Tony Pulis appointed West Brom manager

Tony Pulis has been appointed as the new head coach of West Bromwich Albion on a twoand-a-half-year contract, the Premier League strugglers announced on Thursday. The 56-yearold former Stoke City and Crystal Palace manager replaces Alan Irvine, who was sacked on Monday after a run of seven defeats in nine matches that left the club just a point above the relegation zone. "I'm absolutely delighted to accept the job and I do so with a simple but important message for the Albions fans and everyone at the club," the Welshman said in a statement on the club website. "Every successful club is built on unity and that is what I shall strive to help bring to Albion. We need everyone together from top to bottom -- the supporters, all the staff, the players, everyone who has an interest in the club's welfare. "With that, we can go forward together and hopefully take this club up the Premier League."