David Gold has hinted that the club's future may not lie in Stratford at the Olympic Stadium.
West Ham's co-chairman, a studio guest of Talksport's this morning admitted for the first time since taking control of the club in January 2010 that he is far from convinced that a move to the Olympic site would be beneficial to the club."There are many issues that are unresolved as we speak but I think it would be inappropriate for me to discuss them," he told hosts Andy Gray and Richard Keys.
"A lease has now been given to the athletics people [confirming] that there will be a track there for 99 years. That is a fact. So whoever takes on the Olympic Stadium takes on the running track."
And when pushed to confirm whether he still wanted to move to Stratford, Gold paused before replying: "I have mixed feelings. I think that the Olympic Stadium can be very exciting. "
However those fans who support the club remaining at the Boleyn Ground are unlikely to have their wish granted regardless of whether the Hammers up sticks and move to move to Stratford or not - with Gold insisting that a move from the ground that West Ham United FC have called home since 1904 is an absolute necessity.
"I think we've got to do something," he insisted. "What we can't do is nothing. You can't develop the Boleyn; you will be pouring money down the drain. The issue at the Boleyn Ground is not the capacity. The issue is the area around it, the facilities around it. Access to it is impossible.
"West Ham have been at the Boleyn for over 100 years. I believe we are the eighth largest supported club in the country and yet we don't perform like the eighth biggest; we perform more like the 20th biggest. I believe that's because we're at the Boleyn.
"So I think you have to change that, if you want to pursue the possibilities of being a bigger club. And we do believe that [we can be]; we came back into West Ham believing that we can transform that whole concept and get West Ham challenging at the highest end of the Premier League.
"That will mean some form of a change. The obvious one that everyone is looking at - and if difficult for me to really speak about in depth - is the Olympic Stadium. But it is a doubt becasue there are issues that are unresolved."
There was also good news for pressure group 'WHU's View', who are campaigning for supporters to be consulted over any potential move away from the Boleyn Ground. "I think we've got to go through a consultive procedure with our fans," accepted Gold. "I think that's important."
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