Clarence Reginald Harvey Pratt "Reg" Pratt (20 June 1905 - 27 March 1984) was a businessman and

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 ...

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

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 from 1950 until 1979. Owner of a wood-yard in

Wanstead Wanstead () is a town in East London, England, in the London Borough of Redbridge. It borders South Woodford to the north, Redbridge, London, Redbridge to the east and Forest Gate to the south, with Leytonstone and Walthamstow to the west. It is ...

, London, Pratt took over the chairmanship of West Ham in 1950 after the death of

Will Cearns William John Cearns (1882 – 19 February 1950) was a chairman of English football club West Ham United and Managing Director of Wimbledon Stadium. Football Cearns was a member of a family which had been associated with West Ham since its 1900 fo ...

. Pratt had been a board member since 1941. One of his first jobs was to oversee the transition of managers from Charlie Paynter to Ted Fenton. Pratt moved Fenton into The Boleyn Ground several months before the anticipated end of Paynter's managership, to prepare him for the job. It was with Pratt's approval that Fenton, with

Wally St Pier Stanley Walter St Pier (8 October 1904 – 1989) was an English footballer and scout. Career St Pier arrived at West Ham United from Ilford in April 1929 making his senior debut in October 1929 against Leicester City. Spending most of his tim ...

, set-up the youth teams and training methods which led to

The Academy of Football The Academy of West Ham United F.C. is recognised as one of the most successful football academies in modern football, hence its nickname the ''Academy of Football''. The introduction of the FA's new Academy system in 1998 has placed even mor ...

and the establishment of training facilities at Chadwell Heath. In 1961 Pratt was responsible for the removal of Fenton and the appointment of

Ron Greenwood Ronald Greenwood CBE (11 November 1921 – 9 February 2006) was an English football player and manager, best known for being manager of the English national football team from 1977 until 1982, as well as being manager of West Ham United for 13 ...

. He retired from the chairmanship in May 1979, aged 74, after 29 years in the post becoming club president and handing over to Len Cearns. He died 27 March 1984.West Ham handbook 1996-97 p137

References

External links

Reg Pratt interview
at itnsource.com Year of birth missing English businesspeople West Ham United F.C. directors and chairmen English football chairmen and investors Date of death unknown 1984 deaths {{England-footy-bio-stub