David Sullivan ally slams London Stadium in court amid West Ham United focus in trial
Barry Silkman – a football agent trusted by West Ham chairman David Sullivan – has slammed the London Stadium’s seating during a court case.
The Hammers moved from their Upton Park home in 2016 to the London Stadium – initially constructed for the 2012 Olympics – due to its vastly greater capacity.
Silkman, speaking as a witness during a trial involving fellow agent Saif Arubie’s claims regarding the deal that saw Kurt Zouma move from Chelsea to West Ham, took a dig at the distance of the stadium’s seats to the pitch.
Journalist Matt Law posted about Silkman’s comments on X: “There was a witness appearance from agent Barry Silkman in court for the Saif Alrubie trial today.
“On his relationship with West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady, Silkman told the court: ‘I keep away from her, to be honest.’
“During an exchange with the judge in front of the jury, Silkman referenced the price of tickets at West Ham’s stadium and said: ‘The ones sitting at the back can’t even see the ground, you need binoculars to watch.'”
The London Stadium has its flaws – but it is slowly beginning to feel like home for West Ham United
Upton Park was West Ham’s home for over 100 years between 1904 and 2016 and leaving that history behind was a gut-wrenching experience for Hammers supporters.
The final send-off was an emotional affair on the pitch as well as on it, with the Irons coming back from behind to claim a 3-2 win over Manchester United.
The London Stadium, however, boasts a regulated capacity of 62,500 – a significant increase on the just over 35,000 Upton Park could hold at the time of its closure.
West Ham’s mediocre on-field performance in the years that followed the move made the initial bedding-in period an uncomfortable one – but the recent success the team has enjoyed at the ground in David Moyes’ second tenure as head coach has helped to smooth the transition.
However, the distance between the seating and the pitch has been a bone of contention for supporters since the move – and Silkman’s comments reveal that the frustration is shared by many.
In other West Ham news, Ruben Amorim is set to hold a team meeting at Sporting CP after Hammers talks.
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