LONDON, Nov 30 — Former England boss Sam Allardyce will be appointed Everton manager today after finalising an 18-month deal with the struggling Premier League club.

Allardyce watched from the stands as Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick in Everton’s 4-0 thrashing of West Ham United yesterday and will be in place for the weekend’s home clash against Huddersfield Town.

"Sam has my full backing, the board have made their decision and, like any manager, he needs to be afforded time, patience and given the chance and the backing from the whole football club and he certainly has my full backing,” caretaker boss David Unsworth said after signing off with a smile on his face.

Unsworth, who will return to his job with the under 23s having taken charge of the first team since Ronald Koeman’s sacking in October, said he had spoken to Allardyce at the club’s training ground yesterday.

"I had 10 minutes with him this afternoon at Finch Farm, he came in with Steve Walsh and had a quick look around,” he said.

The 63-year-old Allardyce, who has had stints at Sunderland, West Ham United and Crystal Palace after an impressive eight-year stay at Bolton Wanderers, takes over with Everton 13th in the table, five points above the relegation zone.

Allardyce has never been relegated from the Premier League and stepped in to rescue struggling Crystal Palace midway through last season. He resigned, however, before the start of the current campaign.

Everton sacked Koeman last month and placed Unsworth in temporary charge, but results did not immediately improve.

Allardyce, who has a reputation for building direct, defensively solid teams, has been out of work since leaving Palace in the close season.

That job was his first role since resigning as England manager in 2016 following a newspaper sting after just 67 days and one game in charge.

Allardyce’s task will be to restore stability and return the club to being regular top-seven finishers as they were under David Moyes from 2004-2013 and under Koeman last season. — Reuters