Len Cearns
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Leonard Crittenden Cearns (1 March 1914 - 28 October 1993) was a
chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
of
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football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club West Ham United. Cearns was a member of a family which had been associated with West Ham since its 1900 foundation. J.W.Y Cearns was a founding member and director of the club until 1934. His son, W.J. Cearns, Len's father, was chairman from 1935 until 1950. Known as "''Mr. Len''" and "''the father of West Ham''", Cearns ran a construction company, joining the West Ham board in 1948 and taking the chairmanship in 1979 from
Reg Pratt Clarence Reginald Harvey Pratt "Reg" Pratt (20 June 1905 - 27 March 1984) was a businessman and chairman of English football club West Ham United from 1950 until 1979. Owner of a wood-yard in Wanstead, London, Pratt took over the chairmanship of ...
. During the 1980s future chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold bought shares in the club to the value of £2m. Eager to keep control of the club with the Cearns and
Pratt Pratt is an English surname. Notable people with the surname include: A–F * Abner Pratt (1801–1863), American diplomat, jurist, politician, lawyer * Al Pratt (baseball) (1847–1937), American baseball player * Andy Pratt (baseball) (bor ...
families, their further involvement was resisted by Cearns and the pair sold-up and later bought into
Birmingham City Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Since 2011, the first te ...
. He was chairman until 1990 when he handed the role over to his son
Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...
. The last years of his time as chairman in 1989 and 1990 saw him sack West Ham's long-term manager
John Lyall John Angus Lyall (24 February 1940 – 18 April 2006) was an English footballer and manager primarily known for his 34 years at West Ham United. He played for the club as a youth, then as a first-team player before injury cut short his career. ...
, after 34 years of service, and the recruitment of new manager
Lou Macari Luigi Macari (born 7 June 1949) is a Scottish former footballer and manager. He began his playing career at Celtic where he was one of the Quality Street Gang, the outstanding reserve team that emerged in the late 1960s that also included Kenny ...
in 1989 and successor, Billy Bonds in 1990. He continued as a director after relinquishing the chairmanship of West Ham, until his death in 1993. Cearns served on the committees of the
Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
,
the Football Association The Football Association (also known as The FA) is the Sports governing body, governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Formed in 1863, it is the ...
and the Football Combination. He was also life vice-president of the Football League. He died 28 October 1993, a director of West Ham United for 45 years.West Ham United official handbook 1996-97 page 139


References

1914 births West Ham United F.C. directors and chairmen People from Romford English football chairmen and investors 1993 deaths 20th-century English businesspeople {{England-footy-bio-stub