Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein admits he's still frustrated over his sacking by the previous board.

Dein was shown the door by former chairman Peter Hill-Wood.

He told the Daily Mail: "I'm a glass half-full person.

"I want to be positive, I want to be the guy who puts a brick in the wall, who builds something. That was the worst I felt apart from when my mother, and my brother Arnold, died. I left with tears in my eyes.

"Brutal, yes, that's how I'd describe it. It was a combination of fear and jealousy. I was fairly high-profile and I think the rest of the board were upset that I was trying to source outside investment, talking to Stan Kroenke about my shares. They wanted to keep it a closed shop. But I could see where the game was going.

"You look at football now — Chelsea, Manchester City, even Newcastle. We didn't have the same muscle. We had wealthy people, but not billionaires. We didn't have enough money to finance the new stadium and finance the team. We were trying to dance at two weddings.

"Arsene (Wenger) and I would come out of board meetings feeling we'd been knocking our heads against a brick wall. We lost Ashley Cole over five grand a week. It was a very difficult time. There was a lot of friction because of the cost of the stadium and we had to ration the salaries. Arsene used every bit of skill in his body to find cheap players. A lot of managers wouldn't have taken that.

"He did it without qualms, he just got on with it, but the last year or so was uncomfortable for me. We had been a harmonious group and now there were factions. So yes, I stuck my neck out. You don't get anything unless you stick your neck out. I was in commodities. You go long or you go short. You have to take a position."

Dein also said: "It wasn't so long before that we'd been Invincible. We'd just moved into our new stadium. We had so much going for us.

"It took a lot to get over it. It did feel like a death in the family. Arsenal was part of my life since the age of 10; I'd helped deliver 18 trophies for them.

"Arsene and I had such a wonderful working relationship. It was Lennon and McCartney, according to some. He bled for me, I bled for him. He is still my closest friend. Seeing that taken away was such a shame. It wasn't in the best interests of the club. We spoke that night. He didn't think he could stay. I persuaded him to stay."