HARTFORD, Conn. – Hartford Athletic announced on Sunday the club and Head Coach Jimmy Nielsen had mutually agreed to part ways.

“We would like to thank Jimmy for his contributions to our organization and all his efforts in launching our Club in its inaugural season,” said Hartford Athletic Chairman & CEO Bruce Mandell. “Jimmy has provided the foundation for our club, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Hartford Athletic will begin an international search for a replacement immediately. Mandell continued, “Our fans and community have given us a mandate to build a world class soccer organization, and we will not let them down. We are excited to keep building in 2020 and beyond.”

Nielsen led the club to a record of 8-21-5 and a 17th-place finish in the Eastern Conference of the USL Championship in 2019. Athletic started the inaugural season on the road for eight consecutive matches. Seven of those matches came against teams that made the playoffs in 2019, including top-seeded Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

Despite the slow start, Athletic finished the season positively, earning seven points in the final three matches of the season, all at Dillon Stadium and outscored their opponents 8-3 in that span.