Portsmouth's relegation rivals sack head coach after just 9 games

One of Portsmouth’s main rivals in the battle to avoid relegation into League One have confirmed they have parted company with their head coach within hours of their latest setback in their bid to avoid the drop.

Just over seven weeks have passed since West Bromwich Albion appointed former Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay as successor to Ryan Mason as the 34-year-old penned a two-and-a-half year deal with the Baggies.

The early signs were not promising as Ramsay’s new side fell to a 3-2 home defeat against title-contenders Middlesbrough within days of his arrival, before slumping to a 5-0 home loss against Norwich City just four days later.

By the time Pompey inflicted a 3-0 defeat on Albion on the final day of January, Ramsay had collected just one point from his opening four games in charge after his side secured a 1-1 draw at Derby County a week before their trip to Fratton Park.

Since then WBA have suffered an FA Cup fourth round exit at the hands of Norwich and failed to win any of their following four league games.

Tuesday night’s 1-1 home draw with Charlton Athletic has left them sitting just one point and one place above the relegation zone - and four points below the Blues, who lost 2-1 at Wrexham on Wednesday night.

However, that meeting with the Addicks will now go down as Ramsay’s final game in charge after the Baggies confirmed they had parted company with the former Minnesota head coach and revealed first-team coach James Morrison has been placed in charge on an interim basis ahead of Saturday’s visit to fellow strugglers Oxford United.

A statement posted on the Baggies website within 90 minutes of the full-time whistle at the Hawthorns read: “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. The club would like to place on record its thanks to Eric and Dennis and wishes them well for the future. First Team Coach James Morrison will oversee first-team affairs on an interim basis.”

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