UPTON SPARK ... Sullivan, Gold and Brady, new
star of The Apprentice
Gold and Sullivan, both West Ham fans, are
expected to be unveiled as the new owners this lunchtime. Straight
after the big announcement they will go into a board meeting to
formally begin their reign at the Boleyn Ground.
One of their first moves will be to formally appoint
Sun columnist Brady as their vice-chairman. Brady is Sir Alan
Sugar's new advisor on BBC TV's The Apprentice, whose catchphrase
is 'You're Fired'.
The new Then they'll quickly turn to helping
beleaguered boss Gianfranco Zola by giving him the green light to
sign players in a bid to avoid the threat of relegation. But
undoubtedly their top, long-term priority will be dealing with the
mountain of debt they will inherit as part of the purchase of the
club from out-going owners, Straumur.
Some insiders fear West Ham owe close to £100m and that
huge sum would test even the business acumen of Gold and
Sullivan.
As exclsuively revealed in The Sun, Gold and Sullivan
are commiting around £46m for half of the club, with current owners
Straumur keeping the other 50 per cent. But they will have total
control to run the club as they see fit, with no intereference from
the Icelandic bankers.
Sources close to the pair say they will be quick to
explain just how severe the club's problems are and how tough a
task it will be to put things right.
One pal said: "In one way it's a victory because they
seem to have won the day and clinched the deal amid stiff
competition.
"But there is also a realisation of the daunting task
ahead and just what a challenge they face now that they are finally
in control."
There will inevitably be changes. Manager Zola and
coach Steve Clarke appear safe for now. But chief executive Scott
Duxbury, technical director Gianluca Nani and financial director
Nick Igoe will not be so lucky.
