Trevor Birch has resigned as chief executive of Chelsea, the English premier league club said today.
The news comes five days after Peter Kenyon joined the London club as "chief executive officer" after resigning from the same role at Manchester United.
Trevor Birch has resigned as a director of the company and from all other roles with Chelsea Village plc and affiliated entities," Chelsea's parent company Chelsea Village said in a statement.
"The resignation is effective immediately, but Mr Birch will assist during a transition period.
"The directors were hopeful that, in light of the recent appointment of Peter Kenyon as chief executive officer, they would be able to develop another senior executive position within Chelsea Village plc that could take advantage of Trevor's enormous skills and also satisfy his requirements.
"Unfortunately, that has not been possible."
Birch, who joined the London club in March 2002, oversaw Chelsea's extraordinary summer spending spree when new Russian owner Roman Abramovich financed the purchase of £110 million worth of new playing talent.