Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce will be appointed England manager within the next 24 hours, according to reports.

The 61-year-old Sunderland boss arrived at Victoria Park for his club’s first pre-season friendly against Hartlepool shortly after 6pm on Wednesday evening as the news emerged that he is likely to be announced as Roy Hodgson’s successor following a Football Association Board meeting on Thursday.

It is a dream appointment for the former Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham manager, who was beaten to the post by Steve McClaren 10 years ago.