Newcastle have parted company with manager Sam Allardyce less than eight months after he replaced Glenn Roeder.  The 53-year-old, who carried out his pre-match press conference for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Manchester United this afternoon, this evening left St James' Park by 'mutual consent'.

A statement from chairman Chris Mort said: "(Club owner) Mike (Ashley) and I would like to place on record our thanks for Sam's efforts and wish him well for the future.

"A new manager has not yet been appointed at Newcastle United. We will make a further announcement on the managerial position when appropriate."

Allardyce added: "I am disappointed to be leaving Newcastle United, but I wish the club all the best for the remainder of the season and for the future."

News of Allardyce's departure came just days after he received assurances from Ashley and Mort that his job was safe after a difficult first half of the season.

Allardyce arrived at St James' Park on a three-year contract in May last year and set about formulating a long-term plan - which he forecast would take between three and five years to complete.

Crucially, however, he had been appointed by Freddy Shepherd, the long-standing chairman whose own reign was to draw to a close after Ashley completed a £134.4million takeover.

Allardyce was told to get on with his job and was allowed to sign nine players during the summer, although a total investment of around £26million was offset by sales which reduced the net figure to around £10million.

However, a run of just eight victories and six draws in 24 games proved too little return for the club's new hierarchy, and the Magpies are now looking for their eighth manager in 11 years.

The name of former striker Alan Shearer is certain to be placed at the head of the bookmakers' list of candidates to take over, although rumours have been rife on Tyneside for some days that former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was being lined up.

Shearer is currently out of the country on holiday after being repeatedly linked with the job as Allardyce came under intense pressure.

First-team coach Nigel Pearson, as he did for the trip to Watford on the final day of last season following Roeder's departure, will take charge for Saturday's daunting trip to Manchester United.

Allardyce launched his tenure in fine style with a 3-1 victory at former club Bolton on the opening day of the season and went unbeaten for five games.

But a dreadful 1-0 defeat at struggling Derby September 17 set the alarm bells ringing, and subsequent performances failed to inspire and results nose-dived — the Magpies have won only four of their last 15 games in all competitions.

Ashley had plenty of opportunities to listen to the views of fans as he joined them in the stands for several games and mixed with them in the city's bars after others.

Allardyce, who spent eight hugely successful years at Bolton before accepting a job he believed could help him fulfil his ambitions, headed into Sunday's FA Cup third-round clash at Coca-Cola Championship Stoke under huge pressure, although still insisting he had the full backing of his owner and chairman.

A hard-fought 0-0 draw in which Tony Pulis's men might have snatched victory appeared to have steadied the ship slightly, but tonight's announcement confirmed just how shaky the ground was beneath his feat.

All eyes will now be on Shearer, who retired at the end of the 2005-06 season, to make his intentions clear as the club he loves lurches into a new period of uncertainty.