LONDON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- English football club Brighton and Hove Albion sacked manager Chris Hughton on Monday after a poor finish to their Premier League season.

Hughton, 60, who took charge at Brighton since December 2014, have been fired despite helping the Seagulls to retain their Premier League status for a second successive season. However, the team saw a poor finish and was at significant risk of relegation as they won just three of their final 23 games, ranking in 17th place.

Chairman Tony Bloom said in the official announcement, "Chris has done an excellent job over the past four and a half years. Undoubtedly, this has been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make as chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion, but ultimately one I have made due to how we struggled in the second half of the season. It is with that in mind, and the performances during that period, that I now feel it's the right time for a change."

"Chris will always be very fondly remembered by Albion staff and fans as one of our club's finest and most-respected managers."

Hughton's assistant Paul Trollope and first-team coach Paul Nevin have also left.