Why are West Ham fans protesting at matches?
- Published
West Ham fans are set to stage another demonstration against the club's owners on Saturday, with a protest march planned before their home fixture against Burnley.
Supporters have voiced their displeasure at club chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady - and want both to step down from their roles.
Sullivan and Brady have been in control of West Ham since 2010, but sold a 27% stake in the club to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky in 2021.
Fans believe the club have not adequately built on their 2023 Conference League victory - their first major trophy in 43 years - and there is ongoing dissatisfaction with their stadium.
West Ham left Upton Park in 2016 to move to the 62,500-seater London Stadium, which was originally built as an athletics venue for the London 2012 Olympics. Brady promised fans in 2013 that it would be a "world-class" football venue.
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When did the protests start?
West Ham finished 14th in the Premier League last season
Two organised demonstrations took place before West Ham's 2-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace on 20 September, with 3,000 fans marching before Graham Potter's final game as manager.
In October, there were banks of empty seats in the London Stadium as fans boycotted Nuno Espirito Santo's first home game in charge. The Hammers lost 2-0 to Brentford to lose a fifth home league defeat in succession for the first time since 1931.
A number of supporters also staged a sit-in protest on 2 November after the 3-1 Premier League victory over Newcastle United.
West Ham go into Saturday's game 18th in the Premier League, having taken just seven points from their first 10 games. Should they finish in that position, they would return to the Championship for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Supporter Holly Turbutt, from West Ham Network, says the protests are a result of a "multitude of issues" at the club, including poor performances.
How much have West Ham spent?
Comparing their expenditure to other clubs this season, West Ham sit squarely in the middle of the table in 10th place for 2024-25, with a gross expenditure of £124m.
They are in a similar position when taking player sales into account, with a net spend of £69m (following player sales of £55m) placing them ninth in the table.
James Jones, from the We Are West Ham podcast, said the club was a "shell of its former self".
He said the stadium move and a redesign of the club crest had "angered" fans, with the team's struggles being a result of money being "badly spent".
Organisers expect at least 9,000 people to take part in Saturday's planned demonstration.
A petition calling for Sullivan and Brady to step down has been signed more than 16,000 times, and the West Ham Fan Advisory Board has passed a vote of no-confidence in the board.
The club acknowledged the protests that took place on 20 September, saying they "listen to fan feedback" and have made "significant investment into the football operation".
They added that "continue to do everything we can to improve the matchday experience", but did not publicly comment on future protests.
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