Former Hibs duo Scott Brown and Steven Whittaker have left Ayr United “by mutual consent”, the Scottish Championship club has announced.
The pair leave after a run of nine games without a victory.
Ayr slipped to sixth in Scotland’s second tier after Friday’s 3-0 defeat to Raith Rovers.
That means Ayr have dropped out of the promotion play-off places and trail five points behind fourth-placed Dunfermline Athletic, who also have a game in hand.
Brown will be replaced in the hot sheet by another former Hibs player John Rankin who takes charge on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Rankin will be assisted by ex Hibs player Jamie Murphy, Tommy Tait and Dave Timmins.
