Sunderland have today confirmed the managerial appointment of Sam Allardyce as their new manager, on an initial two-year contract deal.
The former West Ham boss is set to take over the reigns at the Stadium of Light with immediate effect, and his first competitive fixture in charge will be against West Brom, away from home on the 17th of October.
Allardyce offers plenty of managerial experience
Having left the Hammers in the summer with mutual consent after three years in east London, the experienced coach helped West Ham to secure promotion back to the big league - where they've become a fearsome force at times, especially at Upton Park.
The 60-year-old will also bring plenty of top flight experience to Wearside - not least because he's one of only five Premier League managers throughout history to total over 400 managerial matches.
Challenging times ahead
Upon his official arrival at the Black Cats, Allardyce admitted that although he acknowledges it's a "challenging job" to take, it's nothing new to him - as he's experienced it in the past. He's "looking forward to working with the players", as well as "relying on the help of the Sunderland supporters".
Meanwhile, the club chairman Ellis Short was adamant that contrary to reports, Sunderland did not have to persuade Allardyce into taking the job. On the official website, Short said that he's "very pleased to welcome Sam" to the football club, one which "he knows well" and was obviously "the best choice for the job" itself.
"He has vast experience of managing in the Premier League and an understanding first-hand of the North East, and the passion of our fans will stand him in great stead."
Following Dick Advocaat's unfortunate resignation last week, it seemed inevitable after the recent struggles that the side have gone through since the start of the season. They are yet to win a league game, and with eight games played, they occupy the bottom spot in the relegation zone - things are certainly not looking rosy.