TWO former Albion stars have praised Gus Poyet’s upwardly mobile stint in charge of the club.

But the Seagulls manager is still believed to be heading for an acrimonious departure from The Amex after he was suspended for alleged breach of contract.

Albion are continuing their internal procedures after telling Poyet, his assistant Mauricio Taricco and coach Charlie Oatway to stay away from the club.

There has been no communication from the Seagulls on the matter since announcing the suspension on Thursday evening.

In an online poll at theargus.co.uk, 65% of fans said they no longer wanted Poyet as manager while 25% hoped he would stay.

Elliott Bennett and Gary Dicker, while not commenting on the disciplinary matters, have urged fans to remember Poyet’s efforts to haul Albion from the depths of League One to the brink of the Premier League.

Bennett, who helped Norwich beat outgoing Premier League champions Manchester City yesterday, tweeted: “Hearing a lot of bad things about my former manager Gus Poyet, can only speak how I find but he is a top manager who helped me a lot!”

When asked if Poyet struggled with man management, the star winger from Albion’s League One winning side of 2010-11 replied: “Not with me he didn't. Was excellent whole time I was at club.”

In an interview for today’s edition of our pullout The Score, Dicker said: “He has helped every player and the club. Thanks to the gaffer.”

The midfielder, who was released last week, added: “I think there are a lot of people who don’t really know where they stand or what’s going on with the club. Hopefully they keep progressing.”

Poyet’s odds for the vacant manager’s job at Everton have lengthened from 9/4 before he was suspended to 9/1 last night.

He was 1/2 with William Hill to have left the club by the start of next season after play-off defeat to Crystal Palace but that market has now been withdrawn.