CHRIS HUGHTON is being backed for a quick return to management.

The sacked Albion manager is odds-on favourite to take over at West Brom.

Hughton is expected to have talks at The Hawthorns in the next few days and an appointment could follow quite quickly.

If successful, he would take over as permanent successor to Darren Moore, who was controversially sacked in March with his team fourth in the Championship.

The Baggies were knocked out of the play-offs by Aston Villa on Tuesday, spelling the end of James Shan’s stint in caretaker command.

Before being let go by chairman Tony Bloom on Monday morning, Hughton was confident he could improve on the Seagulls’ 17th- place finish of 2018-19.

He would relish the chance to get straight back into management.

A spell in charge of nearby Birmingham City leaves Hughton with many good contacts in the West Midlands including in the media, as was obvious when Albion visited West Brom in the FA Cup.

The Baggies had the worst defensive record among this season’s promotion chasers and kept just three clean sheets at home.

Moore would love to see Hughton back in business.

He said: “What a magnificent man, somebody I know personally, “I really wish him well and hope he gets back into the game really quickly because the game needs character like Chris.”

Hughton was last night ahead of Lincoln boss Danny Cowley and Neil Lennon, who has been in caretaker control at Celtic, in the betting.

Speaking ahead of the clash of the Albions in the FA Cup in January, Hughton said: “The feel of West Brom is still very much Premier League.”