If Sam Allardyce is indeed the man appointed to replace Roy Hodgson as England manager, he will have an Irish priest to thank for setting him on the path to international football.

The current Sunderland boss is the front-runner to take the job following England's humiliating Euro 2016 exit, with Bournemouth's Eddie Howe a possible assistant, and would take the role having worked his way up the Football League following spells with the likes of Blackpool, Preston, Notts County and Bolton.

While he also has vast Premier League experience, Allardyce's management career began in the summer of 1991, when Father Joe Young approached him to take over the management job at Irish side Limerick, where he was chairman.

Sam Allardyce's managerial career began at Limerick but he could now be appointed England manager

SAM ALLARDYCE'S MANAGERIAL CAREER HISTORY 1991–1992: Limerick 1992: Preston North End 1994–1996: Blackpool 1997–1999: Notts County 1999–2007: Bolton Wanderers 2007–2008: Newcastle United 2008–2010: Blackburn Rovers 2011–2015: West Ham United 2015–: Sunderland Advertisement

Father Young was a West Brom fan and knew Allardyce from his time with the club as a player- coach so, as he combed through a list of potential managers, his stood out and he made the call.

After a visit to see the club's modest facilities, Allardyce accepted but continued to be based in England, flying to the west of Ireland late in the week to take training and then overseeing his side's game before flying home.

It wasn't a glamorous start to his managerial career, which saw the then 36-year-old join Father Young with collection bowls in a bid to raise funds for the club, in a town known as 'Stab City' due to problems with drug use, violence and unemployment.

Allardcye was successful while in Ireland as he won promotion to the top flight during his only season there

But, despite the struggles, the pair enjoyed success in their one and only season together, as Allardyce secured promotion to the top flight before returning to English football as assistant manager at Preston.

His influence had extended to more than just the football field.

'When Sam told me he was moving on I was very sad – in fact I cried,' Young told The Telegraph.

'He gave the youth of Limerick a reason to get up in the morning, to believe there was more to life than sleeping in and taking drugs.

Allardyce only ended up in Ireland following a call from Father Joe Young, who convinced him to take the helm

'Nothing he has achieved since has surprised me. He was driven by a belief that nothing was impossible. That's why we called it (the club's ground) the field of dreams, and I had the joy of sharing it with him for a while.'

The two remain in touch, with Allardyce making the priest West Ham's honorary chaplain after taking over at Upton Park and sending him a Hammers tracksuit.