Dennis Wise has resigned from his position as a director of Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) after just eight months in the job.
CPO, who own the freehold of Stamford Bridge, offered Wise the chance to rejoin the board in November after Chelsea failed to convince CPO to sell them back the land under the stadium.
However, Wise believes that his role has changed since he arrived, citing a difference in what was expected of him as the reason behind leaving the board.
"I've thought this through long and hard, and I'm sad to inform you I have decided to resign as a director of Chelsea Pitch Owners. I came in to help out the company in what was obviously a difficult time," the 45-year-old said in a statement.
"However, it's become clear to me that the role of CPO director has changed a lot since the early days, and perhaps different skill-sets to mine are required.
"I genuinely wish you all the best going forward."
Wise played for Chelsea between 1990 and 2001, captaining the side to two FA Cups, one League Cup and one Cup Winners' Cup.