West Ham boot out Sam Allardyce just minutes after season ends

The Hammers made the announcement just minutes after the end of the Premier League season, with West Ham losing 2-0 at Newcastle to finish 12th in the table.

Allardyce's contract was due to expire at the end of the season and he was expected to be informed, via his agent, that he would not be earning a new deal.

But West Ham made the announcement as soon as the season had come to a close.

A club statement said:"Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold will now oversee the recruitment process for a new manager to lead the club into one of the most exciting eras in its history.

"The Hammers will bid an emotional farewell to the Boleyn Ground, their home of more than 110 years, next season before the club moves to London’s premier state-of-the-art 54,000 seater stadium on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in August 2016.

"The board has already compiled a shortlist of replacements for Allardyce and will be making significant transfer funds available for the successful candidate."

Sullivan and Gold added: "We would like to start by thanking Sam Allardyce for his valuable work since arriving at the Boleyn Ground four years ago. He leaves the club in a considerably better state then when he arrived and, for that, the board are truly grateful.

"However, we have made the decision not to renew his contract, so we now have the chance to appoint a new manager with a new philosophy to lead us into two of the most exciting years in our great club’s history. Our target is to recruit a manager that will build a team capable of saying a fitting farewell to the Boleyn Ground next year and do justice to the outstanding surrounds we will call home from August 2016.

"We have already been impressed with the quality of candidates that have expressed an interest in the role and fully expect to appoint a manager with the credentials to take this club on to new heights. From our point of view there isn’t a more exciting job in the Premier League at present.”