Sam Allardyce lasted just 67 days as England Manager, giving him the shortest ever tenure in the job.
He signed a two–year contract on 22 July 2016, following England's humiliation at the European Championships that year and the sacking of Roy Hodgson. His first and only game in charge was the first qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup finals: away to Slovakia, on 4 September. England won the match thanks to a goal scored by Adam Lallana, deep into injury time.
Just over three weeks later (26 September), the Daily Telegraph published footage filmed by undercover reporters in which Allardyce is shown speaking with fictitious Asian businessmen (including the Telegraph's notorious 'fake Sheikh'), detailing how to get around FIFA and Football Association bans on third–party ownership of footballers. Allardyce went on to make derogatory comments about former England assistant manager Gary Neville and his predecessor as England manager, Roy Hodgson. He also described HM Revenue and Customs as the "most corrupt business in the world". (Allardyce had been involved in alleged tax fraud schemes in the past.)
The following day (27 September), Allardyce left his position as England manager with immediate effect, "by mutual consent". Gareth Southgate was named as caretaker manager, and was awarded a four–year contract on 30 November 2016.
In the few days following Allardyce's departure, the Daily Telegraph published details of much wider–reaching corruption through English club football, claiming that eight Premier League managers had accepted "bungs" for player transfers. Among those implicated were Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (manager of Queens Park Rangers), Massimo Cellino (chairman of Leeds United), Eric Black (assistant manager at Southampton) and Tommy Wright (assistant manager at Barnsley).
On 23 December 2016 – just less than three months after leaving the England job – Allardyce signed a two–and–a–half–year contract to manage Crystal Palace, following the sacking of Alan Pardew. Palace secured their Premier League safety with one game to spare, but on 23 May 2017 Allardyce announced his departure, saying he had no intention of seeking another job. He later said he would be open to an international management position, but not another club job; but on 30 November 2017, Allardyce was appointed as manager of Everton.
Everton were thirteenth in the Premier League table at the time, following a poor start to the season. They were unbeaten in Allardyce's first seven games in charge, and finished in eighth place; but many fans were dissatisfied with the style of play. Allardyce was sacked on 16 May, six months into a 19–month contract.
In July 2019 it was reported that Allardyce had been offered the opportunity to manage Newcastle United, but had turned it down.
© Haydn Thompson 2020