Tony Carr, the former academy director of West Ham United, has left the club after 43 years.
End to a era
Carr is responsible for bringing through some of the best talent that the club has produced, overseeing the progress of the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe and Glen Johnson.
A West Ham statement read: "We can confirm that Tony Carr has left the club with immediate effect after his two-year contract as club ambassador came to an end."
It concluded: "Tony will forever be held in the highest regard by everyone at West Ham United for his outstanding service to the club" and "he will always be welcome at the new stadium."
The 65-year-old was replaced back in 2014 by Terry Westley, and took up a ambassadorial role in the club but he has left the club with immediate effect.
It is believed that Carr was handed a redundancy payment of £14,000, and the former coach shared his disappointment.
He told the Daily Mail: "The way it was done with people from HR" who Carr believes "have been here hardly any time at all, was particularly disrespectful in my opinion" but believes "that's the way of the world these days."
Entering the youth
The new academy director Westley, will be taken his young side into the newly-formatted EFL trophy.
The Hammers, who won the U21 Premier League Cup last season, will take on a group consisting of Coventry City, Wycombe Wanderers and Northampton Town, and Westley is excited for his side to be taking part.
Westley told whufc.com: "We’ve been trying to be involved in this for a long time" and believes it is "important for us to take part and show our support to the Premier League" and admitted "It will be tough though, for sure, but it's exciting to be involved."
West Ham United will take on NK Domzale in the third qualifying round of the Europa League on Thursday, July 28 with kick-off at 4pm BST.