The former Sunderland manager has been out of work since parting company with Leeds in November following a 6-1 defeat at Portsmouth which saw the club rooted to the bottom of the Premiership.

Black had been promoted from assistant to manager in January after player-boss Gary McAllister’s decision to stand down for personal reasons.

But when he approached chairman Mike McGinnity about the reports linking Reid with the post, Black was told his services would no longer be required along with those of first-team coach Archie Knox and goalkeeping coach Alan Hodgkinson.

McGinnity said: “At the start of the last two seasons I have clearly stated my ambitions were to see us at least achieve a play-off place and that hasn’t happened so I reached a point where I believed a change had to be made.

“This decision has ultimately been made because I want us to return to the Premier League and that’s all I’ve ever had in mind.”