West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan says allowing Demba Ba to leave the club at the end of last season was a disastrous loss for the Hammers.
The Senegal ace joined the East London club from Freiburg in January 2011 but had a release clause in his contract if the Hammers were to be relegated.
Ba scored seven goals in 12 outings for West Ham but could not keep them in the Premier League and subsequently departed for Newcastle United which Sullivan was left to rue.
"It's one of those mistakes that happen, but it's probably one of the worst mistakes I have ever made in my life.
"If he was with us now and his knee held up - because remember he did have a very bad knee - I think we'd be 15 points clear (at the top of the Championship), I really do.""Demba Ba had a get out if we were relegated." Sullivan told website West Ham Till I Die. "In the end I offered him 45 grand a week to stay but he wouldn't take it.
