West Ham Ladies: Stacey Little 'quits' over 'disgusting' treatment

West Ham Ladies captain Stacey Little says she has left the club after being "treated disgustingly".

The 28-year-old midfielder claimed on Twitter that she was suspended for "having an opinion as captain" and had decided to leave.

However, chairman Stephen Hunt said manager Marc Nurse had deemed Little "surplus to requirements".

Nurse replaced former West Ham defender Julian Dicks as manager of the Women's Premier League South side in July.

Little added: "Tonight I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken to be leaving the club I love and have done so much for.

"When they say blood, sweat and tears that's exactly what I have given and so much more."

Hunt told BBC Sport: "A meeting was called by the manager for Tuesday evening to announce his decision to release a number of senior players, including Stacey Little, whom he deemed surplus to requirements.

"The club is focusing its future on its main players such as Aditi Chauhan, the Indian international, and Giulia Ferrandi from Italy.

"We also have a number of new signings being discussed, including players from Women's Super League teams."

Kelley Blanchflower, Lily Mellors, Emma Sherwood, Kerry Stimson and Kayleigh Xidhas are also leaving West Ham.

Forward Blanchflower, 22, tweeted: "No words will ever explain what happened today, still in shock".

Midfielder Mellors, 23, said: "Clueless clueless clueless people! All I can do is laugh!"

West Ham, who finished sixth in Premier League South - the level below Women's Super League - last season before Dicks took a coaching role with the men's first team, are set to make a further statement on Wednesday.

Nurse told the BBC in August that he was aiming to win the division within two years.