Dundee United and Jackie McNamara finally parted company last night when the dismissed manager’s contract was terminated by mutual agreement. The compensation paid out by the club to remove McNamara and his coaching staff is believed to have cost in the region of £180,000.

The club was locked in “settlement talks” with McNamara’s legal representatives all day yesterday, before agreement was finally reached at 9pm. It meant the departures from Tannadice of McNamara and his three assistants, Simon Donnelly, Darren Jackson and Craig Hinchcliff.

United yesterday placed Dave Bowman, a coach with the club’s development squad, in temporary charge of the first team.

The amount awarded to McNamara in compensation is not for any duration of contract remaining, but is linked to a clause in his contract which specifies a sum for any breach made by either party.

Meanwhile it has emerged that Dundee United had been unimpressed by McNamara’s recruitment policy since January, 2015, and that this was a factor in his removal, on top of the poor run of results he recently suffered.

The departing manager has made a spate of signings since January’s transfer window, with very few appearing to have worked out.

United take the view that it will be at least into next week at the earliest before any new manager is appointed. Stuart McCall and Tommy Wright remain the front runners, with Billy Davies now also believed to be a possible consideration.

Bowman, a fiery United player of the 1980s, who made 336 Dundee United appearances between 1986 and 1998, has had various associations with the club, most recently as a youth coach. He is not believed to be a candidate for the manager’s job.

Last night Eamonn Bannon, another ex-Dundee United player, said he felt sympathy for McNamara. “It’s a results-driven business – that’s why Jackie got the bullet,” said Bannon. “But I hope Dundee United do right by him and pay him his money. No excuses, no letting it drag on.”