West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady revealed the sacking of Slaven Bilic was among the hardest decisions the club's board has made in the last 25 years.
Bilic's near two-and-a-half-year spell at the helm of West Ham was ended on Monday following last weekend's 4-1 defeat at home to Liverpool, one which left them languishing in the Premier League relegation zone.
The Croatian admitted he "suspected" he would be axed and his honest appraisal of the Hammers' position in the top-flight earned him admirers among the club's hierarchy, according to Brady.