FORMER Newcastle manager Chris Hughton is one of the leading candidates to replace Avram Grant at West Ham United after early favourite Steve McClaren ruled himself out of the running yesterday evening.

Grant was dismissed shortly after West Ham's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on Sunday night, and co-owner David Gold is hoping to appoint a successor "within the next three weeks".

Former Middlesbrough and England boss McClaren had been mentioned as a possible replacement yesterday morning, having been dismissed from his most recent post at German club Wolfsburg in February.

However, having turned down the opportunity to move to Upton Park in order to take over at the Riverside in 2001, the Yorkshireman has once again ruled out a job with the Hammers.

"It is very flattering to be linked with a club of West Ham's size and historic stature, also one that has tremendous fans," said McClaren, who spoke of a desire to return to management in England during an interview with The Northern Echo last month.

"However, at this moment in time I do not wish to be considered for the position. But I wish everybody at West Ham all the very best for the future."

With McClaren out of the running, Hughton was installed as the bookmakers' favourite last night some five months after he was dismissed from St James' Park.

The Londoner boasts recent experience of succeeding in the Championship, having guided the Magpies to promotion at the first time of asking last May.

Another former Newcastle boss, Sam Allardyce, is also understood to be interested in the role, along with ex-West Ham players Paulo Di Canio and Slaven Bilic.

"This will be a very, very important appointment," said Gold. "We are choosing a manager capable of getting us out of the Championship. We are looking at everybody and it is important that we have time for CVs to come in to us."