Roberto Di Matteo sacked at Albion
Albion have relieved head coach Roberto Di Matteo of his duties and placed him on gardening leave with immediate effect.
Albion have relieved head coach Roberto Di Matteo of his duties and placed him on gardening leave with immediate effect.
See also: Roberto Di Matteo's West Brom career – in pictures
Assistant Eddie Newton and fitness coach Ade Mafe have joined him, with first-team coach Michael Appleton in temporary charge until a new manager is found, assisted by reserve team boss Keith Downing.
The Baggies board made their move in the wake of yesterday's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, which was their 13th defeat in their last 18 games.
Chairman Jeremy Peace said: "This has been a tough decision but we, as a board, believe it is the right one to give the club the best possible chance of remaining in the Premier League.
"Our poor sequence of results stretches back more than three months and there has been little sign of it coming to an end.
"If this run continues much longer, achieving our goal of retaining our Premier League status will become increasingly difficult. That is why we felt compelled to act now.
"This club's track record proves we do not take such decisions lightly, with Roberto being only our fourth manager or head coach in almost 11 years.
"We now begin the search to find a new head coach who will fit into our existing set-up and work under our Sporting & Technical Director, Dan Ashworth, with a view to taking the Club forward.
"On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Roberto for his efforts over the past 19 months, particularly for his contribution towards last season's promotion success and our very promising start to the current campaign.
"We wish him and his family well for the future. Roberto embraced the structure in which we wanted him to work and he has been a good colleague.
"However, we are in a results-driven industry and felt we had no choice but to act now."
Ashworth, along with Peace and the board, will find the new boss but feels the club are in good - albeit temporary - hands with Appleton.
The Sporting & Technical Director said: "Staying in the Premier League is of paramount importance and we feel that with the right appointment, we can still achieve our goal.
"In the meantime, team affairs are in the very capable hands of Michael Appleton.
"He has gained all the coaching badges available, including the UEFA Pro Licence, and knows the club inside out.
"Most importantly, he has earned the full respect of the players and everyone else at the football club.
"I have worked closely with Roberto since June 2009 and I would like to thank him, Eddie and Ade for all their hard work during this period and wish them well for the future."
The club will make no further comment until a new head coach has been appointed, but Dudley-born former Blackburn, Bolton and Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce is likely to be one of the first to be linked to the job.
Allardyce previously spent two years as assistant to Brian Talbot at the Hawthorns, from 1989 to 1991.