West Brom Step Up Chase for New Manager With Michael Appleton & Dean Smith Leading Candidates

West Bromwich Albion are believed to have stepped up their chase for a new manager ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, with Michael Appleton and Dean Smith thought to be the leading candidates for the job.

As reported by the Telegraph, the Baggies have been sounding out potential successors to Alan Pardew as the club sit on the brink of relegation to the Championship. Caretaker Darren Moore could also be in the running for the job after an impressive spell in the wake of Pardew's departure, and will certainly remain at the club as a coach if not selected.

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Appleton - a former West Brom player - is currently the assistant manager at Leicester City, but could be looking to step back into his first managerial role since being at the helm of Oxford United from 2014-17. 

Smith - who was born in West Bromwich - is the manager of Championship side Brentford, who narrowly missed out on a playoff play following a strong campaign.

The Baggies have all but booked their place in the Championship next season after a woeful 2017/18 campaign and will be seeking a manager capable of helping them bounce back up at the first time of asking. The club could also see a number of their top players leave, with the likes of Jonny Evans, Jay Rodriguez and Jake Livermore all believed to be planning exits.

Meanwhile, Everton manager Sam Allardyce has also emerged as a potential candidate to take over at the Hawthorns, if he chooses to leave Goodison Park at the end of the season. 

The former England manager has endured mixed fortunes at the club - saving them from relegation but incurring the wrath of the fans with his negative style of football.