What West Ham’s reply to letter of no confidence fails to address as David Sullivan pressure grows
West Ham’s reply to the damning statement from the Fan Advisory Board has left a lot to be unpacked.
The FAB wrote to West Ham’s directors at the end of August, issuing a vote of no confidence in the board.
The statement cited an “ageing and uncompetitive” squad that has been wrongly managed since West Ham won the Europa Conference League in 2023.
In response, the Hammers have tried to reassure supporters about the reasons behind their poor transfer window and their plans for the future.
West Ham fail to address London Stadium issues
The statement released on Wednesday isn’t even addressed to any of the Irons directors, David Sullivan, Daniel Kretinsky, Cat Smith or Vanessa Gold.
In August, West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady tried to explain the Irons’ lack of transfer business, which continued to annoy supporters.
Roles at West Ham:
- David Sullivan – Joint-chair of West Ham United; majority shareholder
- Daniel Kretinsky – Major shareholder and director of West Ham
- Vanessa Gold – Joint-chair of West Ham
- Cat Smith – Head of supporter services & fan engagement
Following a run of poor communication from East London, the recent statement will only enhance the disconnect between fans and the hierarchy.
The statement fails to address the dissatisfaction with the state of the London Stadium, writing, “as is the case at every football stadium in the country, we accept that regular winning performances are the best way to improve the atmosphere”.
The move to the London Stadium was a cheap move for the Hammers, and unlike the intimidating atmosphere at Upton Park, their new ground has proved a friendly place to come.
West Ham also fail to address dissatisfaction with owners
The Hammers have failed to reassure supporters regarding their future ownership status.
David Sullivan has been asked to step down as West Ham chairman, but the statement fails to acknowledge this and instead lists all of their recent achievements.
- West Ham have conceded three or more goals 21 times since January 2024
- The Irons have conceded the most in the top-flight this season, with 11
The Hammers have made failures with recruitment over the summer, with the decision not to sign an extra centre back coming back to bite them.
Tim Steidten was brought in by West Ham to oversee transfers following the Conference League win, and ruined the squad.
Supporters have had no reassurance that failures throughout the recruitment and ownership won’t continue into the coming seasons.
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