Brentford chairman Cliff Crown has admitted the Mark Warburton affair means there are issues of trust that must be re-built between Bees fans and owner Matthew Benham.

Benham and the Bees board confirmed this week Warburton and assistant manager David Weir would leave the club in the summer with sporting director Frank McParland being put on immediate gardening leave.

It ended speculation over the 52-year-old’s future after reports of a meeting between Crown and Rayo Vallecano boss Paco Jemez surfaced last week.

Fans have been sceptical of the decision to overhaul the management structure at the club and align it with a more European-style model – particularly with the Bees riding high in the Championship.

But Crown has insisted the lifelong fan is only acting in the long term interests of the club and that the short term pain would be worth it.

“From the fans’ point of view this has all come as a big surprise, but they must understand the bigger picture,” he said.

“We have tried to be as open and honest as we can. The fans must trust Matthew and the board and understand we have a long term vision.

“That is for the club to be sustainable and to ultimately reach and remain in the Premier League.

“Matthew is a long standing fan of the club and whatever decision he makes he is making it in – what he believes to be - the best interests of the club.

“It might not prove to be the right decision, but is one made with the best intentions.

“We have enjoyed much success and we want to enjoy even more success.

“We believe this is the way forward and if you believe something you have to act on it.

“Fans must trust us and appreciate we will all be working as hard as we can to make this decision a success.”

Crown confirmed the club is yet to identify a replacement for Warburton, who secured promotion form League One last term and has led the Bees to seventh in the current Championship table.

Warburton and Weir, who might have been tempted elsewhere knowing their time was up at Griffin Park, have pledged to remain at the club until the summer.

And the chairman believes they will stay true to their word.

“We will be looking to find a replacement over the next few months, but we certainly have not got anyone lined up already,” he added.

“Between now and the end of the season we are 100 per cent committed to Mark and David and will work with them to get the best results we can on the pitch and get the highest possible finish in the table.

“I believe Mark will stay. He and David want to finish the job they have started and we want them to finish the job they have started.”