Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley and chairman Chris Mort decided to axe Sam Allardyce after he refused to drop his long-ball tactics in a meeting last week, it was revealed.

A Toon source told the Evening Chronicle: "The current board lost patience with Sam due to his unwillingness to play a more attractive brand of football.

"The manager only seemed to want to win ugly. While nobody minds the team winning ugly now and again, nobody at club wanted that every week.

"However, at the minute they felt they were losing ugly.

"They had tried to keep the pressure off Sam by being supportive and coming out in public to back him, but felt enough is enough."

Speaking on the mood of the players and their disillusionment with tactics, the insider said: "It is not what they are used to.

"While it is probably successful at other clubs, it is not working there. The players want to play a more attacking style of football.

"They are perfectly entitled to feel that way because many of them have played in the Champions League."