Sam Allardyce quits his job at Crystal Palace and says he won't manage in football again

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Allardyce took charge at Selhurst Park just before Christmas on a two-and-a-half-year deal following the sacking of Alan Pardew, with the relegation-threatened club placed 17th in the table.

It marked Big Sam's return to football having lost his England job in September after just 67 days and one game in charge.

Although the former Bolton, Newcastle, Blackburn, West Ham and Sunderland manager got off to a slow start with the Eagles, he eventually managed to steer them to safety thanks largely to a fine run of form in April which included victories over champions Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.

They lost four of the last five games but a thumping 4-0 victory over Hull on the penultimate weekend of the season sealed their top-flight status.

Palace finished in 14th position with 41 points - seven clear of third-bottom Hull.

But now he's called time on what looks to be his final job in the game. And if it is, he'll retire with a proud record of never being relegated from the Premier League.

He said in a statement: "In some ways, this has been a very difficult decision to make but in others it has been a simple one.

"I will always be grateful to Crystal Palace and Steve Parish for giving me the opportunity to go out with my head held high having helped keep the club in the Premier League.

"More than that, they gave me a chance of rebuilding my reputation after what happened with England. I felt I needed another shot at being a Premier League manager and showing that I still had the ability to achieve something significant. As I said last weekend, Palace gave me the chance of rehabilitation.

"That's why it's hard walking away now. I believe the club are heading in the right direction with a hugely supportive board of directors, a great squad of players and some of the most passionate fans I've ever met. It's been a privilege to have worked for them for the past five months.

"But there comes a time when you have to take stock of what direction you want your life to take - and that's been the simple part for me.

"I want to be able to savour life while I'm still relatively young and when I'm still relatively healthy, even if I'm beginning to feel all my 62 years.

"While I've got the energy, I want to travel and also spend more time with my family and grandchildren without the huge pressure that comes with being a football manager. I owe that to my wife and family.

"This is the right time for me, I know that in my heart. I have no ambitions to take another job, I simply want to be able to enjoy all the things you cannot really enjoy with the 24/7 demands of managing any football club, let alone one in the Premier League.

"Steve Parish has been superb during our conversations today. I know it came as a shock to him that I would walk away but our discussions have been incredibly civilised with no recriminations and no fall-out.

"This is not about transfer targets, club finances or anything along those lines. This is me taking the decision I believe is right for my family and myself.

"I would like to thank everybody for their messages of support since the news broke. I've no doubt I will miss management but I certainly have no regrets at this decision."

Next Crystal Palace Manager Odds

Former Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri has emerged as the favourite to replace Sam Allardyce as Crystal Palace boss at 5/2.

The Italian has been out of work since being sacked by the Foxes in February following a poor defence of their shock Premier League title success the previous season.

Former Eagles defender Chris Coleman, who is currently manager of Wales, is next in the running at 4/1 having initially been made the early favourite.

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic is 6/1 after an impressive season which saw him take the Cottagers into the play-offs, where they lost to Reading in the semi-finals, while Hull manager Marco Silva is 8/1.

Former England manager Roy Hodgson was an early front runner at 4/1 but he's since drifted to 10/1 while the likes of Aitor Karanka (12/1), Brendan Rodgers (12/1) and Ryan Giggs (12/1) are also notable outsiders.

Odds correct at 2130 BST

Click here to place your bets! 

Sam Allardyce: Previous clubs, jobs & records

LIMERICK

Allardyce learned the ropes on the coaching front as a player-manager in the League of Ireland, leading Limerick to the 1991-92 second-tier title before heading for Preston to take up the number-two post there.

BLACKPOOL

In July 1994 he took charge of Second Division Blackpool, who had avoided the drop to the fourth tier of English football by a single point at the end of the previous campaign. They finished 12th in his first season and third 12 months later but much to his shock, Allardyce was dismissed following a play-off semi-final defeat by Bradford.

Games: 102 Won: 44 Drawn: 23 Lost: 35 Win %: 43.1

NOTTS COUNTY

Arriving in Nottingham in January 1997, Allardyce inherited a side which had struggled through the first half of the season, and he was unable to prevent them from slipping into Division Three. However, he led the club to promotion as champions on 99 points at the end of the following campaign.

Games: 145 Won: 56 Drawn: 39 Lost: 50 Win %: 38.6

Honours: Third Division Title 1997-98

BOLTON

His efforts at Notts County helped land the job at Bolton in October 1999, and it was there that he started to enhance his reputation. Having steered them into the Premier League at the second attempt, he established Wanderers there after two difficult seasons and eventually guided them to European qualification for the first time in the club's history.

Position when taking charge: Bottom half of Division One

Position when departing in April 2007: 5th in the Premier League

Games: 371 Won: 153 Drawn: 104 Lost: 114 Win %: 41.2

Honours: First Division Play-Off Winner 2001

Highlights: League Cup Final 2004, Two qualifications for Europe 

NEWCASTLE

Allardyce was seen as the man to stop the St James' Park door revolving as then chairman Freddy Shepherd sought stability. But his reign lasted just 24 games when new owner Mike Ashley decided to give disgruntled fans what they wanted and replaced him with Kevin Keegan.

Games: 24 Won: 8 Drawn: 6 Lost: 10 Win %: 33.3

BLACKBURN

Rovers were sitting inside the Premier League relegation zone when Allardyce arrived in December 2008, yet they ended the season in the relative comfort of 15th place. They finished 10th in his first full campaign at the helm, but new owners Venky's dispensed with his services in December 2010.

Position when taking charge: 19th in the Premier League

Position when sacked in December 2010: 13th in the Premier League

Games: 90 Won: 32 Drawn: 24 Lost: 34 Win %: 35.6

WEST HAM

Allardyce waited almost six months before returning to the game with relegated West Ham in June 2011 and led them back into the Premier League via the Championship play-off final. His style of play did not sit happily with the expectations of Hammers' fans and although the club finished in 10th, 13th and 12th places in the top flight, there was a parting of ways May 2015.

Position when taking charge: In the Championship

Position at the end of his final season: 12th in the Premier League

Games: 181 Won: 68 Drawn: 46 Lost: 67 Win %: 37.6

Honours: Championship Play-Off Winners 2012

SUNDERLAND

Tasked with pulling off another great escape after Dick Advocaat bade farewell in October, Sunderland were still seven points away from safety at the start of January. However, only champions Leicester beat them after February as Allardyce kept a top-flight relegation off his CV.

Position when taking charge: 19th, seven points from safety

Position at end of the season: 17th (safe)

Games: 31 Won: 9 Drawn: 9 Lost: 13 Win %: 29

ENGLAND

Following England's exit from the European Championships with defeat against Iceland, the Football Association agrees a compensation deal with Sunderland to appoint Allardyce on a two-year deal after Roy Hodgson's decision to stand down. Allardyce's England reign gets off to a winning start in a World Cup qualifier away to Slovakia, but only after a goal from Adam Lallana deep into stoppage time. It proves to be his one and only match as England manager as Allardyce resigned following just 67 days in the post as the Daily Telegraph released secretly filmed footage of him making controversial remarks about a variety of subjects, including side work and circumventing FA regulations.

Games: 1 Won: 1 Win %: 100