Jordan’s dislike of Gold and Sullivan explained

Simon Jordan made no issue about his dislike of the Hammers owners went he sent his own message to the Irons fans in a takSPORT discussion yesterday ( Thursday)  The former Crystal Palace chairman, responding to o Hammers United committee member Andy Byrne made it clear he had little time for the way the pair did business.

And he has said in the past that the duo are not on his Christmas card list but failed to explain why both then and yesterday.

But it goes back to events in of nearly 20 years ago and involved manager Steve Bruce’s departure from Selhurst Park.

The now Newcastle United boss had left Wigan Athletic after a two month stay to join Palace who were looking good for promotion.

But he again resigned quickly after less than three months into the season in order to return to join  Gold and Sullivan owned Birmingham City.

He was initially prevented from doing so by an injunction taken out by Palace, but was eventually allowed to leave after a compensation package was agreed. However, the South London outfit failed to achieve promotion and City went up which is probably why the bad blood continues.

Despite that he told Byrne – whose Hammers United group has been in conflict with the Hammers board – :  ‘We want a new owner’; okay fine. 

“Where’s that new owner going to manifest himself from? What’s he going to look like and is he going to have any more affinity with you guys? 

“By your logic, in six years’ time there might be a divergence of your opinion with that guy until the next campaign comes for the next set of owners… and it goes on and on. There has to be a meeting in the middle somewhere.”