A football club is to change the name of one of its stands after a new sponsorship deal saw it rebranded “the Gilbert & Rose West Stand”, triggering reaction on social media over the association with one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers.
Southend United, which plays in the National League which is the fifth tier of English football, signed a commercial partnership with a local estate agent in Leigh-on-Sea.
The juxtaposition of “Gilbert & Rose” with “West Stand” inadvertently saw Rose and West appear next to each other on season ticket cards and the club’s website.
Southend, who start their season at home to Boreham Wood on Saturday, are now to discuss “a …