Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has quit following their failure to clinch a fourth successive title.

The club announced on their website that Strachan - who won three titles and three domestic cups in his four years in charge - had decided to step down.

Strachan said: "I have enjoyed my time immensely at Celtic and clearly I will be sad to leave this great club."

Strachan refused to discuss his future immediately after their final Clydesdale Bank Premier League game of the season, a 0-0 draw with Hearts.

But his departure is no surprise after he failed to gain total support from a number of Celtic fans despite his success at home and in Europe, where he twice led Celtic into the last 16 of the Champions League.

Strachan added on celticfc.net: "As I have said before, Celtic is a special club, with special supporters.

"There is no club like it and it has been an absolute honour and privilege to be the club's manager for the past four years.

"We have done all we can to bring success to the club and we were delighted to deliver three SPL titles, other domestic silverware, as well as making some great progress in Europe.

"It is just disappointing that we did not manage the fourth championship.

"However, the players can hold their heads high in terms of what they have done for the club in recent years.

"I would like to thank the Celtic board for all the support they have given me during the past four years, in particular Dermot Desmond, John Reid, Peter Lawwell and former chairman Brian Quinn - I could not have asked for any more support.

"I thank all the players I have worked with at the club and, of course, my backroom team for the backing and assistance which they have given me.

"I thank the fans too for the tremendous support which they have given both myself and the players. I wish Celtic and our supporters nothing but success for the future."

GORDON STRACHAN FACTFILE

1957: Born February 9, Edinburgh.

1974: Signs for Dundee. Plays 60 league matches in three years at Dens Park, scoring 13 goals.

1977: Joins Aberdeen for £50,000. Plays 187 matches in seven years, scoring 55 times.

1980: Wins Scottish league championship medal and first of 50 Scotland caps against Northern Ireland. Named Scottish Footballer of the Year.

1982: Collects Scottish Cup winners' medal.

1983: Achieves second Scottish Cup success, followed by European Cup Winners' Cup medal.

1984: Wins Scottish league and cup double. Manchester United sign him for £500,000 in August. Stays at Old Trafford for five years, playing 160 league matches and scoring 33 goals.

1985: Only trophy success with United, taking FA Cup.

1989: Joins Second Division Leeds in March for £300,000 in deadline-beating deal.

1990: Captains club to Second Division title.

1991: Named Football Writers' Association Player of the Year.

1992: Leads Howard Wilkinson's side to a first league championship in 18 years. Wins final international cap against Finland.

1995: After Announcing his retirement from football, he joins Ron Atkinson at Coventry as assistant.

1996: Takes over as Coventry manager as Atkinson stepped down.

1997: Coventry survive relegation on the final day of the Premier League season with victory at Tottenham.

2001: May - Coventry lose at Aston Villa and relinquish their Premier League status after 34 consecutive years in the top flight.

September - City lose 1-0 at home to Grimsby, sparking chants of "Strachan out". A handful of fans have to be restrained by police as they attempt to confront the manager. Strachan later leaves Coventry by mutual consent.

October - Appointed Southampton boss.

2003: May - Southampton lose 1-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup final but qualify for Europe for the first time in 19 years.

2004: January - Confirms he will not to extend his contract with Southampton beyond the end of the season for personal reasons.

February - Steps down as Southampton manager.

2005: May - Named Celtic manager on a 12-month rolling contract.

July - Celtic are thumped 5-0 by Artmedia Bratislava in Strachan's first match in charge to crash out of the Champions League at the qualifying stage.

2006: January - Celtic suffer shock Scottish Cup third-round defeat at Clyde.

March - Lifts first trophy as Celtic manager with victory over Dunfermline in the Scottish League Cup final.

April - Celtic clinch Scottish Premier League title with victory over Hearts.

November - Leads Celtic into Champions League knockout stages for the first time after 1-0 victory over Manchester United.

2007: April - Celtic clinch SPL title with a 2-1 win at Kilmarnock.

May - Celtic win Scottish Cup, beating Dunfermline 1-0 thanks to a late goal from loan signing Jean-Joel Perrier-Doumbe.

October - Celtic snatch a last-gasp 2-1 win over European champions AC Milan at Parkhead.

November - Celtic reach knockout stage of Champions League.

2008: February - Celtic lose at home in the Champions League for the first time after Barcelona win 3-2 at Parkhead.

May - Strachan becomes only the third Celtic manager to win a hat-trick of Scottish championships after the club record their seventh straight SPL win - a run which included two Old Firm victories - to snatch the title on the final day of the season.

November - Celtic suffer shock 2-1 defeat at Aalborg and finish bottom of their Champions League group.

2009: March - Celtic beat Rangers 2-0 at Hampden in the first Old Firm cup final for six years to lift the Scottish League Cup.

May - Quits after Celtic are held 0-0 by Hearts as Rangers win the SPL title by four points on the final day of the season. Celtic had been eight points clear earlier in the year.