The London Stadium will feel very different for West Ham United next season according to Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith.
Hammers fans have struggled to take to the new ground.
Adapting to new surroundings was not helped by consecutive relegation battles since West Ham left Upton Park back in 2016.
It was meant to be so different with the club’s owners David Sullivan and David Gold promising a new era in Stratford.
Supporters showed their frustrations when they protested against the board last season.
Broken promises
Broken promises over the stadium and a lack of ambition led to a festering resentment.
That spilled onto the pitch during the defeat during ugly scenes in the defeat to Burnley back in March.
One of the major bones of contention was the difference between what Hammers fans were promised and the reality at the new stadium.
The distance between the stands and the pitch, the rake of the seating in certain areas, the failure to make good on promises of state of the art retractable seating and the general feeling it is not fit for football made for an unhappy fanbase.
A summer spending spree of around £100 million has enthused the disgruntled Hammers faithful.
And Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith says the London Stadium will be a happier place next season.
‘Lowest of the low’
“Interesting times at West Ham,” Smith told Sky Sports News.
“Obviously it was the lowest of the low at times at the London Stadium those protests.
“But if they can score some goals that place is going to feel much different to what it did the last campaign.”
West Ham fans are a knowledgable bunch.
And contrary to popular misconceptions they don’t ask for much.
Good football and hard work will do most West Ham supporters.
Pellegrini promises to bring just that and if he does Smith may well be right.
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