Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Tue 21 April 2026 18:10, UK

Baroness Karren Brady began pondering over her West Ham United future back in January. By February, it was clear she was leaving. Finally, in April, the cat was out of the bag.

The Times have painted a picture of Brady as the glamorous first lady of football, whom the Hammers – and, perhaps, the wider sport – will be worse off without. But after a 16-year stint at the helm, supporters will argue to the contrary.

Her departure as vice-chair brings to an end her business relationship with joint-chair David Sullivan, one which stretches back almost 40 years. The 57-year-old has often been a target of protests from matchgoers concerned with the financial and sporting performance.

Brady’s decision to confirm that she was stepping down was purposefully delayed until after the Hammers’ 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Monday night, which leaves them teetering on the brink of the Championship. It would be a grim coda if they do go down.

While Nuno Espirito Santo is doing all he can to save West Ham from relegation, the state of the club on and off the pitch is bleak. There are no magic wands that can conjure up a quick fix, either. Sullivan remains public enemy No 1, but Brady is just as culpable.

What’s next for David Sullivan and West Ham?

It was announced in February that the club had lost £104.2million before tax in their accounts for 2024-25, with revenue also down by £42.1m. This was the banquet of consequences laid out in front of the ownership after years of mismanagement.

While there have been moments of brilliance, including the Europa Conference League triumph in 2023, they have been all too fleeting. During these years of chaos, Brady adopted a role as the public-facing executive, but rarely managed to connect with supporters.

But it was telling that she was reportedly asked to stay on by co-owner Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire tipped to one day assume full control over the club.

According to The Times, Brady’s last act, in fact, was to head up the talks in which Kretinsky purchased a percentage of shares owned by the late David Gold.

His stake now matches that of Sullivan.

In a lengthy statement confirming Brady’s departure, Kretinsky lavished praise on the businesswoman, describing her as “essential and not always fully appreciated”. By stepping down, she has strengthened Kretinsky’s hand and weakened Sullivan’s.

Let’s not forget a petition set up by disgruntled supporters in May 2025 to force out Sullivan and Brady, which amassed more than 17,000 signatures. Matchgoers have united to push back against the supremos. One has now gone, and the other could eventually follow.

If West Ham stay up, it will be because of the work of Nuno, not the ownership, who have staggered from crisis to crisis like a punch-drunk toddler. It has long been clear that change at the very top is needed, but this promises to be a long, arduous process.

Nothing will happen overnight, though thoughts may turn to those capable of taking West Ham fully out of Sullivan’s shaky grasp. The most obvious candidate is Kretinsky, who purchased a 27 per cent share at the London Stadium worth £160m back in 2021.

Kretinsky spent six months carefully crafting his stake and has often flip-flopped when asked whether he has plans for greater investment or involvement in West Ham. Worth an estimated £13billion, he certainly has the financial muscle to complete a full takeover.

He began to amass his staggering fortune as a fresh-faced lawyer with investment bank J&T, and quickly gained a reputation for astute investments. This allowed him to climb the greasy corporate pole. Much of his wealth has come from energy and fossil fuels.

The 50-year-old has preferred to remain in the shadows at West Ham and rarely grants interviews. His meandering message wishing Brady well, though, represented a clear change in position and hinted that he could be set for a greater say over the running of the club.

Whether that is formalised via a takeover remains to be seen.

Is West Ham takeover realistic?

The closest West Ham came to changing hands during Sullivan’s reign was an offer from Red Bull. In a statement in 2020, the magnate confirmed he had rebuffed a £650m bid.

“We did have a tentative approach to buy the club for £650m from external investors in August this year,” Sullivan wrote on the club website.

“But I want to reiterate that we, the current owners, have NO DESIRE to sell the club unless it is to somebody like the King of Saudi Arabia who can take it to a level we cannot ourselves hope to reach.”

However, rumours are widespread that he could resort to a reverse ferret to fashion his departure on his own terms. There is said to be interest from the Middle East and the United States, especially since Vanessa Gold put the Gold family’s 25 per cent shares up for sale.

For now, despite the mounting protests, Sullivan continues to cling on. But he will find it increasingly difficult to escape the noise. The yearning for change at West Ham is palpable.

Just like Brady, it’s time for him to step aside.