Allardyce quits as Palace manager, inches towards retirement

Sam Allardyce has resigned as manager of Crystal Palace and says he has “no ambition to take another job” in football.

Allardyce quit his role after a meeting with the club’s chairman Steve Parish on Tuesday.

The former England manager had spent just five months at Selhurst Park.

The 62-year-old signed a two and a half year deal when he was appointed in December. He managed to keep the club in the Premier League, lifting them from 17th to 14th on the log.

Allardyce, who received a £2million bonus after saving Palace from relegation, says he’s quitting football to spend more time with his family.

“In some ways, this has been a very difficult decision to make, but in others it has been a simple one,” Allardyce said in a statement on Crystal Palace website.

“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 think 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 here 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 enough to do all the things I want to do, like travel, spend more time with my family and grandchildren without the huge pressure that comes with being a football manager.

“This is the right time for me. 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, 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.

Allardyce inspired Palace to six wins from eight matches, including victories over Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, to help them preserve their top-flight status.

In doing so, Allardyce maintained his record of having never been relegated from the Premier League.

Palace are now hunting their sixth full-time manager in as many years.