EVERTON FC’S director of communication, Ian Ross, has left the club.

His departure comes after the club launched an internal investigation on November 18 into private emails from Mr Ross about the club’s chief executive, Robert Elstone, that were published on the internet.

But club officials have insisted Mr Ross has not been sacked and the parting is believed to be amicable.

The email correspondence, purporting to be from Mr Ross, was highly critical of Mr Elstone’s leadership, and spoke of a culture of paranoia inside Goodison Park. One mail suggested Mr Elstone was “unfit to lead” and heading for some kind of “breakdown”.

It is understood Mr Ross believes his home email account was hacked.

The media officer, who had been at Everton for 11 years, had been expected to switch to a different department within Goodison in an unrelated move.

The Post understands he was keen on a new role after becoming disillusioned with abuse from a small section of fans. However, when the emails emerged, his position is thought to have become untenable.

There was no official comment from Goodison Park officials or Mr Ross.