West Ham boss given Premiership cash

West Ham manager Alan Pardew will be given 15 million pounds for new players to keep them in the Premiership next season.

West Ham manager Alan Pardew will be given 15 million pounds for new players to keep them in the Premiership next season.

Pardew has been told he will be able to spend a large chunk of the extra income the club will earn next season after Monday's play-off final win over Preston.

"The window for us to sign players is now. The Premiership season finished a couple of weeks ago and clubs up there have already started manoeuvring, so we have to get in the ballpark quickly," Pardew told the London Evening Standard.

Final details have to be ironed out with chairman Terry Brown on wages and transfer fees but Pardew has already drawn up a list of targets.

He wants to add at least four new players and will hold talks with one potential signing this week.

Pardew had urged the West Ham board to give him most of the additional television and sponsorship revenue of at least 20 million pounds which goes with playing in the Premiership.

Teams promoted via the play-offs have frequently flopped in the top flight after failing to strengthen their squads.

West Ham still have debts of 30 million pounds and it costs them 6 million pounds a year in interest to service that debt, so the club will have to be prudent.

Managing director, Paul Aldridge said: "We will give it a real go. Things have not been easy over the last couple of years and we have to be sensible but we want to stay in the Premiership.

"We are delighted to be back up there and will do everything we can to give ourselves a good chance of staying put."

Pardew is also ready to let a few of his squad leave. Tomas Repka, Don Hutchison and Sergei Rebrov are on their way out but Pardew will attempt to negotiate new deals with Shaun Newton and Teddy Sheringham.

The 39-year-old striker wants to stay but said: "We will have to see what happens."