Of course the club now needs to appoint a new man and Chairman Lenagan has already indicated that he wants to put a manager in place until the end of the campaign - a three month job interview? - and so the hunt has started for Wilder's replacement.
I suspect that the thought of a short term contract will not appeal to managers already with clubs and so, if Lenagan is looking for a safe pair of hands with the experience of getting sides promoted to League One, what about former Wycombe chief Gary Waddock? Just a thought.
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Chris Wilder insisted he had not quit as Oxford manager - hours after boss Ian Lenagan announced his departure.
Oxford's managerial situation became farcical on Saturday evening when Wilder, 46, released a statement through his agents claiming:
"Following on from various comments in the media we can confirm that Chris Wilder has not resigned as manager of Oxford United Football Club either verbally or in writing and therefore continues in his role."
But Chairman Ian Lenagan had claimed after the win over Torquay:
"I've just looked in his office and he's not there, but it would appear that he has resigned. It seems a very peculiar way to do it, but he has told the players. He told me yesterday - and the day before - that he would resign at the end of the match."
Wilder, 46, appeared to walk out on the club shortly after his team had won for the first time in five home games following Deane Smalley's sixth minute goal against relegation threatened Torquay.
Lenagan had refused to give Wilder permission to speak with bottom club Northampton last Friday.
Oxford's players were told not to comment, but Lenagan gave an insight to the confusion at the club when he said:
"At least the situation has been resolved one way or another - or at least I think it has. It's very difficult to know what it means when you announce to the players that you are going, but I don't have a piece of paper that's a resignation."
Before Wilder released his statement Lenagan also revealed that he had not ruled out legal action:
"I have taken legal advice. It's an option that's open to us, but you've got to recognise that Chris has done very well for us for four and a half years. He's been very loyal. Whilst I'm not precluding legal action on our part, I'm not a great believer in being vindictive or difficult in these circumstances."
"Injunctions are possible, all sorts of things are possible, but Oxford United needs to move on."
Wilder took Oxford into League Two via the 2010 Conference play-off final win against York and Lenagan was thinking about appointing a successor to keep the club's promotion hopes on track before Wilder's statement. He explained:
"When we find the right one, we'll put him in place. I think there are two possible was of going forward. One of them is a short term interim position. The next one is to the end of the season. If we can find the right person quickly to take over for the rest of the season, we'll do that."
Wilder's assistant, Mickey Lewis will take over first team duties wnd, while he refused to discuss Wilder, was delighted with the players attitude against the Gulls. He said:
"It's a good three points against a team fighting for their lives in what were really horrible conditions. The wind was swirling about out there. The lads' attitude out there was first class."
Former Oxford midfielder Chris Hargreaves tasted defeat for the first time in three games since taking over as Torquay boss and groaned:
"We showed fight and the lads gave it everything they had, but we're very disappointed with the result."
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