We need to replace Carroll, says Sullivan

  • by Staff Writer
  • Saturday, 14th February 2015

David Sullivan revealed tonight that West Ham are in the hunt for another striker following the news that Andy Carroll will miss the rest of the season.

The club confirmed on Friday that the injury sustained by the 26-year-old against Southampton in midweek would rule him out for the rest of the campaign.

And co-owner Sullivan told LBC's Iain Dale tonight that he was exploring all avenues as he seeks to redress that imbalance.

The 66-year-old also confirmed that West Ham had agreed to pay the London living wage - following a request last year from the capital's mayor, Boris Johnson.

"We said to him at the time that if we survive in the Premier League, we will pay it. We're now in a position where we're virtually certain to survive - and hopefully do a lot better - so we've announced today that we're going to do it.

"The problem with football is that all the money goes to the players and the agents. But we think as a company we can afford to pay the living wage and it's something I strongly support.

"It's very difficult for people in London and it's right that should earn more than the minimum wage. It might work if you live in Accrington - it doesn't work if you live in London or Essex."

The Premier League's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, insisted 48 hours earlier that it is not his organisation's responsibility to ensure member clubs pay their staff a living wage. "At the end of the day there’s a thing called the living wage but there’s also a minimum wage," he said.

"Politicians have the power to up that minimum wage. That’s entirely for the politicians to do; that’s not for us to do."

West Ham are the second Premier League club to commit to paying the living wage, following on from Chelsea's lead.

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