West Ham United legend Trevor Sinclair lauded the club’s fans after the crucial 3-1 win over Southampton.
Around 7,000 Hammers supporters staged a peaceful protest before the big game at the London Stadium.
It came after a black balloon protest during the Liverpool game at Anfield and static protest outside West Ham’s home ground before the Everton match.
Protesting supporters have come in for criticism from some quarters.
West Ham fans criticised for protests
A host of pundits, fans and commentators have questioned whether protests are wise given West Ham’s predicament in trying to avoid relegation.
But those fans showed once again on Saturday that they can ‘support the team and not the regime’ successfully.
Protests were confined to outside the stadium before West Ham supporters created one of the best atmospheres for some time inside.
The team responded with a superb display to run out 3-1 winners.
Victory lifted David Moyes’s side out of the bottom three where they remain on goal difference.
But legend Sinclair gets it as he lauds supporters
And Hammers legend Trevor Sinclair paid tribute to the fans after the game on Twitter.
“With all that’s gone on I’ve gotta say a massive credit to the Hammers fans for getting behind the team!” Sinclair said on Twitter.
“Atmosphere sounded superb and the players responded.”
Respond they did. Goals from new boy Jarrod Bowen, Sebastien Haller and Michail Antonio secured a fine 3-1 win.
Sinclair has hit the nail on the head. West Ham’s players were in no way, shape or form negatively affected by the protests.
Fans prove they can support the team and protest against the regime
If anything they helped. The organised and structured nature of the protests gives disaffected West Ham fans a platform to channel their frustrations before games so they don’t feel inclined to vent during.
The ill-feeling towards co-owners David Sullivan, David Gold and their vice-chairman Karren Brady from West Ham supporters is not going away.
But fans have proved they make their feelings clear without impacting on the team.
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