Sam Allardyce: West Brom confirm appointment of new manager following sacking of Slaven Bilic with Baggies in relegation zone

West Brom have confirmed the appointment of Sam Allardyce as their new manager.

Allardyce, the 66-year-old former England boss, returns to football after two-and-a-half years away tasked with keeping the Baggies in the Premier League.

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They currently sit in the bottom three and moved to within two points of 17th placed Burnley on Tuesday as Slaven Bilic guided West Brom to a draw at Man City in his final match as manager.

He was sacked on Wednesday morning with Allardyce quickly touted as the Croat's successor, and the Hawthorns outfit unveiled their new boss, who has signed an 18-month contract, later in the day.

";West Bromwich Albion are delighted to confirm the appointment of Sam Allardyce as the club’s new Head Coach," read a statement.

"The experienced boss, who has 512 Premier League games to his name, arrives at Albion with his long-time assistant, Sammy Lee."

Luke Dowling, the Baggies' Sporting and Technical Director, said: “In Sam we have a man who has a proven Premier League pedigree with a track record of improving every club he has managed.

“We believe and, more importantly, Sam believes we have a group of players that have the quality needed to give the club its best chance of Premier League survival.”

Allardyce has managed seven different clubs in the Premier League and has never been relegated in his long career, which spans over 500 top-flight games.

The former England boss has been out of the game since leaving Everton in May 2018.

He will take over a West Brom side that have won just one of their opening 13 games this season, with the visit of Midlands rivals Aston Villa on Sunday his debut as the Baggies' new manager.

Allardyce's former West Ham striker, Carlton Cole, backed his ex-manager to keep the Baggies in the Premier League, while also hitting out at him being branded a 'dinosaur' during an interview with talkSPORT.

“He consolidates teams in the Premier League," said Cole of Allardyce. I know for a fact he will get the defence right, stop leaking goals and move the team forward to consolidate themselves in the Premier League. He’s got vast experience of doing that.

“I’m not sure how the West Brom fans will feel about it, but if you want to stay in the Premier League there’s no one better to go to than Sam Allardyce.

“He gives clubs stability, it’s what he did when he came to manage us at West Ham, and that’s what West Brom need. They’re sinking.

“The ‘dinosaur’ comments are harsh – I think he’s innovative!

“He was always looking at the sports science, how much players run, and it did help the team.

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"He’s not the dinosaur everyone thinks he is, he’s a forward-thinking fella.

“I’ve worked under him, i’ve seen how he works and I know that’s way off

“Yeah he’s been in the game a long time, if you want to call him a dinosaur for that, but he’s evolved, he’s always evolved, you can’t be in the game for that long and not evolve. It’s impossible.

“It’s bang out of order, to be honest.”