death_date image article_title name occupation
27 march 1984 reg pratt.jpg reg pratt
 reg pratt chairman , west ham united
reg pratt

reginald `` reg '' h pratt 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 west ham in 1950 after the death of w.j. kearns .
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 , set-up the youth teams and training methods which led to the academy of football 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 .
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 .
