Former Saints coach Wally Downes has left his position as West Ham first-team coach.

Downes joined the Hammers as a defensive coach under Avram Grant in November 2010 – two months after he left Saints in the wake of Alan Pardew’s sacking - and was then promoted by the Israeli's successor Sam Allardyce in the summer of 2011.

The 51-year-old helped Allardyce achieve promotion to the Barclays Premier League at the first time of asking, but it is understood that he left the club yesterday.

Downes, a popular figure among the West Ham support, used to manage Brentford and also played for Wimbledon, Sheffield United and Newport County during his career.