Spending 200 m to redevelop Olympic stadium for west ham. Whoever is footing the bill for this must have money to burn whether it's the taxpayer or the hammers. Can't understand the wallies didn't put in a bid to ground share. Wouldn't need a lot of redevelopment to accommodate their 5k fans, press boxes would do
£200m is a good headline figure, but I would have thought that someone looking somewhat further down the trap would have calculated how much will come in in tax etc if the Hammers continue to draw large crowds and progress. I also wouldn't bet against a rugby team such as Sarries looking at ground share options in the fullness of time. Pity someone on the Leeds Board couldn't have wound up the press a bit by hinting that we wanted to move there as well!!!
This is part of the same subject of not having a level playing field (Pardon the pun) Fact is the Hammers were in financial trouble and have been ever since the Gold partnership took over and got rid of Zola and his highly paid team. The club are now being helped financially because they make cash for selling their ground and pay a peppercorn rent on a brand new stadium. A stadium/venue that is designed to bring in revenues off the field. They will be a much richer club than they are now and we paid for it for them. Remember that Leyton Orient and even Spurs were wanting to get it and as we speak there are 3 people who were in the payrole of Spurs who have been found guilty of industrial espanage. This story will run and Spurs will get a stiff fine, but the Hammers get a cash life line paid for by taxpayers. Swansea only got to be able to compete in the Championship and get promoted to the prem because the council built them a new stadium which allowed the club to seel Vetchfield for development and bank the cash. How is this fair when councils subsidise football clubs.
Some councils help support football clubs Doc because its the lifeblood of the town. Swansea's new ground is also shared with the Ospreys rugby team amongst others and doubles up as the national stadium for smaller internationals.
Barry Hearn hasn't given up hope of moving in Leyton Orient to ground share with West Ham. He's taking it to the Court of Appeal and good for him. It's more Leyton Orient territory than West Ham anyway. Would love to see both clubs competing in the Championship next season, that'll stick one up the porn peddlers and their misplaced delusions of grandeur
