West Bromwich Albion appointed Alan Pardew as manager on a two-and-a-half year contract, the Premier League club said in a statement on Wednesday. Pardew returns to management for the first time since being sacked by Crystal Palace in December 2016 and replaces Tony Pulis at West Brom. Pulis was sacked earlier this month with West Brom hovering just above the relegation zone after four straight league defeats. "I'm thrilled with the opportunity Albion have provided and looking forward to getting to work with what I consider to be a talented group of players," Pardew said on the club website. (www.wba.co.uk) "The immediate challenge will be to get the results we need to pull ourselves up the table. But I'm aware that while I'm joining one of the great, traditional clubs of English football, it is one determined to go forward in the Premier League." (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)