West Brom sack head coach Ramsay after nine games

West Bromwich Albion have sacked head coach Eric Ramsay after only nine games in charge, with the club only one point above the Championship relegation zone.

The 34-year-old was appointed on a two-and-a-half-year deal on 11 January following the departure of Ryan Mason.

Former Manchester United coach Ramsay took over with Albion 18th in the table, seven points clear of the bottom three.

But the Baggies failed to win under him and Tuesday’s 1-1 home draw with Charlton proved to be his last.

A club statement said: “West Bromwich Albion have parted company with men’s first team head coach Eric Ramsay. Assistant head coach Dennis Lawrence has also departed The Hawthorns.

Ramsay joined West Brom following a spell in Major League Soccer with Minnesota United, who he led to back-to-back Conference play-off semi-finals.

Prior to his move to the United States, the Shrewsbury-born Welshman was a first-team coach at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag and took on an assistant coach role with the Wales men’s team.

However, his time at The Hawthorns began with 3-2 loss to Middlesbrough before a 5-0 thrashing by Norwich – the club’s biggest-ever home defeat outside the top flight.

Albion rescued a late point from a 1-1 draw at Derby to stop the rot and also picked up points from goalless draws against Stoke and Birmingham.

However, they were well beaten by fellow strugglers Portsmouth and knocked out of the FA Cup by the Canaries before Saturday’s defeat by leaders Coventry.

Following the draw against Charlton, the only one in which the team took the lead under Ramsay, he told BBC WM: “The question around my job and the future is never one I can ever answer or attempt to answer.

“I can only do what I can do over the course of a day and put my head on the pillow at night feeling I’ve turned over every stone.

“I’m not saying I’m blameless – I can only feel I’ve controlled what I can control.”