BBC.co.uk
West Ham United are taking legal action against Tottenham Hotspur and The
Sunday Times over allegations about the Olympic Stadium bidding process.
West Ham said they were treating the claims "with the utmost seriousness".
It comes after an Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) employee was suspended
when it emerged she worked for West Ham during their bid to use the stadium
in London after the 2012 Games. West Ham said they were "certain of the
robustness" of their successful bid. A West Ham spokesman said: "West Ham
United can confirm the club are taking legal action in relation to
allegations made in today's Sunday Times. "We are certain of the robustness
of our successful bid for the Olympic Stadium."
Consultancy work
On Friday it was revealed that an OPLC director had been suspended on full
pay after it emerged she had been undertaking paid consultancy work for West
Ham.
The director, later named by West Ham as Dionne Knight, had declared "a
personal relationship" with a Hammers employee when she started at the OPLC,
but on Thursday she told the legacy company of her work at the club. The
OPLC said she was being suspended while any possible conflict of interest
was investigated. The OPLC board voted 14-0 in February to back the Hammers
as first choice to move into the £486m stadium after the Games. The OPLC and
West Ham said Ms Knight had no involvement in that decision. West Ham said
they had already carried out an investigation into the woman's role with the
club. West Ham plan to retain the running track after moving into the
stadium and create a 60,000-capacity arena for football, athletics, concerts
and community use.
Last month, attempts by Tottenham and Leyton Orient to get a judicial review
of the OPLC's decision in favour of West Ham were rejected. Spurs' plan had
involved knocking down most of the structure and rebuilding it without the
running track, instead rebuilding the National Sports Centre at Crystal
Palace.
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Keen joins Liverpool
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 3rd July 2011
By: Staff Writer
Kevin Keen has been appointed first team coach at Liverpool. KUMB.com
exclusively revealed yesterday how Keen, along with reserve team boss Steve
Lomas, had left West Ham - with view to securing a move to Liverpool. That
move has now been completed with Liverpool releasing a statement tonight
confirming that Keen - who had been working at West Ham in a coaching
capacity since 2002 - will be teaming up with another former Hammers
employee, Steve Clarke, on Merseyside.
"Keen has signed a three year deal and will join up with his new colleagues
on Monday when the Liverpool squad report back to Melwood for the start of
pre-season training," reported liverpoolfc.tv tonight. Meanwhile current
reds boss Kenny Dalglish welcomed the appointment, stating: "I'm delighted
that Kevin is joining us to work alongside Steve Clarke coaching the first
team squad. "He has previously worked with Steve at West Ham and has a good
reputation and a good manner about him. He is highly respected in the game
and will be a great addition to our technical staff."
KUMB.com wish Kevin the very best of luck in his new post.
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£1,868: the price of corruption?
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 3rd July 2011
By: Staff Writer
The secret payments allegedly paid by West Ham to an officer of the OPLC
prior to United being granted preferred bidder status for the Olympic
Stadium totalled just £1,868. As you're almost certainly aware by now, this
morning's Sunday Times led with a story entitled 'Olympic Boss Paid Secret
Cash' in which it is suggested West Ham paid a member of the OPLC to
influence the decision concerning would be granted use of the site
post-2012. However the story also reveals that the sum paid to Ms Dionne
Knight - the OPLC's director of corporate services - prior to the decision
being made totalled just £1,868; the sum constituting two seperate payments
of £566 and £1,302.
Ms Knight - who purportedly earns a salary of £84,000, making the £1,868
payments roughly the equivalent of a weeks' wages - is said to have received
further payments of £3,400, £4,646 and £4,800 - but only AFTER West Ham had
been granted preferred bidder status. The total sum paid to Ms Knight, who
was employed in a consultancy role by West Ham - is said to stand at less
than £20,000 - less than a quarter of her OPLC salary.
Meanwhile the veracity of the story had also been called into question due
to the transparent nature of the payments made by West Ham to Ms Knight. It
has been suggested that had West Ham genuinely wanted to keep the payments
secret, it is extremely unlikely that they would have paid money into Ms
Knight's personal bank account directly from the club's bank account - a
transaction naturally evident on Ms Knight's personal bank statement
procured by corporate investigators acting at the behest of Tottenham
Hotspur, whose underhand tactics have been slammed since the story was
published.
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West Ham call in Police
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 3rd July 2011
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have called in Police to investigate claims that personal
information was illegally obtained by agents acting on behalf of Tottenham
Hotspur FC. It was revealed last night that Tottenham recently hired a
corporate intelligence agency to obtain private information - including bank
statements, utility bills and other personal information - belonging to
employees of West Ham United FC and the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC).
West Ham responded immediately by stating that the revelations were being '
treating with the utmost seriousness', adding that 'we will take the
strongest action possible as well as involve the police and the data
protection registrar'. And less that 12 hours after the story first broke,
that is exactly what the club has done with Police called in to investigate
the Sunday Times' claims, according to Paul Smith of the Mirror who spoke to
David Sullivan earlier today. Meanwhile Tottenham, who instigated the entire
murky process have thus far failed to comment.
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Ilunga eyes top-flight stay
Hammers stopper keen to keep playing at the highest level
By Giscard Gourizro. Last Updated: July 3, 2011 4:04pm
SSN
West Ham defender Herita Ilunga has confirmed he would like to play
top-flight football following the club's relegation. The DR Congo
international still has two years left on the four-year contract he signed
after joining from Toulouse in 2009. Ilunga is now being linked with a move
out of Upton Park following relegation with a number of Ligue 1 clubs also
interested. Newly-promoted QPR are reportedly keen on the 29-year-old, but
Rennes and former club Toulouse are ready to join the hunt. Ilunga is aware
of the speculation and while he has no problems with West Ham, he would like
to continue playing top-flight football "I'm aware of the speculation," he
told skysports.com. "Nothing's done at the moment. I want to play in the top
division. "West Ham's a friendly club and I'm very happy to play for them,
but you never know in football."
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Guest Post from Tony McNulty: Let Tottenham Be Tottenham in Tottenham
July 3rd, 2011 - 11:06 pm by Iain Dale
By Tony McNulty
West Ham Till I Die
I wonder how parents in New York felt in 1958 when it was announced that the
Dodgers were leaving for Los Angeles. The Dodgers had been playing baseball
in Brooklyn, under a range of different names, since 1883. Up until then,
New York had three baseball teams. The borough of Queens had the Mets, and
still does; the Yankees were based in the Bronx, and still are – but the
Dodgers left and relocated thousands of miles away in Los Angeles. How did
parents tell their children that their local team was being ripped out of
the local community and would no longer exist – no doubt for sound
commercial reasons, but without any regard for the feelings of the local
community in Brooklyn.
We have come to accept that the mighty dollar is king in American sports and
that teams aren't community entities rich in culture, heritage and history –
but franchises that rely totally on their success as economic entities. The
local market fails, the entire franchise simply moves to another local
market – regardless of community or history. I know that English football is
becoming much more commercial and that money matters more and more – but I
hope that we haven't reached the US position quiet yet, and that community
and history still matters.
Tottenham Hotspur FC has played at White Hart Lane since it was built in
1899 and this should matter to all Londoners. London history and sporting
legacy is part of what makes London tick. No-one wants to support Stratford
Hotspur; they want to support Tottenham Hotspur – based in Tottenham. I
don't support Tottenham, I don't even like it much, but I fully support
those that want the team to stay at White Hart Lane and I hope that they do.
Tottenham doesn't belong at the Olympic stadium in Stratford, West Ham does.
It is to the credit of the Olympic authorities that they recognise this and
see it as a key part of a lasting sporting legacy for the East End. The club
needs to make sure that it returns to the Premiership as quickly as possible
to grace the new Stadium with the football that it and the East End
deserves.
Thames Ironworks FC played at Hermit Road in Canning Town in 1895-96, moved
to Browning Road in East Ham for a brief while and then played at the
Memorial Grounds (roughly where West Ham tube station is now) from 1896
until 1900. Thames Ironworks became West Ham United in 1900 and continued to
play at the Memorial Grounds until moving to its current home at the Boleyn
Ground at Upton Park in 1904. So throughout its history West Ham has played
within close proximity to the new Olympic Stadium at Stratford. This will be
the real legacy of the Olympics for the East End.
I confess to being a West Londoner, but one who has supported West Ham since
the mid-60s. I am a season ticket holder too, but this is bigger than one
club. We should let Tottenham be Tottenham in Tottenham and let the East End
have the sporting legacy that its communities deserve – West Ham in the
Olympic Stadium. London should be very proud of its football clubs – but
unless they are rooted in the communities they have sprung from and serve,
then they will become as nomadic as the franchises in American sport – and
what sort of legacy will that be for anyone?
Tony McNulty was a minister in the last Labour government.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham Face Corruption Investigation (And Police Raid?)
July 3rd, 2011 - 10:46 am by Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
If you read the Sunday Times this morning you'd think West Ham had committed
an act of corruption up there with Nick Leeson. But then you read the West
Ham official statement and you get the impression that the Sunday Times had
rather hyped things up a bit – not unknown in the world of journalism. The
Sunday Times is behind a paywall, but under 'fair use' rules I will quote
400 words of the front page story.
A shadow was cast over the Olympic Games last night after it emerged West
Ham United made payments totalling £20,000 into [an OPLC] executive's bank
account before and after it was selected as the owner of the stadium in east
London.
The money was paid to Dionne Knight, the Porsche-driving director of
corporate services at the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC)…The arrangement
was put in place by Ian Tompkins, a director of West Ham who masterminded
its Olympic stadium bid. Knight and Tompkins are in a relationship together.
Both executives were suspended on Friday after The Sunday Times confronted
them with evidence of the payments. They told reporters that Karren Brady,
West Ham's vice-chairwoman, had known about the payments. They said it was
for "consultancy work".
However, Knight also admitted that she had not told her employers about the
payments. The disclosures could force the government to reopen the bid for
the Olympic stadium if West Ham is found to have acted improperly. Knight,
34, who earns £84,000 a year, is one of a small number of directors on the
OPLC, a government body set up to manage the handover of the stadium and the
surrounding Olympic park.
The investigators were hired by Spurs two days before West Ham was voted the
preferred bidder on February 11. Investigators obtained bank statements,
credit reports, utility bills and telephone records for Knight and Tompkins.
Knight was placed under surveillance. They established that four payments
had gone into Knight's bank account between December and April from a West
Ham United account at the Bank of Scotland, for £566, £1,302, £3,400 and
£4,600. They say there was a further sum of £4,800 in June.
This weekend Knight admitted receiving a total of £20,400 from West Ham and
said it was for consultancy work. The arrangement was made two months before
West Ham won the bid. She had initially refused to say what the work was.
Yesterday her lawyer said it was "a procurement contract in relation to the
stadium".
Knight had informed the OPLC about her relationship with Tompkins but
admitted she had not told it about the cash from West Ham. She accepts this
was wrong but denies leaking confidential information.
In a statement, the OPLC said Knight had told it about her relationship with
West Ham's bid director and measures were taken to ensure she had no access
to sensitive information.
Those last few words may be important if this goes to court. West Ham
responded at 3.30am by posting this statement on the club website. I quote
it in full.
West Ham United can confirm the club are taking legal action in relation to
allegations made in today's Sunday Times.
We are certain of the robustness of our successful bid for the Olympic
Stadium.
The newspaper's statement that Tottenham Hotspur employed the investigators
who obtained private information illegally is one we are treating with the
utmost seriousness and no doubt data protection and prosecution agencies may
also do so.
The only wrongdoing here is by those who have broken the law and obtained
private information. It would appear that no stone has gone unturned trying
to find a way to undermine our bid including apparently targeting the 14
Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) Board members who had voted unanimously
on the bid in our favour.
The suggestion of 'secret cash' in the Sunday Times article is absolutely
and categorically denied. As such, legal action is being taken against the
Sunday Times, as well as Tottenham Hotspur.
Dionne Knight's work for the Legacy Stadium Partnership (LSP) owned 50% by
London Borough of Newham and 50% by West Ham United was in relation to the
procurement of a construction partner after the Olympic Games.
A number of companies applied for the procurement contract. It was awarded
to Ms Knight as she was able to provide expertise at a significantly
competitive price. The work that she subsequently undertook for the LSP was
of a very high standard.
The OPLC has confirmed that Ms Knight had absolutely no involvement in the
bidding process and we repeat that secret cash was not paid to her.
Her work was very transparent and the bidding process was never compromised.
The work was never hidden, for example she personally attended meetings.
There is considerable documentation to confirm the existence and quality of
her work. Two firms of solicitors are able to confirm those facts. The price
we paid for the work was extremely competitive.
The LSP, including Karren Brady who is named in the offending article, has
not paid any member of the OPLC for any information in relation to the bid
process, and has not received any unauthorised information from the OPLC or
any other source in relation to its bid.
The OPLC has further confirmed that she and other employees of the OPLC did
not have access to confidential information as it was held at the OPLC's
external solicitors' offices.
The LSP believed Ms Knight had authority to do the work as that was what it
was informed. The fact that the work was undertaken is wholly irrelevant to
the Olympic Stadium bid process and only raises issues of employment law.
To reiterate, the allegations are the subject of legal action. If there is
any further publication of the allegations, further action will be taken.
We are so confident in the probity of our actions that we will take the
strongest action possible against any suggestion of wrongdoing on the part
of West Ham United or its officers, as well as involve the police and the
data protection registrar in regard to the accessing of private information
by illegal means.
Fighting talk. Whatever our allegiances, both clubs clearly have questions
to answer. What on earth did West Ham think they were doing, hiring someone
from the OPLC in the first place? Let alone someone who was in a
relationship with Ian Tompkins. If that isn't at the very least unethical, I
don't know what is. Karren Brady may protest that she thought it had been
cleared by the OPLC, but did she get that in writing? I certainly would
have.
But West Ham are clearly right to point out that Tottenham have broken
various laws in the way they went about procuring this information. It is
very worrying, not least from a civil liberties viewpoint, that it is
possible to obtain so much private information about one person within a few
hours. Perhaps the Sunday Times Insight team might want to investigate that!
It's not easy to predict the outcome of this. It's embarrassing for West
Ham, but at the moment, that's the limit of it. If it emerges that Donna
Knight had indeed passed information to West Ham without the OPLC knowing,
God alone knows where this may lead. If Police can raid Chris Huhne's wife's
house and seize her teenage son's mobile phone, it is not beyond the realms
of possibility that Inspector Knacker of the Yard might be raiding the
Boleyn Ground within the next 24 hours and seizing computer records.
Haven't we Hammers fans suffered enough humiliation this year?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kop are so Keen
By MATT PARKER
The Sun
LIVERPOOL have appointed Kevin Keen as a first-team coach. He has signed a
three-year deal and starts work today alongside Steve Clarke, with whom he
worked at West Ham. Keen spent nine years as a West Ham coach and was named
caretaker manager on three occasions. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said:
"I'm delighted that Kevin is joining us to work alongside Steve Clarke
coaching the first-team squad. "He has previously worked with Steve at West
Ham and has a good reputation and a good manner about him. "He is highly
respected in the game and will be a great addition to our technical staff."
Keen, 44, made over 600 appearances in spells with West Ham, Wolves, Stoke,
Macclesfield and Wycombe.
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Thomas wants to be big Hit at Villa
Published: Today
The Sun
GERMAN Thomas Hitzlsperger is eyeing a return to old club Aston Villa. But
Stoke, Fulham and Blackburn are also keen on landing the midfielder.
Hitzlsperger, 29, is available on a free from West Ham.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham target ex-Bolton defender
Published 23:00 03/07/11 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is ready to snap up rejected left-back Jlloyd
Samuel from old club Bolton to bolster his promotion bid. Allardyce wants
to agree a deal for 30-year-old Samuel – who is a free agent after being
released by Wanderers boss Owen Coyle – and he could join the ex-Reebok
colony at Upton Park.
Trinidad and Tobago international Samuel signed for Bolton under Gary
Megson's management. But Allardyce knows him from his time at his former
club and also when the defender started at Aston Villa.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool welcome Kevin Keen to coaching staff
Published 23:00 03/07/11 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror
Kenny Dalglish welcomed Kevin Keen onto his Liverpool backroom team - and
confirmed Steve Clarke's growing influence at the Kop. Keen quit West Ham to
become first team coach at Anfield in a move exclusively revealed by Mirror
Sport on Saturday, with Clarke now cemented in his role as Dalglish's number
two. Dalglish paid tribute to Keen as he appointed him in a hurry and also
singled out Clarke for his influence in the new-look Merseyside Boot Room.
The Liverpool chief said: "I'm delighted that Kevin is joining us to work
alongside Steve coaching the first team squad. "He has previously worked
with Steve at West Ham and has a good reputation and a good manner about
him. He is highly respected in the game and will be a great addition to our
technical staff." Hammers hero Keen turned down a new contract to stay on
Sam Allardyce's staff and may be immediately whisked to Anfield where
Dalglish wants to fill a vacancy. Keen was caretaker manager for the final
game in the Premier League and made no secret of his desire to get the post
after being a coach at Upton Park - and previously a player. But while Keen
was told that he would get a post by the Hammers heirarchy he was then
offered a lesser role and reduced terms which sparked his decision to go.
Keen worked with Clarke at West Ham when the Liverpool coach was number two
to Gianfranco Zola and Dalglish will not have to go far for a
recommendation. Ironically Keen's exit from West Ham will get Allardyce out
of an awkward spot. He knew of his interest in the manager's job but his
bosses were happy to see the 'club man' still around at West Ham.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kevin Keen leaves West Ham to become Liverpool's first-team coach
Kevin Keen will renew his Upton Park work with Steve Clarke
Kenny Dalglish welcomes 'great addition to our technical staff'
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 3 July 2011 21.12 BST
Liverpool have appointed Kevin Keen as first-team coach following the
departure of Sammy Lee. Keen spent nine years on the coaching staff at West
Ham United and was named caretaker manager on three occasions, most recently
for the final game of last season, a 3-0 defeat at home to Sunderland. He
will work alongside Steve Clarke at Anfield having signed a three-year deal,
and will report with his new colleagues for the first day of pre-season
training on Monday. "I'm delighted that Kevin is joining us to work
alongside Steve Clarke coaching the first team," Kenny Dalglish, the
Liverpool manager, said. "He has previously worked with Steve at West Ham
and has a good reputation and a good manner about him. He is highly
respected in the game and will be a great addition to our staff."
Keen made more than 600 appearances in spells with West Ham, Wolverhampton
Wanderers, Stoke City, Macclesfield and Wycombe.
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West Ham defender Herita Ilunga happy at relegated club but would welcome a
move back to the Premier League
3 Jul 2011 22:30:00
Goal.com
West Ham defender Herita Ilunga has hinted at a move away from Upton Park,
despite claiming he is happy at the relegated club. The Hammers ended their
six-year stay in the top flight this season, finishing bottom of the Premier
League, and have already seen a host of first-teamers leave. Ilunga stopped
short of fully committing himself to the east London side, and admitted he
would like another crack at the top flight. "I'm aware of the speculation,"
he told skysports.com. "Nothing's done at the moment. I want to play in the
top division. "West Ham's a friendly club and I'm very happy to play for
them, but you never know in football."
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Celtic hoping to beat Sunderland and West Ham to out-of-favour striker
Bellamy
By STEPHEN MCGOWAN
Last updated at 11:15 PM on 3rd July 2011
Daily Mail
Celtic will this week ask Manchester City to name their price for Welsh
firebrand striker Craig Bellamy. Parkhead chief executive Peter Lawwell is
awaiting the return from holiday of key management figures at the FA Cup
holders, while Bellamy himself is due to return from a charity trip to
Sierra Leone. The Scottish Cup winners want a 12-month loan deal similar to
that struck with Newcastle for Bellamy in 2005. The striker has a year
remaining on his existing deal and Sunderland, West Ham and Cardiff City are
also in the running for his signature. Speaking after Saturday's 1-0 defeat
to Central Coast Mariners in Sydney's Olympic Stadium, Neil Lennon laughed
off talk of a new Bellamy move, branding it 'speculation.' Sportsmail
understands, however,Bellamy has been top of his wanted list from the start,
alongside Reading's Shane Long. A £7million price tag has wrecked any chance
of signing Long. And while Manchester City are desperate to offload Bellamy,
they want a permanent deal and a £4m fee.
Celtic's preference for a loan also faces obstacles in City's insistence
they will no longer subsidise the player's £80,000-a week wage. Last season,
Cardiff paid just £20,000 towards a quarter of the striker's salary — a deal
the Abu Dhabi-based owners of the Manchester club will not repeat. 'We're
looking at goalkeepers and centre-forwards but there's nothing to report at
the moment until I speak to Peter about developments,' said Lennon. Former
strike target Omer Damari yesterday joined Hapoel Tel-Aviv in a £1.5m deal.
Norwegian Erik Huseklepp is also reported to be back on the radar following
his doomed move to relegated and financially-troubled Bari.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Barton uses Twitter to deride relegated Parker
By Jack Pitt-Brooke
Monday, 4 July 2011
The Independent
Joey Barton yesterday ridiculed suggestions that Scott Parker was a better
player than him. Barton was writing on Twitter and defending his recent
claim that he was the best English midfielder.
The Newcastle United player had told French magazine So Foot in April that
he was the best of his compatriots. Yesterday a Twitter user suggested that
Parker and Jack Wilshere were better than Barton, and while Barton admitted
the class of Arsenal's 19-year-old, he dismissed claims that Parker was his
superior. "Wilshere is class and is goin [sic] to be an infinitely better
player than me, no doubt about it," Barton conceded, "but Parker come on."
Despite West Ham's relegation, Parker was lauded for his performances last
season, leading the Football Writers' Association to make him their player
of the season and Fabio Capello to select him in three England
internationals this year. Barton, though, insisted that he was better,
pointing to the fact that Parker's club finished bottom of the Premier
League. "He's not in my league", Barton wrote, "...FACT he s [sic] actually
in the championship." Barton also pointed to the games between Newcastle and
West Ham last season: "Did I not dismantle him twice, think it was 2-1 at
their place, 5-0 at ours!! And they were easily relegated #justsaying."
When asked to explain his absence from the England squad, Barton explained
that "we all know that's political and not professional".
Barton's comments were not wholly negative, though. He praised Spurs' Luka
Modric and Arsenal's Samir Nasri as the two best players in England last
season. "Modric and Nasri were the best two players I played against in the
league," he wrote. "I put Modric out in front as the best by quite some
distance... miles ahead of me in my opinion."
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West Ham to sue over allegations of corruption
By Tom Lawrence
Monday, 4 July 2011
The Independent
West Ham United are taking legal action against Tottenham Hotspur and the
Sunday Times over allegations surrounding the validity of the Olympic
Stadium bidding process. The club said it was treating claims made by the
newspaper "with the utmost seriousness" and insisted it was "certain of the
robustness" of its successful bid to take over the east London stadium
following the 2012 games. It comes days after the Olympic Park Legacy
Company (OPLC) confirmed an employee had been suspended after it was
discovered she was working as a consultant for West Ham during the bidding
process.
The woman has been suspended with immediate effect while the potential clash
of interests is investigated. A West Ham spokesman said: "West Ham United
can confirm the club are taking legal action in relation to allegations made
in today's Sunday Times." The OPLC board, in charge of securing the future
of the Olympic Park site, voted 14-0 in February to make the Hammers the
first choice to move into the £486m stadium.
They were in a head-to-head contest with Tottenham. On Friday the OPLC
revealed it had suspended one of it's employees following revelations about
her work status. The OPLC released a statement saying: "It has come to our
attention that an employee of the Olympic Park Legacy Company has been
undertaking paid consultancy work for West Ham United FC. The company had no
knowledge of this work and no permission was given to undertake it. This
individual had no involvement whatsoever in our stadium process."
West Ham said it undertook an initial internal investigation which
established that the work carried out by the individual was "not connected
in any way to the bidding process for the Olympic Stadium but procurement
project management thereafter".
The club added: "We are of the firm view that the integrity of the bidding
process has not been compromised."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Apprentice's Karren Brady facing questions over £500m Olympic stadium
corruption scandal
By ARTHUR MARTIN
Last updated at 11:47 PM on 3rd July 2011
Daily Mail
Karren Brady was last night dragged into corruption allegations threatening
to tarnish the legacy of the 2012 Olympics. Miss Brady, a sidekick of Lord
Sugar on BBC series The Apprentice and vice-chairman of West Ham United
Football Club, allegedly knew about secret payments between two lovers
deeply involved in the future of the £500million Olympic stadium. Dionne
Knight, a director at the quango which awarded West Ham Football Club the
use of the stadium after the Games, earned £20,400 from the club in payments
authorised by her boyfriend Ian Tompkins, who helped mastermind the club's
bid. Miss Knight was allegedly paid in five instalments both before and
after West Ham was selected as the owner of the East London stadium by her
employers, the Olympic Park Legacy Committee. When confronted by an
investigator, West Ham said Miss Brady was aware of the payments but had
been assured that it was merely for 'consultancy work' and that the OPLC
knew about the payments. Miss Knight earns £84,000 a year as director of
corporate services. Miss Brady and other bosses at the club face questions
about why the work was commissioned before the bid had been won and why
payments were sanctioned.
If West Ham is found to have acted improperly, the Government could reopen
the bid for the stadium at great expense to the taxpayer. The information
was obtained by investigators hired by Tottenham Hotspur, the club that lost
out in the bidding for the stadium. Spurs, who are seeking a judicial review
of the decision, refused to comment, but a senior source said: 'If West Ham
had someone on the payroll from the OPLC and it can be proved that she had
access to confidential information relating to the bids, there is no way it
can't go back and be reopened.' Investigators were hired by Tottenham two
days before West Ham won the bid on February 11.
They obtained bank statements, credit reports, utility bills and telephone
records for Miss Knight, 34, and Mr Tompkins, 53. Miss Knight was placed
under surveillance.
Investigators established that payments of £566, £1,302, £3,400 and £4,600
had gone into Miss Knight's account between December and April from a West
Ham bank account. They say there was a further sum of £4,800 for June. Miss
Knight said she received a total of £20,400 from West Ham and said it was
for consultancy work. She had initially refused to say what the work was.
However her lawyer later told the Sunday Times it was 'a procurement
contract in relation to the stadium'. Miss Knight has been suspended from
OPLC and Mr Tompkins is believed to have been suspended by West Ham. A
spokesman for West Ham said the club was taking legal action against
Tottenham Hotspur and The Sunday Times over the allegations.
THE KEY PLAYERS IN THE SCANDAL
DIONNE KNIGHT
The 34-year-old mother of one has been suspended from her £84,000 role as an
executive on the OPLC, a government body set up to manage the handover of
the stadium and the surrounding Olympic park. Porsche-driving Miss Knight
admitted being paid £20,400 by West Ham, but says it was for 'consultancy
work'.
KARREN BRADY
Familiar to millions as Alan Sugar's sidekick on The Apprentice, Miss Brady
is the vice-chairman of West Ham. She was appointed in January 2010, and was
influential in the club's successful bid to take over the Olympic stadium
after the 2012 Games. Miss Brady owns a £2.5million mansion near Birmingham,
and is married to football manager Paul Peschisolido. They have two
children.
IAN TOMPKINS
West Ham's Olympic project director joined the club in September 2008 – four
months after he started a relationship with Dionne Knight when they both
worked at Newham Council in East London. Mr Tompkins, 53, has been suspended
by West Ham.
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Parker's not in my league insists Barton
Irish Independent
Monday July 04 2011
joey barton yesterday ridiculed suggestions that Scott Parker was a better
player than him. Barton was writing on Twitter and defending his recent
claim that he was the best English midfielder around. The Newcastle United
player had told French magazine 'So Foot' in April that he was the best of
his compatriots. Yesterday a Twitter user suggested that Parker and Jack
Wilshere were better than Barton. While Barton admitted the class of
Arsenal's 19-year-old, he dismissed claims that Parker was his superior.
"Wilshere is class and is goin (sic) to be an infinitely better player than
me," Barton conceded, "but Parker -- come on. "He's not in my league",
Barton wrote, "...FACT he s (sic) actually in the championship." Barton also
pointed to the games between Newcastle and West Ham last season: "Did I not
dismantle him twice, think it was 2-1 at their place, 5-0 at ours!!" When
asked to explain his absence from the England squad, Barton explained: "...
that's political and not professional."
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