David Gold in defiant training facilities reply
Gold replied “We have over the last few years spent millions on improving the training facilities to the highest standards at both Chadwell Heath and Rush Green. dg”
The reply did not go down well with many supporters but below we look what the owners have invested over the last ten years.
West Ham purchased the freehold interest in the 29 acre Rush Green Ford Sports Ground from the Ford Motor Company in 2009 for £1.4m with plans to transform it into the a state of the art training complex before the club changed owners.
By 2015 they had invested £2.5m with plans for another £10m budgeted for Rush Green.
That extra £10m was spent on modernising Rush Green by 2018 after planning permission was approved in 2015 with alterations and extensions to existing buildings on the site. They added a new treatment area, gym, hydrotherapy pool and plant room with extra dressing rooms, manager offices and meeting rooms. The training ground now includes six high quality Desso pitches, including a pitch within the stadium area, that are the same standard and size of the pitch used by the first team.
Another £4m was spent on new facilities at Chadwell heath for the Academy opened earlier this year bringing the total investment to £16.5m in the owners tenure.