West Ham fans to continue protest against owners against Southampton on Saturday

Disgruntled: West Ham supporters vent their feelings at Anfield
PA
Giuseppe Muro25 February 2020

A group of West Ham fans are planning their next protest against under-fire co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold ahead of Saturday’s home game against Southampton.

Supporters released black balloons before-kick off at Anfield on Monday night and unfurled anti-board banners demanding changes from Gold, Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady.

Sullivan, Gold and Brady yesterday postponed a planned meeting with fan groups until the end of the season in order to overhaul the club’s Official Supporters Board [OSB].

The board were due to take questions from supporters at the club’s training ground today but that has been postponed following feedback from fans.

Some supporter groups feel the OSB has been undemocratic since its launch in 2018 and West Ham have vowed to implement a new election process in time to schedule a new meeting with fans in May.

The move to engage with supporters and listen to their request is unlikely to come in time to stop Saturday’s protest, organised by Hammers United.

Fans are planning a protest march along Newham Greenway to the London Stadium before relegation-threatened West Ham play mid-table Southampton. Around 900 fans staged a protest against Sullivan and Gold before the Everton game last month amid growing unrest among a section of supporters.

Last night, protests continued as West Ham lost 3-2 at Liverpool. One banner read: “Run like a circus — Owned by clowns”. Another stated: “GSB out — Sold a dream, delivered a nightmare.”

In postponing Tuesday’s scheduled meeting with representatives of fan groups, West Ham have vowed to overhaul the OSB and the club will now hold talks with the Football Supporters’ Federation and independent specialists to administer its election process.

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West Ham said in a statement: “The club hope that these positive changes will mean all supporters can come together for a transparent and open exchange of views so that we can all pull together in the best interests of West Ham United.”

Speaking on behalf of the OSB, its chairman David Baker said: “We fully support the move to implement a model that we hope will encourage all groups to come together for an open and transparent exchange of views.

“In the meantime, we are focused on uniting behind the team and will continue to avail ourselves to the fans.”

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