Martin William Cearns (April 1945 – May 2024) was an English football executive who was chairman of West Ham United.
[2] Although no longer chairman, Cearns remained on the board until 1 December 2006 when he resigned when the club was sold to Icelandic billionaire, Björgólfur Guðmundsson for £85 million.
[3][4][5] As part of the takeover he made £7.76 million from the sale of his 1,844,000 shares in West Ham.
[6] Cearns' time at West Ham is remembered for his advocacy, with Peter Storrie, of the Hammers Bond scheme, a financial bond which West Ham fans would have been forced to buy before being allowed to purchase a season ticket.
The proposal led to demonstrations both inside and outside West Ham's ground and to pitch invasions.