West Brom make Ryan Mason sacking decision after recording breaking run of defeats

The decision came following Monday night’s gut-wrenching stoppage-time defeat at Leicester which kept the Baggies marooned down in 18th in the Championship.

It also made it six defeats in eight. Mason’s assisted Nigel Gibbs and Sam Pooley have also been relieved of their duties.

The decision was made by owner Shilen Patel and club president Andrew Nestor. First-team coach James Morrison will take Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Swansea as the club prepare an appointment in time for the next league game against Middlesbrough on January 16.

It is the second head coach sacking by owners Bilkul in nine months after they axed former boss Tony Mowbray last April.

Mowbray, who returned to The Hawthorns 15 years after his first stint, had just 17 games at the helm.

Mason was the ownership group’s top target and a project they were keen to back at the helm.

Nestor penned a letter to supporters on December 23 outlining the club’s continuing financial difficulties and signed it off with the desire for time, patience and continuity as “ingredients for success”. 

Three defeats in four games later and Mason was relieved of his duties.

The 34-year-old, appointed from Tottenham for his first senior head coach post, lasted 27 matches in charge and managed just nine wins.

A desperate run of defeats away from The Hawthorns led to Mason’s exit as the Baggies equalled a run of 10 dating back from the 1926/27 campaign.

A defeat in the Cup at Swansea on Sunday would see Albion equal the club’s all-time record of 11, which has happened twice, in 1927 and between 1890 and 1891.Mason departs with Albion closer to the second tier’s bottom three than the top six.