This article is more than 9 years old

This article is more than 9 years old

West Ham's calamitous season endured another dose of ignominy last night after police were called to investigate disturbances that erupted after players were confronted by supporters at the club's end-of-season awards dinner at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

Trouble apparently flared once the club's co-owner David Gold had delivered a speech in which he had pledged the team's stay in the Championship would be brief after relegation was confirmed at Wigan Athletic on Sunday.

Witnesses claimed supporters then reacted badly after the striker Demba Ba allegedly refused to sign an autograph, with other players, including Manuel da Costa, confronted in the ensuing mêlée.

Plates and glasses were apparently broken in the brief fracas that followed, with a group of supporters running from the function suite out of the hotel, pursued by security staff.

Actors from EastEnders and The Bill tried to put on straight faces when they presented Scott Parker with an award after the fighting has stopped.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were called to investigate an incident at around 9.15pm last night. "Officers attended the scene but no obvious or serious offences were alleged," said a Met spokesman. "The situation calmed down very quickly."

The vast majority of West Ham's relegated squad, as well as the co-owners, Gold and David Sullivan, and the vice-chair, Karren Brady, had been in attendance at the dinner, held at the plush venue in Park Lane, which fans could pay to attend.

No one was available for comment from the Grosvenor House Hotel. A West Ham spokesman described the incident as a "minor disturbance that was over very quickly", and added that "more than 800 guests had a great time."