The new West Ham ownership structure has gone on the charm offensive with a grovelling message to supporters as the club fights for its Premier League lives.
Hammers fans are continuing their season-long campaign of protests against the club’s board.
Disgruntled supporters have directed their ire predominantly at majority owner David Sullivan and Karren Brady.
So it was seen as ‘one down, one to go’ when Brady suddenly left her position as West Ham vice-chair last week with immediate effect.
Sullivan, Kretinsky and Gold send grovelling message to West Ham fans
Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who has been West Ham’s second biggest stakeholder since his arrival in November 2021, has also come in for criticism from fans who feel his silence during the club’s rapid regression has spoken volumes.
Before Brady left, her last act was to oversee the sale of some of the Gold family shares to Kretinsky.
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Many felt that was a precursor to Kretinsky launching a full West Ham takeover.
But Sullivan insisted he is buying more West Ham shares, not selling in the clearest indication yet he is going nowhere anytime soon.
Sullivan and Kretinsky are matching one-another’s stake at over 40 per cent each by buying some of the Gold family’s shares.
The club has announced the appointment of an interim replacement for Brady in the shape of Karim Virani.
The Hammers’ hierarchy also confirmed the club now has three joint-chairmen in the shape of Sullivan, Kretinsky and Vanessa Gold.
Further changes are afoot at West Ham given chief finance officer, Andy Mollett, and executive director Nathan Thompson have stepped down too.
Hammers fans praised for support by new ownership structure
Whether the changes will appease supporters who have been demanding them remains to be seen.
But the new West Ham ownership structure has gone on the charm offensive with a message to fans.
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Despite maintaining the uprising against the board, West Ham fans have always made it clear the protests are not aimed at Nuno Espirito Santo or his players.
In fact the Hammers faithful have been steadfastly behind their side despite the trials and tribulations of this season.
Nuno is convinced that has helped transform his team as West Ham have lifted themselves out of the relegation zone and have Premier League survival in their own hands with four games to go.
Sullivan, Kretinsky and Gold used the arrival of new chief executive Virani as a way to announce the new ownership and chair structure to supporters.
The trio also sent a rather grovelling message to fans ahead of the run-in, praising their support of the team and club.
And they believe the fans have given the team belief they can ‘end the season on a high’ by staying up.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal supporters for their continued, incredible backing,” Sullivan, Kretinsky and Gold said in a statement on West Ham’s website.
“As we saw again at London Stadium on Saturday (in the 2-1 win over Everton), the energy, commitment, unity and resilience shared among our players, coaches, staff and fans gives us great belief that we can finish this season on a high.”
West Ham fans could easily have turned on the team when they conceded a late equaliser to Everton on Saturday.
Especially as it came moments after word spread around the London Stadium that Spurs had scored what was a late winner at Wolves.
Had things remained that way, West Ham would have found themselves back in the relegation zone on goal difference.
But Hammers fans stayed behind the team and roared them on to a precious late win.
So this praise from the owners is the least supporters deserve, even if it was only an aside in the Virani announcement.
Whether the message cuts any ice with West Ham fans remains to be seen.
However, in terms of the day-to-day operation of the club, it should encourage fans that a popular West Ham staff member has backed Virani’s appointment in what also appeared to double as a thinly-veiled dig at Brady.
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