West Bromwich Albion have sacked chairman John Williams as the pressure builds on Alan Pardew, with the club facing a huge battle to save their Premier League lives.

Williams and Martin Goodman, the chief executive, have both been dismissed by Chinese owner Guochuan Lai as the strugglers take ruthless action over the Midlanders’ poor position.

Pardew’s job is safe despite the head coach picking up only one league win since his appointment, though his methods and management are understood to be causing some friction within the squad.

Albion flew out to Barcelona for a mid-winter training camp on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after the 3-0 defeat at Chelsea which leaves them seven points adrift of safety. It is claimed that many players are unhappy with the trip.

But Lai, the controlling shareholder, has taken brutal action in the boardroom, in a bid to galvanise West Brom with their eight-year existence as a Premier League club hanging in the balance.