New owners the Venky's Group announced that they have dispensed with the former Bolton chief's services on Monday despite Rovers sitting relatively comfortably in 13th in the Premier League. "I am very shocked and disappointed to be leaving Blackburn Rovers," Allardyce said in a statement released by the League Managers Association. "I am extremely proud to have managed this club and I enjoyed a fantastic relationship with the players, my staff and the supporters during my time in charge. "I now wish them and the football club every success for the future". Allardyce later told Sky Sports: "I had to pop in to see the chairman this afternoon and he presented the rather shocking news to me. It was obviously unexpected, but that's the world of football today. "It hasn't really been explained to me and I'm a little confused in my own mind at the moment, but the reality will kick in in a couple of days. "For now it's just about me thanking everybody at Blackburn Rovers. "I have had a fantastic two years there and really enjoyed my time with everybody - how well we did, given the circumstances when I took over, and how we built the club going forward. "The support of everyone at Blackburn - the fans, the players and the board - was what I really enjoyed. "It was under relatively difficult circumstances financially, but I understood that before I took the job and, unfortunately, it is no more. "It's up to them now where they take the club forward. I'm not a part of it, I'm very disappointed about that and would have liked to have been a part of it but I'm not." Allardyce's assistant Neil McDonald will also depart, with first-team coach Steve Kean stepping into the breach temporarily. The full statement from Rovers said: "The Venky's Group, owners of Blackburn Rovers Football Club, has today confirmed the departure of manager Sam Allardyce and assistant manager Neil McDonald with immediate effect. "First team coaching duties will be taken on by Steve Kean (currently first team coach) for the immediate future. "We have taken this decision as part of our wider plans and ambitions for the club. We would like to put on record our thanks to Mr Allardyce for his contribution to Blackburn Rovers Football Club." LMA chief executive Richard Bevan lamented the news, with Allardyce falling victim to a takeover for the second time having lost his job under Mike Ashley's regime at Newcastle in 2008. "When new owners take over a club, sadly, the manager's position often hangs by a thread," he said. "To Sam's great misfortune this has now happened twice and, on both occasions, it has been extremely difficult to understand the thinking behind the dismissal. "It is ironic that one minute Sam can be proposed as the next England manager and the next, he finds himself out of work. "He is widely acknowledged within the game as one of the most progressive and forward thinking managers, embracing new concepts and technologies to create an environment which leads to success for his club. "It will not be long before Sam, with his exceptional management experience, is back in a managerial post." Blackburn lost 2-1 away to local rivals Bolton on Sunday, with their opponents down to 10 men. However, that defeat left them still five points clear of the bottom three and in no obvious danger. One bookmaker did reveal a flurry of sizeable bets on Allardyce to be the next top-flight manager to vacate his post and slashed odds from 33/1 to 3/1 today. William Hill also revealed many of the gamblers betting on Allardyce were also placing money on Avram Grant to leave West Ham, leading them to conclude Allardyce may be headed for Upton Park.
