The dismissal of Eric Ramsay as West Bromwich Albion head coach marks the end of the shortest permanent managerial reign in the club’s 148-year history.
Lasting just 44 days, Ramsay’s tenure will be remembered as a catastrophic roll of the dice that has left the Baggies on the precipice of League One football.
Appointed on January 11th 2026, to replace Ryan Mason, Ramsay arrived from Minnesota United with a reputation as one of Britain’s brightest young coaches, much like his predecessor. In his nine games in charge, Ramsay failed to record a single win, overseeing three draws and six defeats.
The stats tell a damning tale of a team in complete freefall. Under Ramsay, Albion scored just five goals while conceding 18, including the humiliating 5-0 defeat to Norwich City. Ironically the only manager to have eclipsed that wait for a first win is Bryan Robson, who went on to orchestrate The Great Escape in 2005.
Club chairman Shilen Patel decided to bite the bullet before that particular milestone could be reached, but the last nine games showed no sign that Ramsay would be able to turn fortunes around.
Shortest permanent managers of West Brom
Ramsay’s departure shatters the previous record of the shortest permanent stint at The Hawthorns, held by Tony Mowbray, whose second spell in 2025 lasted just 93 days. Other disastrous spells include Pepe Mel (120 days) and Alan Pardew (124 days) which highlight just how catastrophic Ramsay’s time in charge has been.
Ramsay’s fate was sealed with the draw to Charlton Athletic.
With the club now firmly in a Championship relegation battle, Shilan Patel must put a stop to gambling on inexperience, hoping to hit the jackpot, and find a proven specialist to perform a much-needed rescue act.