Swansea City have announced that sporting director Leon Britton has stepped down from his role at the club, which has left many fans of the South Wales club disappointed.
Britton, who made 536 appearances in 16 years with the Swans as a player, became the club's first sporting director in September 2019.
After retiring as a player in 2018, the 37-year-old served as an advisor to the board prior to his promotion earlier this season.
Among the key decisions Britton helped to make while working alongside the board were the appointments of head coach Steve Cooper and head of recruitment Andy Scott.
Swansea announced this morning that Britton had stepped down from his current role and stated that everyone at the club "would like to thank Leon for his hard work and wish him well for the future".
Club chairman Trevor Birch noted that they're sorry to see the former midfielder leave.
He said: "He has made a huge contribution in helping to restructure and drive the football operation forward.
“While he always wanted to take a break from the game, he didn’t hesitate in agreeing to my request to help out when we needed his knowledge, intelligence and passion for the club
In the announcement on the club website, the former Swans midfielder revealed that he was disappointed to leave but that he needed a break.
He explained: "The time is right for me to take a break, spend some quality time with my family and enjoy the freedom and flexibility of a ‘normal’ life."
Britton first arrived at Swansea on loan from West Ham United in 2002, signing with the South Wales club permanently the following year.
The 37-year-old represented the Swans in all four divisions of English football, helping the club to secure promotion to the Premier League in 2011.
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Clearly, Britton was a popular figure at the Liberty Stadium and his exit has disappointed many Swans fans.
Read their reaction here: