WEST HAM chief executive Scott Duxbury has resigned from his position at the club.

An official statement on the Hammers’ website revealed that Duxbury would stand down from the role, following the takeover of David Gold and David Sullivan last week.

The statement from Duxbury read: “I am proud of my work at West Ham United but feel the time is right for me to pursue other opportunities.

“I wish Mr Sullivan, Mr Gold and Karren (Brady, vice chairman) great success in driving this wonderful football club forward, and I know under their stewardship the club will prosper. Thank you to all the supporters who have kept faith with the club through good and bad times.”

It is believed Duxbury was squeezed out by the new regime, with both Sullivan and Gold revealing their plans to cut costs where possible, given the club’s estimated total debt of £110million.

Duxbury arrived at the Boleyn Ground as the club’s lawyer under the ownership of Terry Brown, before he was subsequently promoted to the role of chief executive by then new Icelandic owners, headed by Eggert Magnusson.

However, his time there was not without controversy, as he played a major role in the purchase of Carlos Tevez, which was found to have breached Premier League rules, and the club still face the prospect of paying upwards of £30m in fines and compensation payments to Sheffield United.

Vice chairman Brady added: “We thank Scott for his valued contribution and wish him every success in the future.”