Henry Winter details new West Ham fan protests, plus update on what Karren Brady has planned
West Ham fans are set to continue their protests against the hierarchy.
The Hammers take on Burton Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup today after their recent resurgence in the Premier League, seeing them lose just once in five outings.
Protests have been commonplace at the London Stadium this term, and Henry Winter has revealed that supporters are planning to continue with something “peaceful and special” before their encounter at the Pirelli Stadium.
It is stated that the contingent travelling to Staffordshire will hold up red cards after minute 15, signifying 15 years of the current stewardship.
Winter reports that West Ham’s vice-chair Karren Brady will meet with the Fan Advisory Board on February 26 to discuss the ongoing fan concerns over ticketing, the stadium, and the overall direction of the club.
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Karren Brady made unkept promises to West Ham fans
Hammers fans were promised the world ahead of their 2016 move to the London Stadium.
Slaven Bilic’s Irons finished seventh in the 2015-16 term, qualifying for Europe before the move. But since then, consistently inconsistent is an apt way to describe the club’s fortunes.
Supporters were promised a world-class stadium, with world-class footballers, and the chance to fight on all fronts. But for all but a short period under David Moyes, that simply hasn’t been the case.
Money has been spent, and wasted.
Players with immense records elsewhere have been and gone, without leaving any real mark on the club – particularly in the striking department.
The likes of Gianluca Scamacca, Sebastian Haller and Niclas Füllkrug all failed at West Ham after big-money moves, despite performing consistently across the continent. While the examples of Felipe Anderson, Lucas Paqueta and more flattered to deceive during their stints at the club.
West Ham fans have been stuck in a constant loop of hopeful transfer windows sparking pre-season expectations, just to be let down. Ironically, one of the club’s weaker domestic seasons ended with the biggest prize, when the Hammers lifted the UEFA Conference League in 2023 after a 14th-place finish.
And to go with, all of this has been done in a stadium that fans have simply not taken to, even 10 years after the initial move from Upton Park.
The London Stadium is a big problem for West Ham fans
Those who have been to the London Stadium all echo similar thoughts. Despite its beauty and might as a venue, it simply doesn’t match the idea of a football stadium.
It could not be more of a contrast to Upton Park, which had stands close to the pitch, the classic rectangular shape synonymous with English football, and four unique stands.
When the mood is low at the London Stadium, it is not a nice place to be, further exacerbated by the fact that West Ham carry the 17th-worst home record in the division.
Naturally, Brady is public enemy number one, having promised supporters the world 10 years ago.
The Hammers are now locked in a relegation battle, something that has arguably been coming thanks to the inconsitencies of the last decade.
And while promoted clubs Sunderland and Leeds have ascended to the Premier League with fortresses as home grounds, West Ham supporters will always wonder what if.
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