Roberto Mancini thanks Manchester City fans in full-page newspaper ad

The former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has taken out a full-page advert in the Manchester Evening News to thank fans for their support in his three and-a-half years at the club.

The Italian, who won the Premier League title last season – the club's first since 1968 – and the FA Cup in 2011 and Community Shield in 2012, has received widespread support from City's fans following his sacking last week and appears to have been highly appreciative of their affection.

Below a picture of the manager standing in front of fans with the FA Cup, Premier League title and Community Shield, appears the message: "Manchester City Supporters 3 unforgettable years.

" Below is written: "You will always be in my heart, ciao, Roberto Mancini.

"The Málaga manager, Manuel Pellegrini, is the favourite to succeed the Italian, who "failed to achieve any of [the club's] stated targets this year," according to City's board in a statement confirming Mancini's dismissal last week.

Football: Mancini sacked! A year after winning the title City fire Italian boss with £7m pay-off

                                                     Mancini, pictured at Loftus Road for a training session yesterday

Roberto Mancini’s reign as Manchester City manager was ended in  brutal fashion last night as he was labelled a failure and sacked a year to the day after he won the Barclays Premier League title.

The Italian, who is expected to net a £7million pay-off, was told he was no longer wanted just hours after taking training for City’s match at Reading tonight.

City, whose statement bizarrely addressed the need for the club to develop a ‘holistic approach’, have yet to seal the finer points of a deal for Malaga’s Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini. Mancini’s assistant Brian Kidd has been put in charge for the last two games of the season

Mancini is believed to have been told by chief executive Ferran Soriano last night that he was being sacked. Mancini then took a call from chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, who is in Abu Dhabi.

Football: Roberto Mancini set to be sacked by Manchester City before summer tour

Roberto Mancini is set to be sacked as Manchester City manager with the Italian's tenure almost definitely ending before the club's summer tour to the United States.

                    Roberto Mancini is to leave Manchester City, with Manuel Pellegrini set to be named as his successor

With club pursuing Manuel Pellegrini, the Malaga coach as his replacement Mancini cut a troubled figure following Saturday's FA Cup final 1-0 defeat Wigan.

Then he railed at the club for not denying the stories regarding Pellegrini, an illustration of Mancini's brusque style that has not endeared him to City's players or some members of staff.

This and other factors have caused City's Abu Dhabi executive to lose confidence in Mancini, who was given a five-year contract last summer after leading the club to a first top-flight title in 44 years.

Mancini has struggled to build on that success, with his team exiting the Champions League in the group stages, losing their league title to their Manchester United and on Saturday losing to Wigan at Wembley