CECIL Duckworth admits calling time on John Brain's six-year stay at Worcester was the hardest decision he has had to make in his time as club chairman.

Brain was shown the door just 48 hours after guiding his side to Premiership safety with a superb victory over Saracens.

Mike Ruddock took over as director of rugby the following day.

And Duckworth admits it was far from easy to dispense with the services of a man who had guided the team to the top flight three years ago.

"The news came as a shock to most people within the club and outside it," he said. "If you look back over the last 18 months, we haven't performed anything like we would have liked to have done and believed we could do."

Duckworth contacted Ruddock when the club slid to eight consecutive Guinness Premiership defeats at the start of the season.

"As a contingency plan, when the backs were not performing well, we parted company with (head coach) Anthony Eddy," said Duckworth. "That wasn't easy, he was a very nice man, but we weren't really adapting to his style of rugby.

"He departed and John, at that time, offered to resign. I persuaded him not to do that but there was a question mark in that direction."

The multi-millionaire chairman admits he doesn't know the exact point at which he decided Ruddock would replace Brain, who was not aware he was on borrowed time.

"Mike had said that he would like the opportunity," said Duckworth. "I felt that's the way I wanted the club to go and I talked to my colleagues and we felt that was the best solution even though we managed to win four games out of six.

"That was a fantastic achievement and John helped to achieve that with the players and (backs coach) Billly McGinty and the back-up team."

Club skipper Pat Sanderson also paid tribute to Brian's contribution.

"The players and John were very close and it is always a huge disappointment for us when you have been together with someone for a long time to have that bond broken," said Sanderson.

"I am certain John will be in employment in rugby very, very soon and doing a great job and it is important everyone understands the job John did.

"We have got to look forward and, to get somebody of the quality of Mike, with what he has achieved in rugby, is very exciting for the players."