Michael Carrick has wished "nothing but success" for Manchester United after being sacked as head coach on Thursday, offering a heartfelt farewell to supporters in a message posted on his Instagram account. The Englishman remained popular with fans even as results failed to come, having played his part in five Premier League title wins and the 2008 Champions League triumph as a player under Alex Ferguson.

United's executives moved to dismiss Carrick this week after the club's worst start to a campaign since 1986 left the Red Devils 18th in the Premier League heading into the November international break. Carrick returned to the club in January following Ruben Amorim's departure and was appointed on an interim deal; he won 12 of his first 17 matches in charge before results took a steep downturn once the new season began. United had already announced the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as his replacement.S1S3

In a long statement written as a letter to the fans, Carrick described his privilege in leading "the football club that I love" and stressed the culture, values and history that define the club. He called supporters a "special, rare breed" and thanked them for the emotion they brought to the stadium, adding: "I just wanted to give you something back. That love never dies." He also acknowledged the poor run of results that ultimately confirmed his fate, saying supporters had shown him love and support when turning away would have been the easier option.S1S3

Carrick paid tribute to his coaching staff, whom he thanked for giving "everything you had, every single day," as well as the backroom staff and the players for their efforts and the moments they had shared. He closed by saying he would always be proud to have played his part and would "always want the very best" for the club, promising to be watching from the sidelines and cheering the squad on from now on.S1S4