Together with League One club Leyton Orient, Judge Justice Davis ruled that they had no grounds to contest the Olympic Park Legacy Company's verdict that West Ham and Newham Council should be the future occupants of the venue.

Tottenham executive director Donna Cullen admitted here that the decision was a blow and stressed how badly the North London club needed to move from their 36,000-capacity White Hart Lane stadium.

It is a mark of Tottenham's increased stature, in part due to their Champions League campaign last season, that they were the only Premier League club invited to the inaugural Inside World Football Moscow Forum and Cullen spent much of her address explaining how the Russians could learn from the way they operate both from a revenue-driving and marketing standpoint.

"There is a huge, pressing need for an increased capacity stadium," Cullen told her audience, "a need that is in discussion whilst we try and find a viable and affordable option.

"We are constantly among the richest 15 clubs in the world but have one of the smallest stadiums.

"We struggle to increase match-day income."

Tottenham are now considering whether to apply for an oral hearing in the High Court whilst at the same time focussing more strongly on plans to turn White Hart Lane into a 56,000-capacity ground.

Their loss as far as Stratford is concerned is West Ham's gain even though they have been relegated to the Championship.

Newham Council, who have arranged a £40 million ($64 million) loan to finance West Ham's move to the Olympic stadium, said in a statement: "We are continuing to focus on securing a lasting legacy for the stadium and, together with West Ham United, are progressing well with the Olympic Park Legacy Company on bringing the matter to a commercial and financial close."

The Council was backed by West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady who added: "We hope we can now focus all our energy and passion on delivering a fantastic multi-use Olympic Stadium for the whole nation."

Tottenham, with a 37,000 waiting list, had originally turned their attention to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford after deciding their plans for a new ground adjacant to their current home were not economically viable.

Tottenham's proposal, part of a joint bid with AEG sport and entertainment group, had been to move to Stratford, knock down the Olympic Stadium, rebuild it as a football-only venue and, by way of a commitment to athletics, redevelop the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace.

But West Ham, the club nearest the Olympic Stadium in terms of fan base, were unanimously chosen as the preferred occupant.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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