West Brom have cleared out their boardroom.

The Express & Star says Chinese owner Guochuan Lai has stunned Albion's top brass by sacking chairman John Williams and chief executive Martin Goodman.

Williams and Goodman have both been given sudden notice of the termination of their contracts and placed on gardening leave with immediate effect.

The double sacking, which came as a shock to both men, has plunged a club staring down the barrel of relegation after one win in 25 league matches into further crisis.

A short statement released around midday today said: "These changes follow Albion's poor results this season which currently sees the club at the bottom of the Premier League."

Lai made the decision partly because Williams and Goodman sacked Tony Pulis, who was seen as a safe pair of hands in China. Pulis is now in charge of Middlesbrough.