West Ham agree Brown settlement

(GETTY IMAGES)

West Ham have agreed an out-of-court settlement to their legal dispute with former chairman Terry Brown.

Brown sold his majority holding in the Hammers to an Icelandic consortium as part of an £85million takeover in November 2006, remaining as a director.

But following the fall-out from the Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano transfer saga - which eventually saw the Barclays Premier League club fined £5.5million - certain contractual agreements with Brown, such as a £1.2million salary and seats in the directors' box at Upton Park, were withdrawn.

All parties have, however, now come to an agreement to signal an end to all outstanding disputes between the two parties.

West Ham chairman and owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson said in a statement on the club's official website, www.whufc.com: "It is time to move on from old disputes and legal battles. My focus, and that of the whole board, is on the future.

"To do that we need to draw a line under past issues and also recognise that what matters is building a successful football club.

"Terry Brown has a long history with West Ham United as former chairman and leading shareholder and there is no reason for the club and Terry to be at odds with each other.

"We have settled our differences and Terry will be a welcome guest at the club as we move forward into the new season."

Brown was also glad to see the matter resolved.

He said: "I am pleased that we have brought these matters to a sensible conclusion.

"Mr Gudmundsson has made clear his focus is on the future, not the past, and I totally support that vision.

"West Ham United has always been a special part of my life and I am delighted that I will again have an opportunity to show my support for the club.

"The new chairman and board genuinely believe in this great club and I wish them every success in the years ahead."

Manager Alan Curbishley takes his squad to America for a short tour at the end of the month, which will include a match against the Major League Soccer All-Stars led by David Beckham in Toronto.

However, it remains to be seen just who will be in the Hammers squad for the start of the new campaign.

Premier League rivals Fulham have been given permission to speak to both Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil, while Sunderland have targeted their former defender George McCartney.

Curbishley could move for Leicester full-back Joe Mattock after England's Under-19 European Championship campaign in the Czech Republic, which will also feature young Hammers James Tomkins and Freddie Sears.