Man City deputy chairman leaves

Manchester City deputy chairman John Wardle has left the club after 11 years, it has been announced.

Wardle, who also had a spell as chairman, oversaw years of change at the club including the move from Maine Road and Thaksin Shinawatra's takeover.

"I enjoyed every minute of my time here, whatever job I was asked to do," he told the club website.

"In my time as chairman we never fell out of the top flight and achieved the stability the club craved for so long."

Without his input in the darkest days of the third tier of English football, we would not be in the position in which we find ourselves today Man City executive chairman Garry Cook

Wardle instigated the sale of the club to Thai billionaire Shinawatra, a move he believed was necessary for City to remain competitive in the Premier League.

"It was for this reason that I took the necessary step of selling the club last year, as I believed we had taken Manchester City as far as it could go," he said.

New executive chairman Garry Cook paid tribute to Wardle's contribution.

"Every single City fan owes him an enormous thank you, not just for his financial investment but for the enthusiasm, emotion and wisdom he has imparted to it," he said.

"He has been the fabric of this football club and quite simply, without his input in the darkest days of the third tier of English football, we would not be in the position in which we find ourselves today."