SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown has been left astounded by the dismissal of his close friend Sam Allardyce as England manager.

Allardyce, who Brown worked alongside at both Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers for several seasons, had his contracted terminated by mutual agreement after his appearance in a Daily Telegraph investigation into corruption.

And Brown has compared Allardyce's departure to a family bereavement.

“I’m astounded by the whole scenario if I’m honest,” said the Blues boss.

“Managers at the top level have to be on their guard all the time and he certainly knew what he was getting into managing England.

“But at his opening press conference when he was announced as the manager he finished off with ‘bring it on lads’ and I thought that was an interesting comment to make.

“At the same time, I’m still astounded he’s left his post and can’t believe something like this has happened.

"It really hit me after I heard the news following our win against Oxford and it felt like a family bereavement.

The Telegraph, as part of a wide-ranging operation, targeted the newly-appointed national manager and covertly filmed him making a variety of indiscreet and controversial comments to undercover reporters posing as businessmen.

Some were merely disparaging or offensive - such as those aimed at predecessor Roy Hodgson, who was demeaningly referred to as ‘Woy’ in a reference to his speech impediment - while others were taken more seriously by the FA.

The willingness of Allardyce and his adviser Mark Curtis to negotiate a £400,000 pay day to act as a keynote speaker for investment firms in the Far East was not viewed kindly by employers who already paid him £3million a year, despite his belated caveat that he would need to run any deal “past the powers that be”.

And his thoughts on third-party ownership were arguably even more damaging, as he discussed the apparent circumvention of a practice that was banned by the FA in 2008.

But Brown knows Allardyce will be gutted to have left and insists he never questioned his integrity during their time together.

“This is horrendous for the big man,” said the 57-year-old.

“I know him very well and, as far as I’m concerned, his integrity was always in tact when I’ve been with him.

“But I’ll be on the phone to him as soon as possible to see what he has to say.

“However the damage has been done sadly.”