Sam Allardyce has resigned as Crystal Palace manager five months after he joined the Premier League club.
Allardyce replaced Alan Pardew in December on a two-and-half-year deal with the Eagles one point above the relegation zone.
The 62-year-old, who had an ill-fated one-game spell as England boss, led the club to eight wins in 21 games to guide them to a 14th-place finish.
“I have no ambitions to take another job,” Allardyce said in a statement.
“I want to be able to savour life while I am still relatively young, and when I am still relatively healthy enough to do all the things I want to do, like travel, spend more time with my family and grandchildren without the huge pressure that comes with being a football manager.
“This is the right time for me. 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.
Allardyce revealed his decision to chairman Steve Parish at a meeting in London on Tuesday. The Eagles are now looking for their eighth manager in seven years.
Although it took Allardyce six games to get his first victory – with BBC Sport asking if the ‘Big Sam bounce had deserted Palace’ – the former Bolton, Blackburn, Newcastle and West Ham boss maintained his record of never being relegated from the Premier League.
Only Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Harry Redknapp and David Moyes have managed more games in the Premier League.
Allardyce’s final game in charge of Palace came on Sunday, a 2-0 loss at Manchester United, having guaranteed safety the previous week by thrashing Hull 4-0.
Following defeat at Old Trafford, Allardyce indicated his plans to improve the squad in the summer.
He had told BBC Sport: “We now need to grow, develop and invest. You need to choose the right players and not the wrong ones. Recruitment is the difficult task in the summer.”
“In some ways, this has been a very difficult decision to make but in others it has been a simple one.
“I will always be grateful to Crystal Palace and Steve Parish for giving me the opportunity to go out with my head held high having helped keep the club in the Premier League.
“More than that, they gave me a chance of rebuilding my reputation after what happened with England. I felt I needed another shot at being a Premier League manager and showing that I still had the ability to achieve something significant. As I said last weekend, Palace gave me the chance of rehabilitation.
“That’s why it’s hard walking away now. I believe the club are heading in the right direction with a hugely supportive board of directors, a great squad of players and some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever met.
“But there comes a time when you have to take stock of what direction you want your life to take – and that’s been the simple part for me.
“I want to be able to savour life while I’m still relatively young and when I’m still relatively healthy, even if I’m beginning to feel all my 62 years.
“While I’ve got the energy, I want to travel and also spend more time with my family and grandchildren without the huge pressure that comes with being a football manager. I owe that to my wife and family.
“This is the right time for me, I know that in my heart. 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.
“Steve Parish has been superb during our conversations today. I know it came as a shock to him that I would walk away but our discussions have been incredibly civilised with no recriminations and no fall-out.
“This is not about transfer targets, club finances or anything along those lines. This is me taking the decision I believe is right for my family and myself.
“I would like to thank everybody for their messages of support since the news broke. I’ve no doubt I will miss management but I certainly have no regrets at this decision. It’s been a privilege to have worked for them for the past five months.”
