Allardyce appointed Crystal Palace manager

Crystal Palace have announced the appointment of former England boss Sam Allardyce as manager.

The 62-year-old has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal at Selhurst Park to succeed Alan Pardew, who was sacked on Thursday.

It is the first job Allardyce has taken since he left his post with England in September after being caught in a newspaper sting.

Allardyce takes charge of Palace with immediate effect and will lead the team on Boxing Day when they travel to Watford in the Premier League.

#CPFC are pleased to announce Sam Allardyce as the new First Team Manager on a two-and-a-half year contract – https://t.co/fKHsWCuAey   pic.twitter.com/nkA3V7z3qX

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 23, 2016

Allardyce told the club’s official website: “First and foremost, let’s stop losing, let’s start getting a result and if that grows the confidence… draws turn into wins.

“We can turn it around and go on a little run of undefeated games rather than winning one and then losing again.

“That’s the objective, to try and find the basis of consistency that brings us some results, starting with Watford hopefully.”

Though happy with the squad he has inherited, Allardyce hopes that January can help him bolster a squad that has struggled defensively.

He added: “I like the look of the squad and that’s probably the reason I’m here, because I feel that the club can go forward and hopefully I can help it go forward.

“Certainly trying to recruit and make the squad a little bit bigger with more strength in depth would obviously be a key area for me.

“The players here are good enough but also if we can add to that, let’s try and do it.”

Pardew was asked to step down by Palace chairman Steve Parish after managing only four wins from 17 Premier League games this season.

The London club are one point above the relegation zone heading into Monday’s game with West Brom, highlighting their stark decline in 2016, especially since their FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United.

Allardyce, who steered Sunderland to survival last season, left the England job after he was filmed by undercover reporters apparently claiming he could give advice on how to get around transfer rules in the top flight.

He lasted only 67 days in the role after succeeding Roy Hodgson, with an injury-time goal from Adam Lallana giving his side a 1-0 victory over Slovakia in Allardyce’s one match in charge.