Why did Sam Allardyce leave England job - how many matches was Leeds United boss in charge of Three Lions?

Sam Allardyce has made a dramatic return to the Premier League after Leeds United appointed him for the final four fixtures of the season.

Following ten weeks and 12 games, Javi Gracia was relieved of his duties yesterday (Wednesday 3 May) with ‘Big Sam’ waiting in the wings. Allardyce is now the third manager Leeds have had this season alone and will aim to keep the struggling Yorkshire side in the Premier League.

If the former West Brom manager is able to secure enough points to keep Leeds safe, he will earn an additional £2.5million, and Allardyce believes he is the best man for the job. In his first press conference as manager of Leeds, he said: “Far too many people think that I am old and antiquated which is far from the truth. I might be 68 and old but there’s nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta.”

As Leeds cling on to their final lifeline, Premier League fans will also remember Allardyce’s jaded England career. Here is all you need to know about the Leeds boss’ time with the national squad...

When did Allardyce manage England?

Following England’s early departure from the 2016 Euros tournament, in which they lost 2-1 to Iceland, Roy Hodgson left the Three Lions camp and Allardyce was appointed manager.

However, 67 days later, Allardyce left his post by mutual agreement with the Football Association and he had managed just one game in charge - a 1-0 win against Slovakia. The departure came after a newspaper investigation claimed he offered advice on how to “get around” rules on player transfers and he was also alleged to have used his role to negotiate a deal worth £400,000 to represent a Far East firm.

What happened in the 67 days?

The Daily Telegraph said Allardyce had a meeting with undercover reporters who were posing as businessmen before he took charge of his first training session with England. During the meeting, it was alleged Allardyce said it was “not a problem” to bypass rules on third-party player ownership and he claimed he knew agents who were “doing it all the time.”

Third-party ownership occurs when investment companies take a stake in the economic rights of players. The practice was banned by the FA in 2008 and by Fifa in May 2015.

Additionally, it was further alleged that a £400,000 deal was struck for him to represent the company to Far East investors and he would be a keynote speaker at events.

Allardyce was cleared of any wrongdoing, although admitted he had been a “fool.” At the time, the former Everton boss met FA chairman Greg Clarke to offer what he called a “sincere and wholehearted apology for my actions.”

He added: “As part of the meeting, I was asked to clarify what I said and the context in which the conversations took place. I have cooperated fully in this regard. I also regret my comments with regard to other individuals.”

When is Leeds’ next game?

Allardyce’s first game in charge of Leeds takes place at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday 6 May against Manchester City. The match will kick-off at 3pm.