Sunderland have appointed Sam Allardyce as their new manager to replace Dick Advocaat.

The former West Ham and Newcastle united boss has been handed a two-year contract at the Stadium of Light.

"I have enjoyed my break from football and now I'm raring to get back," Allardyce said in a statement on the club's website.

"I met with Ellis and we spoke at length about the club and his ambitions and I knew I wanted to be part of that. 

"I hope to be able to help to bring the stability and success that everyone wants.

"Of course it's a challenging job, but it's something I have experience of in the past. I'm looking forward to working with the players and of course I will be relying on the help of the Sunderland supporters, whose tremendous passion I have experienced first-hand. I can't wait to get started."

Advocaat, who had impressively kept Sunderland up last season, announced his decision to leave the club following their 2-2 home draw with West Ham on October 3.

Sunderland are 19th in the Premier League, having picked up just three points from their opening eight matches, while they were knocked out of the League Cup by Manchester City.

Allardyce left West Ham by mutual consent in the close-season after four largely successful years at Upton Park. While many fans never quite warmed to his style of play, he led them to promotion in his first season before finishes of 10th, 13th and 12th in the top flight.

The 60-year-old played for Sunderland over one season between 1980 and 1981, while he previously managed the club's fierce rivals Newcastle, lasting only 18 months in the role after proving largely unpopular with supporters at St James' Park.

Allardyce has also managed Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. 

His first match in the new role will be the away game against West Brom on October 17, before a big derby against fellow strugglers Newcastle the following week.