Ian Baraclough was sacked late on Tuesday night following the disappointing 3-0 home loss to bottom club Preston North End.
The match was significant for a clear turning in the mood of Iron supporters against Baraclough, with "You're getting sacked in the morning" and "We're s**t but we know we are" ringing out from the terrace along with ironic cheering of mis-placed shots.
The Rubicon had been crossed, with Baraclough, assistant Kevin Pressman and first-team coach Steve Parkin losing their jobs after the game.
Baraclough, who replaced Nigel Adkins in September, had insisted in his post-match comments that he would not walk away. The decision was taken out of his hands.
“I feel some responsibility because it was me who persuaded Ian to take the job in the first place," Wharton told the Scunthorpe Telegraph.
“I am sure he would not admit it, but I think I think the pressure of the job was getting to him.”
Baraclough was offered the chance to join Southampton with Adkins and his assistant Andy Crosby, but Wharton said he had always seen the former Iron left-back and first-team coach as a natural successor to Adkins.
Wharton must now decide whether to stick with his policy of promoting from within or bring in the next Iron manager from outside the club.
Baraclough and Pressman were promoted from within, as were Adkins and Crosby and their predecessors Brian Laws and Russ Wilcox.
Tony Daws and Lee Turnbull appear to be the only real contenders should he stick with that route, with Daws in caretaker charge for Saturday's trip to Ipswich Town.
That appointment gave the club breathing space, with the next fixture not until April 2. Whoever is in charge for the trip to Carrow Road faces a crucial month,with seven games including what – the Iron hope – should still be a six-pointer at Crystal Palace.
Laws, who was in charge at Glanford Park from 1997 until 2005, was instantly installed as odds-on favourite by the bookmakers.
He is out of work after being sacked by Burnley earlier in the season, lives in the area, and has a long-standing working relationship with Wharton. There can be little doubt he would be interested.
He would not be a unifying appointment, with supporters still split over the merits of his time in charge.
Other names mentioned by bookmakers include Alan Knill, Phil Parkinson, Aidy Boothroyd and Danny Wilson.