West Ham United fans are once again revolting against co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
Newcastle star switches to Sullivan’s preferred agent as West Ham links resurface
West Ham fans went into the summer break on the crest of a wave after watching their team secure Premier League survival.
It may have been way below their pre-season expectations but it represented a step in the right direction for David Moyes.
Hammers supporters had started to buy into the Scot’s vision to use the Red Bull blueprint to build a young, athletic, hungry team at West Ham.
Moyes ‘Red Bull’ plans in tatters?
Moyes said he would be looking to the Championship for new stars, much like he did at Everton.
But with less than three weeks until West Ham kick off the new season against Newcastle there are no new faces through the door.
Sullivan and Gold are pleading poverty due to the global health crisis.
That has not seemed to affect their Premier League rivals, though, most of whom have been active in the window.
When Moyes has been told he must sell to buy most West Ham fans understood the rationale (Claret & Hugh).
But shifting highly-paid, underperforming players isn’t easy at the best of times.
West Ham have sold strikers Albian Ajeti and Jordan Hugill for a reported combined £7.5million. That’s £10.5million less than the £18million shelled out on the duo.
Rumours abound that much of that money will go to paying Eintracht Frankfurt the missing £5.4m installment for Sebastien Haller.
A tale of two very different sayings
But only Sullivan and Gold know whether that is the case.
Defensive target Shane Duffy looks to have chosen Celtic. And West Ham appear no closer to resolving a number of problem positions, namely left-back, playmaker and up front.
The lack of investment, just four years after leaving their beloved Upton Park, has angered fans.
Moyes has been pushing the Archbishop of York’s now famously wise words during lockdown: ‘Promise less, deliver more’.
But Hammers fans have their own saying when it comes to West Ham’s owners – ‘Sold a dream, delivered a nightmare’.
Supporters had been protesting against Sullivan, Gold and their vice-chairman Karren Brady last season.
The health crisis put paid to that in its physical form.
West Ham fans in revolt over lack of investment on eve of new season
Tensions are simmering again, though, due to the lack of investment.
Social media is awash with supporters once again demanding Sullivan and Gold sell up. The hashtag GSBOUT was even trending for a spell on Twitter on Monday night.
Some are rallying to demand season ticket refunds.
Others are simply urging their fellow supporters not to spend any money on the club until the owners invest in signings.
There remains, among the more hopelessly optimistic of supporters, the belief that West Ham are effectively running down the clock in the transfer window to get as much value for money as possible for players such as Eberechi Eze.
That all seems rather unlikely, though.
A growing number of West Ham fans fear the worst this season.
Having shipped over 60 goals for the third time in four seasons, there is grave concern they could be relegated.
The relationship between owners and fans seems beyond repair.
Maybe it is.
But there is only one way the owners can build bridges with the fanbase and that is by backing Moyes and signing the two or three players West Ham desperately need to avoid another dogfight.
Whether Sullivan and Gold will do that, or indeed whether they even care what the fans think, remains to be seen.
West Ham are tasked with an extremely difficult start to the new campaign.
If the Hammers don’t hit the ground running there could be a storm brewing.
Options dwindle for wantaway West Ham target Morelos as Gerrard speaks out
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
