David Gold: Birmingham City, players and fans pay tribute to former chairman

Birmingham City has paid tribute to the club’s former chairman and co-owner David Gold who has died aged 86 after a short illness.

Gold spent 12 years as Blues’ chairman before he sold his shares in 2009. He had been the co-chairman of West Ham United with business partner David Sullivan since 2010.

West Ham said in a statement on Wednesday (January 4) that Gold ‘died peacefully with his devoted daughters, Jacqueline and Vanessa, and his fiancée Lesley, by his side’.

Following the news, Blues paid tribute to the club’s former chairman.

A post on City’s Twitter page, read: “The Club is devastated to learn of the passing of former Chairman David Gold at the age of 86. Our thoughts are with his daughters Jacqueline and Vanessa, and his fiancée Lesley at this incredibly difficult time.”

‘The kind of owner we need right now’

Responding to the tweet, one Blues fan wrote: “He was a passionate and great supporter of the club as well as a very decent human.”

Another said: “Of the co-owners of that era he was the one who seemed to relate to the fans best and prematch could often be found mingling on the Kop side of the ground. RIP.”

Another wrote: “RIP to a lovely man who always made me feel welcome after we met at Oxford utd in the boardroom when he was at Birmingham City.”

Another fan wrote: “Sad news. Opinions abound about the ownership period but I remember the club before his stewardship and it was a much healthier picture afterwards. Was always approachable too.”

Another fan wrote: “The kind of owner we need right now, we took his work for granted. RIP.”

Tributes from players and pundits

Curtis Woodhouse, who played for Blue between 2001 and 2003, paid tribute to Gold.

On Twitter, he wrote: “Really sad to hear the news about David Gold passing. I had some difficult times at BCFC and when everybody else was trying to sack me, David reached out to try and help me. That meant a lot to me then but even more to me now I’m older and I understand. RIP David.”

A statement from the Premier League, read: “We are saddened at the passing of West Ham’s joint-chairman David Gold, who has died aged 86. The Premier League offers our sincere condolences to David’s family and friends, and everyone at West Ham, at this sad time.”

talkSPORT presenter Mike Parry wrote on Twitter: “I’m very sorry to hear of the death of West Ham joint-chairman David Gold who clearly had a great passion for his club. He always made me feel very welcome when Everton were visiting the Hammers.”

A statement from the Premier League, read: “We are saddened at the passing of West Ham’s joint-chairman David Gold, who has died aged 86. The Premier League offers our sincere condolences to David’s family and friends, and everyone at West Ham, at this sad time. “