Brady entices businessmen to invest £4m in Hammers

West Ham United's vice-chairman Karren Brady has brought in two wealthy businessmen as new shareholders to invest another £4 million in the financially-strapped club.

Brady said that she is still looking for new investors to "lighten the load" and that the main backers, David Gold and David Sullivan, would be willing to sell more of their shares.

Gold and Sullivan paid £50m for a 50 per cent share of West Ham earlier this year. They have also bought more shares recently from the syndicate of banks which own the balance following the financial restructuring of the club.

Brady, in an exclusive interview with the Independent on Sunday today (pages 12-13), also said: "When the club is more stable and we have secured all the debt, then I'd like to launch some sort of retail offer allowing supporters to buy shares. It will take a while, but it would be a good thing to do to strengthen support for the club."

West Ham are waiting to hear whether they will be given an exclusive six-month period in which to prepare their formal bid to take over the Olympic Stadium when the Games end in 2012 as their new home. Brady expects to hear by the end of July and is very optimistic.