Head coach Wayne Rooney has left Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle by mutual agreement.

The 39-year-old former England captain oversaw just four league wins and suffered 13 defeats in 23 Championship games after taking charge of the Pilgrims in May.

He leaves with them at the foot of the division.

Rooney came to Home Park four months after being sacked by Birmingham City following an 83-day spell in charge that brought nine defeats in 15 games.

He and his players were booed following Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Oxford United - their sixth defeat in a nine-game winless run that began in early November.

Rooney defiantly said he did not take criticism "personally" after that loss, but it was enough to end the tenure of the man who was lauded as "the perfect candidate to provide the exciting and attacking brand of football" when appointed.

Under Rooney - who set scoring records for England and Manchester United during his decorated playing career - Plymouth have dropped to the bottom of the table, scored the joint fewest goals in the second tier and have conceded more than any other club in England's top four divisions.

Assistant head coach Mike Phelan and first-team coach Simon Ireland have also departed Home Park.

First-team coach Kevin Nancekivell and club captain Joe Edwards will lead the side for Wednesday's home game against Bristol City.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the board of Plymouth Argyle Football Club," Rooney said upon his departure., external

"Thanks also to all the staff who made me feel welcome and who make the club such a special place, the players and fans for their efforts and support during my time as head coach and I wish them all the best for the future.

"To the Green Army thanks for making the games at Home Park so special, they are memories that we will share forever.

"I would also like to give a special mention to my coaching staff Kevin Nancekivell, Simon Ireland, Darryl Flahavan and Mike Phelan for their knowledge, dedication, help and support.

"Plymouth Argyle will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to look out for and take interest in their results."

Analysis - BBC Sport's Plymouth Argyle reporter, Brent Pilnick

Wayne Rooney's time at Argyle has proved, like his spell at Birmingham City, to be unsuccessful.

The Home Park hierarchy were quick to say that he had been impressive when interviewing for the job and that the appointment was not a publicity stunt.

But the fan base was divided when he was appointed in May, with many saying his record was not good enough, while others welcomed a chance for a club like Argyle to have such a high profile man in charge.

With that high profile has come high scrutiny, and as the losses mounted up so did the pressure on the club - arguably more so than had they had a less well-recognised name.

His time at Home Park has not been without its problems - particularly with injuries in attack.

Striker Muhamed Tijani was brought in from Slavia Prague but has played just three times due to injury while exciting winger Ibrahim Cissoko has missed large chunks of the season as well.

Experienced Argyle hands such as Morgan Whittaker and Joe Edwards have also been out with injury as Argyle have looked, especially away from home, directionless at times.

Just four wins at home and a string of awful away performances have left Argyle with little choice but to change direction in the hope of staying up.

What the future holds for Rooney is less certain. He was received well as a pundit during last summer's Euros, but after failing at Birmingham City and now Plymouth Argyle it would be a brave board that would appoint him to a management role any time soon.

Argyle must now look for a third permanent manager in just over a year, and whoever it is has a huge task in trying to keep the Pilgrims in the second tier.

Plymouth fans chanted "We want Rooney out" from the stands of the Kassam Stadium on Sunday and less than 48 hours later those supporters have got their wish.

Defeat at Oxford United saw their winless run stretch to nine games.

The two goals they conceded also meant they became the first Championship team to let in 50 goals in their first 23 matches of a season since Rotherham in 2016-17. The Millers finished bottom that year.

In the Championship this season, Plymouth have faced the most shots, the most shots on target, have the highest xG against total and have conceded the most goals.

They comfortably have the worst goal difference in the division with minus 29. That equates to 51 conceded and just 22 scored.

The Pilgrims are the ninth Championship side to change their manager this season.

Plymouth may be bottom of the table with 18 points, but they are far from cut adrift, just four points from Hull City in 21st.