Gary Rowett is facing the sack at Stoke City with David Moyes and Sam Allardyce in the running to succeed him.

The Coates family’s patience with Rowett is rapidly running out because of a dismal festive period, which saw them lose to Birmingham and Bristol City and draw with struggling Bolton.

Rowett was hired in May to lead Stoke straight back up into the Premier League and instead they are languishing 14th, eight points outside the play-off places.

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The Coates family expected better for their substantial outlay in the summer and they splashed out nearly £30million in the transfer market to land the likes of Tom Ince, James McClean and Sam Clucas.

(Image: PA)

They also handed Joe Allen a new contract to stop him leaving in the wake of relegation.

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The fans have turned on Rowett, who left Derby to take over at the bet365 Stadium, and are calling for his head after their shocking home loss to Bristol City on New Year’s Day.

The Stoke hierarchy have met to discuss Rowett’s future and feel Moyes or Allardyce could come in and mount a promotion push in the second half of the campaign.

(Image: AFP)

Allardyce, who has been out of work since being sacked by Everton at the end of last season, led Bolton and, more recently West Ham, to the Premier League and it is understood he would be prepared to consider taking over at Stoke because they are ambitious.

Moyes, who left West Ham at the end of last season, began his managerial career in the Championship with Preston and would also be prepared to step down to the second tier.

Stoke initially wanted Rowett a year ago when they sacked Mark Hughes before they ended up appointing Paul Lambert, who could not prevent them from being relegated.

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But his standing in the boardroom has plummeted and he has won just eight of his 26 Championship matches.