Former chief executive Matt Porter has stepped down from Leyton Orient's board at the request of owner Francesco Becchetti.

Porter stood aside as chief executive following this summer's takeover but has resigned as a director because Becchetti wants a smaller board. 

Writing on Twitter, Porter said: "On Monday afternoon I was surprised to receive an email from Alessandro Angelieri, the chief executive of Leyton Orient, asking me to resign from the board of directors.

"The reason I was given for this request is that the club’s owner, Francesco Becchetti, ‘would prefer that the board of directors is kept as small as possible’.

"During and since the takeover, I had been happy and willing to continue serving as a director to assist the new staff with their integration in to the club and to provide an element of continuity from the previous regime, as agreed with the new owner.

"However, to my disappointment, the position has now changed and as requested, I submitted my resignation on Tuesday afternoon, effective immediately.

"Unfortunately, this situation also brings about my resignation from the Football League board, to which I was appointed only in June as a League One club representative."

Porter continued: "It was in March 2006 when Barry Hearn asked me if I’d like to be the chief executive of the football club, five years after I had begun working there, and it was a position I served with dedication and pride from start to finish.

"We came so close to achieving the unthinkable and I have some wonderful memories that will live with me forever. We left the club in great shape, on and off the pitch and we did our best for it in every way.

"I wish the club, its hard working staff and players and wonderfully loyal fans every success and thank everyone who has supported and helped me over the years."

A statement on the Orient website read: "The Leyton Orient owner and board of directors would to like to sincerely thank Matt Porter for his cooperation and willingness to stay on the board of the club during the transition period between the old and new regimes.

"The agreement was limited to this period which has now terminated. Mr Porter has therefore left the board and we wish him great success in his career at Matchroom. We also trust that Mr Porter will remain a big Orient fan going forwards."