Allardyce quits as Palace manager

CRYSTAL Palace’s former England manager Sam Allardyce has quit the Premier League club five months after being appointed and said he was leaving soccer management.

Allardyce, 62, kept south London side Palace in the top flight after replacing the sacked Alan Pardew in December, when the club was in 17th place, just one point above the relegation zone.

He had signed a 2½- year contract.

“It’s been a privilege to have worked here for the past five months,” Allardyce said.

“But there comes a time when you have to take stock of what direction you want your life to take.

“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.”