West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has denied suggestions that he will be sacked if the club fail to secure promotion this season.
The Hammers, who were relegated from the Premier League 12 months ago, face Blackpool in the Championship playoff final at Wembley later today.
While he admits that the club's aim was to go straight back up in one season, Allardyce stresses that his owners' realistic expectation was that a top-flight return would take two seasons.
"If I don't get West Ham up I won't expect the sack," he told talkSPORT. "I have a two-year contract with David Sullivan and David Gold.
"They told me that I've got to get West Ham back up in two years, otherwise I haven't done the job.
"I want to get them back up in one season though. We went all out for the first season but if we don't quite make it, we'll make it next year."
West Ham have won their last three meetings with Blackpool by an aggregate score of 11 goals to two.
Robert Summerscales
