West Ham Online

I mentioned "Power" Tripp Smith had been chatting to potential Yank investors in a post on here yesterday.

He's hardly first with the news, is he? To be fair, I wasn't either: it's well known in West Ham circles. That's why nobody has made a huge deal of it.

Looking forward to Hugh's next tweet, pointing out that we play in claret and blue.

C&H

Hammers Shareholder Hosts US Investors

Claret & Hugh has learnt this morning that West Ham shareholder Albert Tripp Smith has been in discussions with potential investors in the club.

Tripp Smith, who owns 8% of West Ham shares, flew into the UK last week as C&H previously reported, although the purpose of his visit was unclear. We have since discovered that during his stay, the founder of GSO Capital Partners entertained two potential US-based investors.

At this stage, it is not known whether the interest relates to part ownership through the Gold family shares, or a full buyout. However, it is understood that the 60-year-old’s visit did involve West Ham business, and the club were made aware of his arrival. Tripp Smith has a history of brokering large business deals and has a history in dealing with acquisitions and distressed assets.

There is rumoured to be growing concern from both Daniel Kretinsky and Tripp Smith following recent fan protests and the vote of no confidence.

As has been relayed to C&H on several occasions, the stumbling block in any sale remains David Sullivan’s valuation of his own shares rather than any lack of potential buyers.

I think if we're relegated we are a more investible proposition. Right now we are way overvalued. Sullivan cannot command the same valuation in the championship but the potential remains. 

Uncommitted buyers visit these clubs all of the time.

A good mate of mine, massive Villa fan, used to work for a billionaire Norwegian oil/gas bloke.

As a treat to my mate for finalising a big deal involving a bunch of offshore rigs, the Norwegian guy once pretended to be interested in buying Villa - just so that he and my mate could get a luxury tour of Villa’s ground, facilities etc.

He never intended to buy a single share. It was all an inside joke.

So take it all with a pinch of salt until something real crops up.

I wonder if they'll be in the directors' box today...

I reckon they all wore Mickey Mouse hats from a Yank consortium to fit in with the Circus theme already at the Club.


 

It was probably the flowing Arab robes that gave it away.

Sir Alf" wrote: ↑19 Sep 2025, 17:29 Gold shares are overpriced, Sullivan’s valuation of the club far too high.  Nothing will chamge anytime soon

Sir Alf" wrote: ↑19 Sep 2025, 17:29 Gold shares are overpriced, Sullivan’s valuation of the club far too high.  Nothing will chamge anytime soon

Mike Oxsaw" wrote: ↑19 Sep 2025, 14:08

, wrote: ↑19 Sep 2025, 09:07 I am intrigued by the description foreigner looking because it seems so non specific to me.

For example were these foreigners still wearing their life jackets, did they have orange complexions and carefully crafted bouffant’s, were they without tattoos, not obese, wearing MAGA caps, any of them vaping, did they take a break for prayers pointing in a specific direction?

This needs pinning down a bit more because these visitors might simply be property developers, just think how many dwellings this Rush Green brownfield sight could accommodate.

Rush Green won't be developed this century.

The land, along with the old training ground and Westfields playing fields are slated, long term, for gravel extraction (need something with which to build all those houses Labour have promised (the illegals), after all).

Once the gravel is exhausted, it will become a golf course (to allow the land to settle after backfilling), and may then, after 25 - 50 years - be developed for housing, even if it is (still then) regarded as prime green belt land.

Gold shares are overpriced, Sullivan’s valuation of the club far too high.  Nothing will chamge anytime soon

, wrote: ↑19 Sep 2025, 09:07 I am intrigued by the description foreigner looking because it seems so non specific to me.

For example were these foreigners still wearing their life jackets, did they have orange complexions and carefully crafted bouffant’s, were they without tattoos, not obese, wearing MAGA caps, any of them vaping, did they take a break for prayers pointing in a specific direction?

This needs pinning down a bit more because these visitors might simply be property developers, just think how many dwellings this Rush Green brownfield sight could accommodate.

, wrote: ↑19 Sep 2025, 09:07 I am intrigued by the description foreigner looking because it seems so non specific to me.

For example were these foreigners still wearing their life jackets, did they have orange complexions and carefully crafted bouffant’s, were they without tattoos, not obese, wearing MAGA caps, any of them vaping, did they take a break for prayers pointing in a specific direction?

This needs pinning down a bit more because these visitors might simply be property developers, just think how many dwellings this Rush Green brownfield sight could accommodate.

I am intrigued by the description foreigner looking because it seems so non specific to me.

For example were these foreigners still wearing their life jackets, did they have orange complexions and carefully crafted bouffant’s, were they without tattoos, not obese, wearing MAGA caps, any of them vaping, did they take a break for prayers pointing in a specific direction?

This needs pinning down a bit more because these visitors might simply be property developers, just think how many dwellings this Rush Green brownfield sight could accommodate.

Yeah, classic Sullivan distraction tactics.

Has there ever been a more idiotic owner of a Premier League football club?

It’s classic Sullivan and completely transparent.
”shit Karen, the statement didn’t work!! What can we do?
Stage 2 - tell them we’re selling up.

good idea baroness, how do we make it sound believable?

tell them they’re foreign looking.

Great idea! That’s why I pay you the big bucks”

If the protests go ahead he’ll probably blame them for not being able to sell the club.

Could it be a bit of a bluff to force Kretinsky to buy them now if he thinks someone else might be interested? Just find it all odd and that the timing does stink.of horseshit on the eve of a fan protest..

By the way, any danger of shrinking down the paragraph thread title to a single line?

Have heard the golds only want to sell 15% of the club and retain 10% (or the other way round, I can’t remember)

Who in their right mind would want to buy 10 or 15% and have absolutely no executive power? ONLY Kretinsky and ONLY if it’s 15% to give him majority. But even then if the golds retain and side with Sullivan it’s worthless to him. 

 

The boards stooges have been mobilised.

Hopefully it's Elon Musk!

 

Lee Trundle" wrote: ↑18 Sep 2025, 17:52 A tour of Rush Green?

That'll impress them!

Gary Strodders shank" wrote: ↑18 Sep 2025, 19:12 Visions of Mark Noble following lady Brady around like an old school butler

Yes m lady 

Visions of Mark Noble following lady Brady around like an old school butler

Yes m lady 

Well, whether you believe it or not (timing seems very convenient doesn’t it, and there’s no evidence at all aside from someone saying it happened) it won’t even change anything. It’ll be another minority shareholder IF they only buy the Gold’s shares. 

Seems doubtful it’s true though. 

Understood it was a group of young men who arrived in a taxi from their hotel in Epping
Asked if there was a prayer room & whether the club puts on any Taylor Swift dance classes 

Presumably asked for a 30% discount after they saw Rush Green?