West Bromwich Albion have dismissed head coach Eric Ramsay after just nine matches in charge, with the club sitting only one point above the Championship relegation zone.
The 34-year-old was appointed on an 11 January two-and-a-half-year contract following the departure of Ryan Mason. He inherited a side positioned 18th in the table, seven points clear of the bottom three, but leaves with Albion entrenched in a survival battle after failing to secure a single victory.
Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at home to Charlton Athletic proved to be Ramsay’s final game at The Hawthorns.
In a statement, the club confirmed:
“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.
“First-team coach James Morrison will oversee first-team affairs on an interim basis.”
Ramsay arrived at Albion following a promising spell in Major League Soccer with Minnesota United, where he guided the club to consecutive Conference play-off semi-finals. Prior to that, he served as a first-team coach at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag and held an assistant role with the Wales national team.
However, his tenure in the Midlands unravelled quickly. A 3-2 defeat to Middlesbrough in his opening match was followed by a 5-0 home loss to Norwich City — the club’s heaviest home defeat outside the top flight. Although Albion briefly steadied with draws against Derby County, Stoke City and Birmingham City, performances remained inconsistent.
Defeats to fellow strugglers Portsmouth and Championship leaders Coventry City compounded their slide, while elimination from the FA Cup at the hands of Norwich further intensified pressure.
After the Charlton draw — the only game in which Albion led under Ramsay — the Welshman acknowledged the mounting scrutiny.
“The question around my job and the future is never one I can answer,” he told BBC WM. “I can only focus on the work each day. I’m not saying I’m blameless — only that I’ve controlled what I can control.”
His departure marks West Brom’s fourth managerial change in 14 months, following Carlos Corberán’s exit to Valencia and Tony Mowbray’s dismissal before the end of last season.
Ramsay’s reign lasted just 44 days — the shortest of any permanent manager in the club’s history. Statistically and contextually, it proved damaging.
He leaves without a win, collecting four points from eight league fixtures, and overseeing Albion’s heaviest home defeat in the second tier. A win percentage of 0% and a slide into a relegation scrap underline the scale of regression during his brief tenure.
Tactically, Ramsay’s immediate shift to a 3-4-3 system — without a squad naturally suited to that structure — appeared ill-judged. The experiment was abandoned after a heavy defeat to Portsmouth, but by then confidence had eroded.
Responsibility, however, does not rest solely with the head coach. Albion’s profligacy in front of goal and recurring defensive lapses were persistent issues, while the board’s decision to appoint another relatively inexperienced head coach has also drawn scrutiny.
Chairman Shilen Patel now faces a critical juncture. With 12 games remaining, Albion are fighting to avoid a first drop into League One since 1999-2000 — and only the second third-tier relegation in their history.
James Morrison assumes interim charge for the third time in less than a year. The former midfielder remains unbeaten in his previous caretaker spells and has spoken openly about his deep connection to the club, describing West Brom as being “in his DNA.”
His immediate task is clear: stabilise performances, restore belief and secure Championship survival.
Meanwhile, in the boardroom, Patel begins the search for a fourth head coach since his takeover — a decision that could define both the season and the club’s short-term future.
