Barry Hearn wants West Ham United, Leyton Orient ground share

By Alex Meyers, Reporter | 18 September 2013

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn expresses his desire to see his club given the chance to share the Olympic Stadium with West Ham.

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn believes that his club and West Ham United should not be blocked from sharing the Olympic Stadium if they are both playing in the same division next season.

A judicial review is taking place at the High Court tomorrow to examine the decision by the London Legacy Development Corporation to award sole tenancy to West Ham.

Hearn thinks that Orient's chances of becoming tenants at the stadium have improved after the club's unbeaten start to the League One season coupled with the fact that West Ham are not guaranteed Premier League survival.

"The whole thing is so ridiculously lacking in common sense," he is quoted as saying by the Evening Standard.

"Let's just share it, let's get the maximum value out of the taxpayers' pound. Of course, it makes it even more stupid if we were to get promotion to the Championship.

"I don't want to see West Ham get relegated but it's a tough League and if they went down, you could have a local derby with both teams in the Championship."

Leyton Orient have won their first seven league fixtures and currently sit five points clear at the top of the League One table.