Paul Lambert has paid tribute to the Aston Villa supporters and has claimed that he is "extremely proud" of his two-and-a-half-year spell as manager.
The 45-year-old was sacked by the Premier League club last night after 10 games in the top flight without a win.
The Scotsman, who has revealed that his task was to "overhaul" the squad and lower wage structure, fell out of favour with a number of fans, but he has no ill feelings towards the Villa following.
Lambert has also revealed that the club's American owner "warned" him that taking charge of the club would be the "toughest" job that he has had in his career.
In a statement via the League Managers Association, Lambert said: "I am extremely proud to have managed Aston Villa, a founder member of the Football League, and this sentiment will always remain with me.
"My initial remit was to conduct a massive overhaul of the playing squad, lower the overall wage structure of the playing staff and achieve this whilst keeping the club in the Barclays Premier League. There was also a concerted effort to purchase and develop younger players who would provide a solid footing for the football club to move forward and enhance the value of the playing squad in the future.
"When I came on board, the club's owner Randy Lerner warned me that I was embarking on the toughest challenge of my working life and he was not wrong.
"To the players, my sincere thanks to each and every one of them. They are a fantastic group of players and I wish them every success for the rest of their playing careers. I hope to see many of them achieve great things in the game.
"Finally, I pay tribute to the supporters who are among the most passionate I have ever encountered. They rightly hold huge expectations for their beloved football club and I sincerely hope they are rewarded with the success they deserve.
"I completely understand their frustrations and always shared their view that the football club is too big not to be competing at the top end of the table. I hope that can happen."
Villa are currently third from bottom in the league table.
