Following the press speculation that Big Sam was leaving the Reebok stadium at the end of the season it has been confirmed that his position at Bolton Wanderers has been terminated with immediate effect.

The reports had indicated that Allardyce is due to replace Stuart Pearce in the summer as part of the planned takeover of Manchester City.

Allardyce has admitted that he wanted to stay until the end of the season and that he believed that he had taken the Trotters as far as he could. He was the Premiership’s third longest serving manager after Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.