An English soccer club renamed one of its stadium's stands to inadvertently feature the name of a serial killer

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An English soccer club renamed one of its stadium's stands to inadvertently feature the name of a serial killer
Southend United renamed one of its stands to inadvertently feature the name "Rose West."Getty/John Keeble
  • Southend United clearly didn't think through the new name of one its stadium's stands.
  • The club renamed the stand the "Gilbert & Rose West Stand."
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An English soccer club renamed one of its stadium's stands to inadvertently feature the name of one of Britain's most notorious serial killers.

Southend United, which plays in England's fifth tier, renamed the West stand at its Roots Hall Stadium after a local estate agent, Gilbert & Rose, which is sponsoring the club.

But the juxtaposition of "Gilbert & Rose" with "West Stand" meant the words "Rose" and "West" appear next to each other in the new name – "The Gilbert & Rose West Stand."

Rose West, 68, was convicted in 1995 of torturing and murdering at least nine young women alongside her husband, Fred West, between 1973 and 1987.

She was also convicted of murdering her eight-year-old step-daughter in 1971.

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Fred West died by suicide while being detained on remand in prison prior to his conviction, while Rose West is currently serving a whole-life tariff.

The new name of the stand has been included on season ticket cards and the club's website.

Southend United did not immediately reply to Insider's request for comment, but a spokesperson for the club told The Telegraph that it is now exploring the possibility of changing the stand's name.

The Telegraph reports the name could be changed to either the "Gilbert & Rose Stand" or the "G&R West Stand.

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