Brabners replaces Travers on West Ham appeal

Brabners Chaffe Street has bagged a lead role acting for West Ham United on the club’s appeal against a £30m payout to Sheffield United.

The firm’s head of sport Maurice Watkins is leading the team on the case. West Ham appointed Brabners to take over from Travers Smith, which was ­previously acting for the club on the dispute.

A source at Travers said that the firm was still the club’s main external adviser for other matters, including corporate and finance, but that Brabners would be ­acting for West Ham on its appeal to the Court for ­Arbitration in Sport in Switzerland.

Denton Wilde Sapte has been representing Sheffield United, winning the club £30m in compensation from West Ham after a Football Association hearing. Litigation partner John Rosenheim and arbitration specialist Paul Stothard led the team.

Dentons instructed Ian Mill QC and Adam Lewis at Blackstone Chambers. Fountain Court’s Michael Brindle QC and Paul Harris at Monckton Chambers advised West Ham.

The compensation claim came about after Carlos Tevez, who was later found to be ineligible to play, scored the winning goal for West Ham against Manchester United on the last day of the 2006-07 Premier League season, causing Sheffield United to be ­relegated.