32 matches under Robson this season.

McCabe said: "I was keen to see Bryan Robson take up this head of football role but, regrettably, this was not to be and so he departs - along with Brian Kidd - with the best wishes of all at Sheffield United.

"Supporters should not underestimate the sterling and dedicated expertise and time put in by Robson and Kidd in overhauling the whole of the Blades football divisions."

McCabe added of Blackwell and Ellis: "They both know the situation and, most of important of all, know how we are determined to take this club forward. That will include the pursuit of a football supremo to oversee a new football structure at the club."

Robson, an inspirational player who had failed to discover the same much-needed quality as a manager, had been optimistic about keeping his job and had hoped for time to turn things around, earlier this week saying: "I still want to manage Sheffield United because this is a good club that I can help improve over time, bit by bit. There is support for me both within the club and outside, apart from the minority that showed their feelings last Saturday."