First-team coach Wally Downes leaves West Ham Wally Downes has left his position as West Ham first-team coach, Press Association Sport understands. Downes joined the Hammers as a defensive coach under Avram Grant in November 2010 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.