Fans fight with Demba Ba at West Ham party

West Ham's dismal season plumbed new depths on Monday night with a mass brawl at the club's end-of-season party that had to be broken up by police, apparently sparked by striker Demba Ba's refusal to sign his autograph for fans.

The Hammers had been attending a £275-a-head bash at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair barely 24 hours after their relegation to the Championship was confirmed with a limp 3-2 defeat to rivals Wigan.

Also in attendance was a group of West Ham fans, who had reportedly paid around £3,500 for a table at the function. Yet the party atmosphere turned sour when Ba apparently said he was "too tired" to give fans his signature, prompting an angry reaction from the disgruntled supporters.

Accounts of what exactly happened next differ. Some have claimed players, including Manuel da Costa, were forced to intervene, while actors from The Bill and EastEnders looked on.

Were the fans taken to one side by co-chairman David Sullivan and calmed down, as the Daily Telegraph has reported, or is the Guardian correct when they say the troublesome supporters were chased out of the venue by security guards?

All reports suggest that plates and glasses were smashed in the altercation and some even claim tables were overturned. It is certainly true that the police had to be called. "Officers attended the scene but no obvious or serious offences were alleged," a Met spokesman said. "The situation calmed down very quickly."

The incident comes at the end of a disastrous season for West Ham. They were relegated on Sunday after losing to Wigan, even though the player at the centre of the row, Demba Ba, had scored twice to give them a 2-0 half-time lead.

Bitter London rivals Millwall revelled in West Ham's plight, flying a banner over the stadium that read 'Avram Grant - Millwall Legend'. Within hours of the final whistle manager Grant was sacked.

West Ham now must both find a new manager and attempt to avoid an exodus of key players. The owners have admitted players will be sold in the off-season, but maintain that departures will be kept to a minimum. "If we don't get realistic offers on players who are in contract then none will be sold," David Sullivan said, stressing: "Once two or three are sold, that's it."

Scott Parker, England midfielder and football writers' 'Player of the Season', will almost certainly leave Upton Park – perhaps for Arsenal. As for who West Ham's manager will be next season, Sam Allardyce and Chris Hughton are thought to be the leading candidates after Steve McClaren publicly ruled himself out.

West Ham's woes do not end there: the east London club are facing fresh questions about the viability of their planned move to the Olympic Stadium. Tottenham Hotspur, who the Hammers beat in a bid to move into the stadium after the 2012 Olympic Games, have called for a judicial review into the decision after West Ham's relegation. ·