Get Brown

Eggert Magnusson is ready to sue former Chairman Terry Brown should the club's appeal against today's incredible £5.5m fine prove unsuccessful.

West Ham were hit with the astonishing penalty when the Premier League found the club guilty of contravening League rules at today's enquiry into the transfers of Javi Mascherano and Carlos Tevez.

Current Chairman Magnusson has already instructed his legal team to launch an appeal against the enormous fine, although he is also ready to sue predecessor Brown who was in charge of the club at the time of the Argentinians arrival.

Brown is thought to have earned more than £30m from the sale of West Ham United last November when the Icelandic consortium led by Magnusson paid £85m for it.

However he is now set to lose a large chunk of that figure should the club's attempts to get the world record fine either reduced or removed altogether.

West Ham United received the massive fine after pleading guilty to the PL charges yesterday morning; it is thought that the guilty plea was also the reason the club were not deducted any points.

* Rumours circulated by SkySports suggesting that Carlos Tevez would have his contract terminated as a condition of the fine have proved to be unfounded.