Editing West Ham United F.C. (section)

==Ownership and chairmen==
{{Further|Ownership of West Ham United F.C.}}

In January 2010, [[David Sullivan (businessman)|David Sullivan]] and [[David Gold (businessman)|David Gold]] acquired a 50% share in West Ham, given them overall operational and commercial control.<ref name="whud&d">{{Cite web |title=West Ham United statement |url=http://www.whufc.com/articles/west-ham-united-statement-20100119_2236884_1936937 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121005012/http://www.whufc.com/articles/west-ham-united-statement-20100119_2236884_1936937 |archive-date=21 January 2010 |access-date=31 January 2013 |publisher=West Ham United F.C.}}</ref> At the end of May 2010, Gold and Sullivan purchased a further 10% stake in the club at a cost of £8 million. Taking their controlling stake to 60%, they announced that they could open up shares for fans to purchase.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chairmen increase shareholding |url=http://www.whufc.com/articles/20100525/chairmen-increase-shareholding_2236884_2058860 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528004215/http://www.whufc.com/articles/20100525/chairmen-increase-shareholding_2236884_2058860 |archive-date=28 May 2010 |access-date=31 January 2013 |publisher=West Ham United F.C.}}</ref> On 9 August 2010, Gold and Sullivan increased their shares up to 30.6% each with "minority investors", (which included former owner Terry Brown, purchasing a further 3.8% of the club at a cost of around −4&nbsp;million) leaving Icelandic [[Straumur Investment Bank]] owning 35% of the club.<ref name="whufc.com">{{Cite web |title=Ownership &#124; West Ham United |url=http://www.whufc.com/page/Ownership/0,,12562,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090906184447/http://www.whufc.com/page/Ownership/0%2C%2C12562%2C00.html |archive-date=6 September 2009 |access-date=14 January 2011 |publisher=West Ham United F.C.}}</ref>

On 2 July 2013, Sullivan acquired a further 25% of shares after restructuring the debt of the club, leaving Straumur Bank with just 10%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ownership &#124; West Ham United |url=http://www.legalweek.com/legal-week/news/2278698/dla-piper-leads-as-sullivan-becomes-largest-single-west-ham-shareholder |access-date=2 July 2013 |publisher=legalweek.com}}</ref> In order to clear club debts before a move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016, in December 2014 Sullivan announced the availability for sale of 20% of the club.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 December 2014 |title=West Ham: Co-owner David Sullivan says 20% stake for sale |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30615420 |access-date=16 January 2015}}</ref> The clearing of club debts, given in July 2013 as £70 million, was given as a pre-condition to a move to the Olympic Stadium.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 July 2013 |title=West Ham United must pay £70m bank debt before Olympic Stadium move |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/jul/24/west-ham-debt-olympic-stadium |access-date=16 January 2015}}</ref>

In September 2017, American billionaire [[J. Albert "Tripp" Smith]], senior management director of [[Blackstone Inc.]], bought 10% of the shares of the club.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rosser |first1=Jack |title=American billionaire Tripp Smith buys 10% stake in West Ham |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/american-billionaire-tripp-smith-buys-10-per-cent-stake-in-west-ham-a3647526.html |access-date=9 August 2023 |work=Evening Standard |date=30 September 2017}}</ref> On 10 November 2021, the club announced Czech billionaire [[Daniel Křetínský]] had acquired 27% of the shares of the club, reducing Gold and Sullivan's shares.<ref>{{Cite web|title=West Ham United statement|website=West Ham United F.C.|access-date=10 November 2021|url=https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2021/november/10-november/west-ham-united-statement|date=10 November 2021|language=en}}</ref>

Co-chairman David Gold died on 4 January 2023, leaving Sullivan as the sole chairman.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64163755 David Gold: West Ham United co-chairman dies following short illness] BBC Sport. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.</ref> Seven months later, Gold's daughter [[Vanessa Gold (businesswoman)|Vanessa]] became joint-chair with Sullivan.<ref>{{cite news |title=West Ham name Vanessa Gold as new joint-chair |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/west-ham-name-vanessa-gold-new-joint-chair-2023-08-03/ |access-date=9 August 2023 |work=Reuters |date=3 August 2023}}</ref>