Thompson announced he will stand down when a replacement can be found - which is likely to take at least three months - but was not prepared to go quietly.

He fired a broadside at Gary Megson, who has just steered the club back to the top flight of English football for the first time in 16 years, claiming the manager had actively sought to force him out of The Hawthorns.

‘‘I think it is pretty clear that Gary would like me out of the job of chairman and there has been a whispering campaign going on for quite a long time,’’ he said.

‘‘Chairmen have to say no to managers and it is not always easy to accept no.

‘‘I don’t think there has ever been a rift (between us) but Gary has made it clear he doesn’t want to work with me any more and in those circumstances it is for me to decide what is best for the club.

‘‘Clearly we want Gary to stay at the club and in these circumstance I am in a no-win situation and I have decided that it is in the best interests of the club to advertise for a new chairman and when one is found I will step down.’’

Thompson and Megson very publicly disagreed on the club’s scouting system, with the chairman stating that it was not good enough.

‘‘Gary has stated that the scouting system was his dad and a couple of Gary’s mates and the lack of a proper scouting system has held the club back for years,’’ added Thompson, who criticised Megson’s plans to control the scouting system and ignore a more integrated approach involving the chairman, chief executive, manager, assistant manager and chief scout.

‘‘Gary does not want such meetings to take place and will not allow the five of us to sit down in the same room to discuss players.

‘‘It will be very difficult to survive long-term in the Premier League over the next few years in any event, but our chances of surviving long-term without an integrated scouting system are extremely slim.

‘‘I hope that the next chairman will be able to rectify this situation.’’

Thompson has pledged to stay on until his successor can be found in order to ensure a smooth transition into the Premiership.

‘‘I didn’t want to leave a void so I said I would stay until we could find a replacement,’’ he explained.

‘‘It is a very hard, demanding job and we will be advertising it and hoping to find someone who can take the club forward as it has progressed in the last 24 months.’’