Aston Villa have been plunged into a fresh crisis just days after being officially relegated from the Premier League, with directors Mervyn King and David Bernstein resigning.
The pair were viewed as a safe pair of hands, with an essential role in helping to rebuild the Villa Park outfit following their relegation to the Championship.
But according to the Times, both King and Bernstein have resigned with immediate effect.
The pair claim their positions are now untenable and their departures leave a big hole in the boardroom at what is a crucial time for Aston Villa.
Bernstein was quoted as saying that the "issues are fundamental and do not lend themselves to compromise."
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The development will pile further pressure on Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner, who is already seeing a large section of fans protesting against his presence at Villa Park.
King joined the board at Aston Villa in February this year and is a former governor of the Bank of England.
Bernstein meanwhile, who was the chairman of Manchester City from 1998 until 2003, only took his role at Villa Park in March.
