Notts County chairman Alan Hardy has confirmed that John Sheridan was sacked from his role at the club because of gross misconduct.

Sheridan's dismissal in the wake of nine successive defeats, but Hardy has revealed that Sheridan was removed from his position because of verbal abuse towards a fourth official in December.

A transcript of Sheridan's expletive-laden rant was made public earlier this month, and that has led to Hardy clarifying the circumstances of the 52-year-old's exit.

Hardy told the club's official website: "It was our decision to terminate the contract based on what I read in the referee's report regarding the incident. This is a family-friendly club which aims to be a pillar of the local community.

"In light of the recent disclosure of the referee's report, I thought it appropriate to communicate the exact reasons behind the course of action we took."

Sheridan has since been appointed as the new boss of League One side Oldham Athletic.