West Bromwich Albion sack Darren Moore despite club lying fourth in Championship

West Bromwich Albion manager Darren Moore has been sacked, despite the promotion contenders currently lying fourth in the Championship.

Moore's assistants, Graeme Jones and Wayne Jacobs, have also been dismissed with first-team coach James Shan taking over in the interim as the club seek to appoint a permanent successor.

Albion have won just four of their last 12 Championship matches, with the decision coming hours after a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town on Saturday hampered hopes of securing an automatic promotion spot.

In a statement, Albion chief executive Mark Jenkins said: “This has been an enormously difficult decision for a Club which will always hold Darren in such high regard.

“He took over at a very difficult time last season and reunited the Club, a contribution that will never be forgotten.

READ MORE: Guardiola ‘baffled’ by Juventus rumours
READ MORE: Solskjaer - I have prepared to be a football manager my entire life

“But we have made it clear from the outset that everything this season was geared to making as swift a return to the Premier League as possible.

“Unfortunately Darren has not been able to engineer the consistency of form and results to convince the board that this objective would be met.

“After discussions with our owners, the difficult decision to make a change was taken. Darren’s dedication over the last 12 months is not underestimated and there will always be a welcome for him at The Hawthorns.

“But we have to place the Club’s best interests at the forefront of our thinking and we must do everything we can to try to deliver the promotion we have targeted."