Daily WHUFC News - 14th March 2018

West Ham youngster's maiden goal was magnificent - Westley
WHUFC.com

Terry Westley says Moses Makasi's maiden Football League goal was a fitting reward for the midfielder's hard work and dedication. The West Ham United loanee netted his first senior goal with a spectacular long-range strike for Plymouth Argyle in a 1-1 draw at Fleetwood Town on Saturday, keeping the Pilgrims in the EFL League One Play-Off places.

Makasi, who has been on the Hammers' books since he was a schoolboy, has made 75 Premier League 2 appearances and captained the U23s prior to his January move to Home Park. At 22, he is the oldest player in Westley's squad, but the Academy Director says his is testament to his gradual development and relentless determination to improve his game. "In my three-and-a-half years here, Moses has acquitted himself so well on and off the pitch, he's matured as a footballer, he takes things on board and each year he has got another year's contract because you look at him and think 'He's getting better, so we're not going to let him go yet'," Westley confirmed. "He has now played in League One for a side that is challenging for promotion via the Play-Offs and the run and finish for his goal were magnificent. "I spoke to him on Saturday and he was so thrilled to make his debut, and also to play such an important part in a good team. Hopefully now he can play more games for Plymouth."

Makasi himself was delighted to get off the mark, particularly as goalscoring is not something he is renowned for, having netted just twice in those 75 Premier League 2 appearances. The player has waited patiently to make his first start, playing just 14 minutes as Plymouth won the first five League One games on his arrival in Devon, but when he was handed the opportunity by manager Derek Adams at the weekend, he was happy to have taken it. "It was a great feeling," said Makasi. "When Ruben Lameiras got the ball I thought it was my chance to burst into space and when I got the ball there was only one thing on my mind, and that was to make sure I finished it. "It was a lovely ball from Ruben, he slotted me in. I saw the 'keeper was moving to his left so I put it in the other corner. Luckily it went in, and I thank God for that. "I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I thought 'This is an opportunity, and I can't let it slip'. I would have liked a win, but a goal and a draw on my debut is not bad. "I thought before I came that I would get a bit more game time, but I just had to get my head down, knuckle down and keep patient. My time came, and I think I took it. There's still a lot more to come from me, and I hope I can show the Argyle fans what I have got."

Makasi will hope to find the net again when Plymouth host ninth-place Bristol Rovers in a vital League One fixture on Saturday afternoon.

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Hammers Season Tickets remain cheapest in London
WHUFC.com

West Ham United were delighted to confirm last week that Season Ticket renewal prices for the 2018/19 campaign have been frozen – meaning the Hammers will once again have the cheapest Premier League Season Ticket prices in London for the third season in succession.

For 2018/19, an Adult can purchase a seat to take in every league game at London Stadium for just £289, more than £100 less than the next cheapest Season Ticket in the capital.

The Club's continued commitment to affordable family football means that Under-18s can purchase a Season Ticket in Bands 4 or 5 at just £99, offering the opportunity for thousands of youngsters to experience the thrill of live football at a family-friendly price, not restricting the cheapest child tickets merely to family sections.

As a reward for the outstanding loyalty and support from our most loyal fans, Season Ticket Holders in Bands 1-4 and 1966 Seats will be able to renew their seat at London Stadium for what promises to be another exciting campaign at the same price they paid in 2017/18.

This announcement means Season Ticket renewal prices in Bands 1-4 – including Accessibility Seats – and 1966 Seats have been frozen for the second consecutive season.

Band 5 Season Ticket prices have also been frozen, subject to renewing on a two-year term. Season Ticket Holders in Band 5 will have the option to renew for one season, but this will be subject to a small price increase. Adult prices will increase from £289 to £320 and Over-65s and Under-21s would increase from £145 to £160.

Season Ticket Holders also enjoy exclusive benefits, including having the first opportunity to buy tickets for away matches, discounts instore and online and on coach travel, and invitations to exclusive events.

The process for Season Ticket Holders to renew, including payment plans, will be announced shortly and be communicated directly to Season Ticket Holders and well as on the official website whufc.com.

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Remembering Bobby Moore - by those who knew him best
WHUFC.com

It is 25 years since West Ham United and England's greatest ever defender and captain passed away.

Bobby Moore was just 51 when he died, following a brave battle with bowel and liver cancer, on 24 February 1993.

His passing led to a huge outpouring of grief, with family members, friends, former teammates and fans all left stunned by the departure of someone, in his younger days, had exuded an air of invincibility.

A quarter of a century on, those who knew Bobby best – his daughter Roberta, friend and Bo66y: The Movie producer Matt Lorenzo, friend and commentary colleague Jonathan Pearce and long-time West Ham teammate Ken Brown – shared their memories of the man and the player, and say his unique legacy will live on forever…

Thank you for agreeing to share your memories of Bobby Moore. To begin, how would you sum up what Bobby means to you in words?

Roberta Moore: "He was my Dad and I was a Daddy's girl. He was lovely, a gentleman and a gentle man. As a father, he was great – supportive, caring, compassionate and also great fun, with a wicked dry wit and a great sense of humour. He was very calm on the pitch, as people know, and he was also very calm at home. You knew that you were really in trouble if Dad got annoyed and came up to have a word!"

Matt Lorenzo: "I remember being on London Tonight reporting live from his memorial service at Westminster Abbey and I became tearful. Bobby was great mates with my Dad and it made me very emotional. It may sound like a cliché, but he was not just a great footballer, but a wonderful human being. Not only did he play for my Club and win the World Cup for England, but I was privileged enough to know Bobby through my Dad's relationship with him and we remained friends until he died."

Jonathan Pearce: "Others far better qualified than I have judged him as a footballer. Franz Beckenbauer and Pele have named him the best defender ever. For me, he was one of the finest men I have ever known. He was meticulous in everything, generous with time and money, modest and very, very funny. I will never replace him as a friend. The game will never know his like again. I am truly a lucky man to have shared his time, shared so much laughter and the odd bottle of wine."

Ken Brown: "Bobby Moore was different class. He was two or three steps ahead of anyone he played against and he was an incredible player. It was a privilege to play next to him. He certainly made my life a lot easier! Bobby never used to be at the back, he always used to be alongside or in front of me. It was my job to destroy. That was why I could always see what he could do, because he always used to be in front of me. The ball used to come and he'd always be there first. I'd look around and Mooro would know where to be and it was 'boom, boom' and the ball would be out with our winger and we'd be on the attack. I just couldn't work it out, how he'd done it! Even with hindsight, it took me a while to work out how he'd done it. He was a genius. If players could play like he did nowadays, it would be a different game."

Of all your wonderful memories of Bobby, which stands out for you the most?

RM: "It was a long time ago, but I can remember them all, Geoff Hurst and Harry Redknapp most often, coming around for dinner at our house and being on holidays together. I also remember going to football matches on Saturdays and I would watch Dad during the first half and wait for him to wave to me under his arm as he ran down the pitch! We also used to go to a Greek restaurant close to the ground that all the players went to, and all the players would be talking about tactics and using salt and pepper pots to explain things, a bit different to nowadays!"

ML: "As a football journalist, my Dad was the main reporter for his newspaper and every May he would tell my Mum 'That's the football season done. It's me, you and the kids now, just the six of us, and we're going to go on holiday'. One year, in 1971, we went to Vale do Lobo in Portugal and within 24 hours we'd bumped into Bobby Charlton, Alan Ball and Martin Peters. He had fixed it with all of his mates to go to the same place! The next day, we went for a drive in the hire car and about a mile down the road, Bobby Moore was leaning against the door of a bar. What a coincidence! My Dad went into the bar with Bobby and a minute later he came out and said 'Hello Maggie, hello boys' and invited us inside. That was the sort of kindness he expressed and I had the honour, as a boy, of spending an hour with Bobby as I enjoyed a glass of lemonade."

JP: "For three astonishing years, we travelled around Europe commentating on matches. He always insisted on driving to domestic games because 'You do all the real work Pearco and need to be fresh'. He would enchant us with football stories of the 1960s, but the tales always threw others into the spotlight. Such a humble man, he never spoke of his own glorious successes. Football fans everywhere loved him. Managers and players would turn their heads when he entered a press conference. There would be a nod and a respectful smile. But if they invited him into their office after a game, he would only go if I could accompany him. He didn't want me to be left out."

KB: "We played five or six-a-side against each other and Ron Greenwood would say 'When I blow the whistle, just stop', so when he blew the whistle, we stopped and he'd point at you and say 'Who's behind you?' and you'd say 'I don't know', but when he asked Mooro, he'd tell them! He could tell you where everybody on the pitch was. It was incredible! He had this amazing sense of awareness. I watch games, even to this day, and nobody had his ability to know where people were on the pitch. He used to do it without looking. The only thing I can think of is that he used to do it beforehand. I couldn't fault him at all. I was amazed at some of the things he used to do."

Twenty-five years on from his passing, what does Bobby's legacy mean to you?

RM: "The pride I feel every time I see hear Dad's name mentioned or see his statue outside Wembley is overwhelming, as you can imagine. It is a long time ago that he passed away but, whenever Dad's name comes up, everyone speaks so fondly and highly of him. I took the children to Wembley for the statue unveiling when they were very young, but they are now old enough to understand and appreciate who their Granddad was, and they too feel the pride. To hear Freddie, Poppy and Dean's daughter Poppy and all the fans speak about Dad is, and always will be, very comforting.

"I'm also really proud that we have come as far as we have since the Moore Family Foundation started working with the West ham United Foundation in 2014, supporting thousands of youngsters with literacy and numeracy and also introducing them to the Club. For me, I want Dad's legacy to continue and we tried to build into the core of the programme the values that I and everyone else recognises in Dad – self-discipline, kindness and working hard. We're trying to put those messages across to the children we engage with and are trying to give a positive message to them to help them to achieve their potential."

ML: "Bobby's legacy lives on and it's just a shame that he was not around to experience it. One of the features of the film Bo66y was how he was abandoned, almost, which was just incredible and very difficult to work out why. Therefore, it is fantastic that people hold him in that highest regard, and continue to do so. As West Ham fans, we are very lucky to have England's World Cup-winning captain and finest-ever player as one of our own."

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No breakthrough as stadium talks continue
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are set to continue discussions with owners of the Olympic Stadium after attempts to agree new measures to prevent further ugly scenes erupting inside the ground ended without agreement.

Representatives from West Ham met with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) yesterday (Monday) in order to thrash out a deal regarding the continuing security issues that have plagued West Ham since moving to the stadium.

The club are understood to have requested full control of security measures inside the ground as a result of the failure of the stadium owners to provide adequate stewarding - an issue that came to the fore last weekend when fans ran onto the field of play unchallenged by stadium staff.

Additionally, a video of a steward sleeping whilst the match was taking place circulated on social media, adding weight to West Ham's argument.

The two sides - who have previously been locked in a series of legal battles - discussed a number of potential changes, including sealing off the concourse below the Directors' Box. However they failed to reach an agreement and will meet again later this week (Thursday) for further talks.

West Ham and the LLDC have effectively been at odds with each other since the club moved to Stratford in the summer of 2016. The LLDC's David Goldstein confirmed that United's series of legal challenges had cost the corporation in the region of £3.5million to defend.

Karren Brady recently told KUMB.com that West Ham's related legal costs for the same period had not exceeded £500,000.

Meanwhile Newham Council, who are no longer involved with the ownership of the stadium but remain as its certifying authority, released a statement last night regarding the ongoing security issues.

"Newham Council is extremely concerned about the violent scenes witnessed during Saturday's match, and utterly condemns the actions of the small minority of troublemakers responsible," it read.

"In December last year, Newham Council completely withdrew from its position as part owners of the London Stadium, but retains the role of certifying authority. In that capacity, the council, along with the Sports Ground Safety Authority, is urgently reviewing the safety management plans and procedures and staffing of the stadium.

"The evidence gathered and the revised safety management plans will be discussed at an emergency Stadium Safety Advisory Group (SAG) which includes the Metropolitan Police, E20 and West Ham United FC. The discussion at the SAG will assist the council before any decision is made regarding future sporting and other events."

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TWO protests planned for next home match
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

The West Ham United Independent Supporters' Association (WHUISA) are polling members with view to staging a protest ahead of the club's next Premier League home fixture with Southampton on 31 March.

The ISA, who were one of several parties represented at recent negotiations with Karren Brady have announced their intentions to follow up last week's failed attempts to stage a protest march with another later this month.

Chairman Mark Walker told the BBC: "If the majority of members want a march, it is our obligation to do that. A lot of people were geared up to express their disappointment [last week].

"I don't think you will see a repeat of that going forward, but that is only if the supporters are given the opportunity they want to express how they feel about the board."

Meanwhile, the Real West Ham Fans (RWHF) group - who previously worked alongside the ISA under the West Ham Groups United (WHGU) banner - have announced their own plans to stage a "static" demonstration on the same day.

A statement posted on social media by RWHF representative Greg Smith read: "RWHF have today held our first committee meeting.

"After having consulted all other fan groups within our group we have decided to fully support the protest group by way of a static demonstration prior to the home fixture versus Southampton.

"The Public Order Act 1986 makes a distinction between processions and assemblies. A procession is said to be defined as people moving together along a route whereby a static protest is termed an assembly..."

The RWHF - formerly known as the RWHFAG, prior to dropping the 'Action Group' part of their name following the cessation of recent talks with the Board - had initially planned to march prior to last weekend's Burnley clash.

Those plans were shelved just nine days before the event was due to take place, leading to the ISA attempting to resurrect the march in order to satisfy the many hundreds of supporters - possibly more - that had expressed a preference to continue regardless.

WHUISA's attempts to revive the march ultimately failed when they were unable to gain the support of the authorities, who declared that there was insufficient time in which to arrange a route and provide necessary resources.

With so many supporters unable to express their dissatisfaction with events at the club, it was perhaps no surprise that once Burnley scored the opening goal on Saturday - just a matter of hours after the procession had been due to take place - some took to the pitch or underneath the Directors' Box in order to have their voice heard.

Now, both WHUISA and RWHF seem set to renew the pressure on the Board with further protests - whilst the team, with four defeats in the least five games, falls ever closer to the Premier League trap door.

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FA give West Ham until end of week to explain pitch invasion
By Rob Dorsett
Last Updated: 13/03/18 4:58pm
SSN

West Ham United have been given until the end of this week to respond to the FA with their observations on the unrest that marred Saturday's 3-0 home defeat to Burnley, Sky Sports News has been told.

Four separate pitch invasions interrupted the game at the London Stadium, and co-owner David Sullivan was hit by a coin and forced to leave the directors' box, as hundreds of supporters congregated below in protest at the club's board. The FA expects this to be a lengthy disciplinary process. It could still be a fortnight before any charge is forthcoming, and even longer before the FA announce any sanctions, once an independent commission has heard the case.

Sky Sports News understands West Ham will not be able to side-step any punishment by suggesting they do not organise the stewarding at London Stadium. Even though LS185 is a separate company, which handle stewarding inside the ground, the FA sees West Ham as responsible for the effectiveness of that stewarding. The FA can only take retrospective, punitive action against a club once an incident has happened. It is for the London Stadium's Safety Advisory Group to look to future games, and decide what changes are necessary to ensure safety. Meanwhile, a man voluntarily handed himself into police on Monday regarding the incident. No arrests have so far been made, but the Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the man presented himself to a Hertfordshire Police Station. His details have now been passed on to the Met. They will interview the man at a later date.

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EVENING STANDARD COLUMN: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
By Iain Dale 13 Mar 2018 at 17:00
WTID

This is an article I have written for the Comment pages of tonight's London Evening Standard. I am fully aware my opinion on this is not universally shared, but it's my honest view. Please be polite in the comments.

I've had a season ticket at West Ham for 25 years, but on Saturday I woke up and for the first time since Sam Allardyce's reign, I decided I didn't want to go to the game. In retrospect perhaps I had a premonition – not about the 3-0 defeat to Burnley, but the terrible scenes that happened in the second half where grown men lost their marbles.

They were scenes I found profoundly upsetting. Three days later I still ask how people who no doubt have perfectly normal day jobs can be so hate-filled as to want to hurl abuse (and worse) at the 82 and 68 year old joint chairmen, David Gold and David Sullivan.

'Sack the Board' is the usual chant of the more knuckle-headed element of any football club's fan base. And what does that achieve? Does it make Mark Noble tackle harder or Joe Hart play like he was ever England's Number One? No. On Saturday it achieved what it normally achieves. Sweet F.A.

Not that long ago West Ham came from 2-0 down to beat Everton 3-2. That was never on the cards on Saturday and it was entirely due to a few mindless idiots and thugs. There were some who no doubt wanted to recreate the so-called 'glory days' of the ICF, the notorious Inter City Firm, who ran amok in the late 1970s and 1980s. These men are now in their 50s and 60s but seem to fancy one last hurrah. Pathetic.

My heart still lies at the Boleyn Ground. My head tells me the Board made the right decision to move. Like many other fans I genuinely believe the London Stadium is a fabulous arena and we're bloody lucky to have it. Yes, when the team plays badly, the atmosphere stinks. It is a myth that the atmosphere at Upton Park was rocking all the time. The sound of 57,000 fans cheering when we were beating Spurs and Chelsea last season rivalled even the greatest night games at Upton Park.

So why are there so many violent scenes at the London Stadium? We can blame the players, we can blame the stadium itself or we can blame the amateurish stewarding all we like, but in the end grown men have to take individual responsibility for their own actions. They should just grow the f*** up.

Yes, the club have made some poor decisions, but those who want Messers Sullivan to sell up should beware. Whatever their weaknesses, they care deeply about the club.
Does anyone seriously think that a new Chinese, Azerbaijani or Russian owner is going to give two figs about fans? Yes, they might deliver a short term boost, but that's all it would be. Short term. Be very careful what you wish for.

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SIEGE MENTALITY OR COULDN'T CARE LESS?
By Tony Hanna 13 Mar 2018 at 08:00
WTID

After last weekend I feel it is a blessing that we have a three week break until our next game. Hopefully it will be a period of time where at least the worst of the dust will settle. Normally I hate these International breaks but for once it couldn't have come at a better time. I first started attending matches at West Ham over 50 years ago but Saturday was the first time I felt ashamed of what our club has become as I watched the scenes unfold. As I wrote in my article last week "I must admit to feeling as low as I ever have about supporting West Ham" – the feeling has sunk to an even deeper level in just a few days. Whilst I will never stop supporting the Hammers, I am really questioning my personal investment of time and energy in all things West Ham.

If Lanzini had slotted home his one on one with the keeper I doubt those nasty scenes would have even eventuated. For the first hour of the match there was only one team that was going to win, and it wasn't Burnley, although the more the game went on it had a draw written all over it. Hypothetically, Ashley Barnes could hit his shot twenty times and nineteen would miss the target. Unfortunately for us he struck gold this time. It has been a similar story for a couple of seasons. After riding our luck in the Payet season where things just seemed to go our way so many times, the past two seasons we have rarely got the rub of the green. On the positive side West Brom just about ensured their relegation with a 4-1 home loss to Leicester leaving just two instead of three remaining trap door relegation places. Losses for Southampton, Stoke and Palace ensured there is still a three point buffer between us and eighteenth so things could have been worse. The matter of relegation is still in our hands but we need to find a win somehow or we will start to need to rely on other clubs results as well as our own. I dread to think what might happen if we go a goal down to Southampton in our next match!

The manager must take a slice of the blame for our current form. We have players that are not up to standard and haven't been for while, yet nothing was done in the January transfer window. It might be a difficult window to operate in but the Championship will be an even more difficult place to operate from. Letting Fonte and Ayew go were good deals financially but poor squad wise. Adequate replacements should have been at least a prerequisite. Hart made two awful mistakes again and one led to a goal. Cresswell is so timid he shouldn't be anywhere near a Premier League club. Collins has been a great servant and still gives his all, but again he is not PL standard. Noble is a great trier but seriously lacks pace. All West Ham fans know that Antonio is no right wing back yet Moyes thinks he will be better at left wing back! In my opinion many of our players are either already getting their agents to find them new clubs for next season or, at the very least, have already given up on this season. Four of our last eight matches are against top six sides and whilst we only venture outside of London once for the rest of the season I will be very surprised if we stay up. I can only imagine that Jordan Hugill has been bought in case we go down and what was Moyes thinking when bringing in Evra, especially on higher wages than some of our established players. What message does that send? Whilst he is prone to the odd bad mistake I really think we have missed Masuaku's drive forward on the left. He will be available for selection against Southampton and Moyes simply must select him.

David Moyes is taking advantage of the three week break and is taking the team away for a short warm weather break in Miami. This is an opportunity to install a siege mentality within the playing group. If he can do this we still have hope. If the players don't care where they are playing next season it will be a worthless exercise. Back in my playing days I remember the bonding effect that a team getaway could have and I am sure if done in the right spirit the benefits when it is done at a professional level could be significant. Three weeks without a game will hopefully bring a freshness to the squad and be a time for a refocus.

Five of our remaining eight games are at home and tensions I am sure will get high at times. If the support in the ground becomes toxic Moyes must have the players prepared with an "us and them" siege mentality. In some ways even raise their game further when times become more trying. As I alluded to earlier though, I don't think too many of them have the stomach for it. I hope they prove me wrong. Often our home support has come to the rescue in the past and raised the roof in times of need, but at the moment Moyes and the team can't rely on that. Trevor Brooking said after the game that unhappy fans should stay away from the last five home matches. Unfortunately, I think that is unlikely and the ones that will stay away are the ones that have just had enough of the shenanigans.

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West Ham clash with London's Mayor Sadiq Khan after crowd trouble and pitch invasion
Club chiefs annoyed at criticism over "disgraceful" scenes at weekend loss to Burnley from someone yet to sit down with them to thrash out management issues
The Mirror
By Darren Lewis
22:30, 12 MAR 2018

West Ham are locked in a row with Mayor Sadiq Khan over the London Stadium crisis. The Irons are angry that Khan has criticised them over the chaos that marred last Saturday's defeat to Burnley - yet has so far dodged a sit-down with them. It has also emerged referee Lee Mason consulted with both clubs during the melee and considered abandoning the match, before allowing it to be completed.
On Monday morning, a spokesperson for the Mayor said: "The disturbances at the London Stadium were disgraceful and it's clear that there cannot be a repeat of the ugly scenes witnessed on Saturday. "It is up to West Ham to carry out a thorough investigation, together with stakeholders, and take proper action against those supporters who misbehaved." But West Ham claim they have written to Khan eight times in the last 14 weeks to warn that a crisis had been looming at the stadium, and that a number of issued needed to be addressed. The club's owners insist they were stunned to read Khan's criticisms whey they have not yet been offered a timeslot for talks. They are keen for a commitment to a large police presence for the final five home games of the season and are willing to make a financial contribution for that to happen.
The mayor announced in December 2017 that he would take full control of the stadium, with the London borough of Newham withdrawing from the partnership which owns it, following the publication of an independent review. West Ham would like control of the stewarding following a string of issues highlighted fans since their summer 2016 move from Upton Park. The club insist that the published rental agreement states that the stadium operators provide the stewards. But the Mayor's spokesman insisted the club are also responsible. The statement added: "Stewarding and the safety of supporters remain the responsibility of both the club and the stadium operators, LS185. "This is clearly laid out in the terms of the contract negotiated by the club under the previous Mayor. "The stewarding and safety plan for the game on Saturday was advised by police and signed off by the Safety Advisory Group, which includes LS185, Newham Council, the Met Police and West Ham United. "Following the publication of the Moore Stephens report, Sadiq has publicly expressed his commitment to meeting with Baroness Brady to discuss the future of the stadium and its financial situation and hopes to set up a meeting in this regard in due course."

The Football Association are continuing to collate information relating to Saturday with fears growing that the Hammers could be made to play behind closed doors. Newham Council is also "urgently reviewing the safety management plans, procedures and staffing" of the Stadium following the crisis.

A statement read: "Newham Council is extremely concerned about the violent scenes witnessed during Saturday's match, and utterly condemn the actions of the small minority of troublemakers responsible. "In December last year Newham Council completely withdrew from its position as part owners of the London Stadium, but retains the role of certifying authority. In that capacity the council, along with the Sports Ground Safety Authority, is urgently reviewing the safety management plans and procedures and staffing of the stadium. "The evidence gathered and the revised safety management plans will be discussed at an emergency Stadium Safety Advisory Group (SAG) which includes the Metropolitan Police, E20 and West Ham."The discussion at the SAG will assist the council before any decision is made regarding future sporting and other events."

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West Ham to appoint a director of football as David Sullivan takes a step back from transfer dealings
EXCLUSIVE
KEN DYER
ES Sport

West Ham will appoint an experienced director of football at the end of the season in a bid to head off criticism from fans of their recruitment strategy. Frustration boiled over during the 3‑0 defeat by Burnley on Saturday when some fans invaded the London Stadium pitch and hundreds hurled abuse at the club's owners. West Ham's transfer policy over the past two seasons has been one prominent source of dissatisfaction among the supporters and there will be changes this summer. Co-owner David Sullivan, who has been directly involved in signings, including dealing with agents, will step away from that role, which will be handled by an experienced figure. Sullivan, co-owner David Gold and vice-chairman Karren Brady have agreed on the new post but no appointment will be made until manager David Moyes's future at the club is decided.

Moyes, who succeeded Slaven Bilic in November, has repeatedly stated no decision will be made on his future until West Ham's Premier League destiny is decided, which may not be until the end of the season. Sullivan is keen for Moyes to remain and is ready to offer a long-term deal if survival is confirmed.
Moyes is under contract until the end of the season and has said he is enjoying his time at West Ham but will want assurances from the club, particularly on spending for next season before making a decision. "They have signed an awful lot of good players here, a lot of good players - Manuel Lanzini, Marko Arnautovic - so there's no criticism, but we're going to set up something that hopefully gives us another look," said Moyes after the 2-0 win over Watford last month. "It's going to come a little bit away from the chairman. The chairman is going to try to stand aside a bit from it. It could be a head of football operations, could be a head of recruitment, could be a director of football."

Many supporters who were promised that moving to the London Stadium in the summer of 2016 would take the club to "the next level" feel let down by what has been a perceived under-investment in the squad. West Ham, meanwhile, look certain to have a sizeable police presence at their next home match, against Southampton on March 31, and are scheduled to have further talks with stadium operators LS185 about improving match-day stewarding.

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