As I queued outside the London Stadium on Saturday ahead of our opening home game against Charlton Athletic, it genuinely took a moment to process what I was looking at.
Rival supporters love to belittle West Ham as not being a “Big Club”. But what Saturday showed, once again, is that the scale of support behind this supposedly mediocre team is extraordinary. West Ham’s attendance story over the past few years has become one of the clearest demonstrations of loyalty anywhere in English football.
And for those who spent years insisting our numbers were inflated by tourists, they’ve gone.
What’s left is a fanbase that’s local, generational, committed, and louder than ever. Over 50,000 season tickets sold for a Championship campaign, built on the promise of a rebuild, a reset, and a serious push for automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
Across competitions, the club continues to smash records. A record Carabao Cup first‑round attendance, unmatched by any other club with 53,369 at the London stadium for the Hammers 3-1 win against Portsmouth. Then a Championship attendance record set during our opening‑day defeat to Charlton, still the biggest crowd in all four divisions over the whole weekend. The official attendance was 62,264 supporters with around 3,000 from Charlton turning up for a Championship fixture.
The closest attendance to this was Manchester City who had 60,645 watching their 2-1 win against Bournemouth.
This isn’t a sudden spike. Over the last four seasons, West Ham have averaged over 62,000 sold seats per home game, consistently among the highest in the league. The move from Upton Park’s 35,000 capacity to the London Stadium’s 62,500 has almost doubled average attendances.
Despite limited success, aside from the unforgettable 2023 Europa Conference League triumph the connection between club and community has only intensified. Years without silverware haven’t thinned the fanbase, they’ve hardened it. West Ham supporters turn up because the club is part of who we are. The stadium has its flaws, but it continues to pull in record‑breaking crowds.
Whether that will continue if the club don’t reciprocate on the pitch, both via player loyalty and performances and results remains to be seen.
This level of incredible West Ham support simply demands better on the pitch and better in the transfer market.
It does seem that many players want to leave because they do not want to play for Nuno. If he was sacked now would players like Djouf stay to work with someone else>
It does seem that many players want to leave because they do not want to play for Nuno. If he was sacked now would players like Djouf stay to work with someone else>
It does seem that many players want to leave because they do not want to play for Nuno. If he was sacked now would players like Djouf stay to work with someone else>
I gave up my season ticket at the end of the Bond Scheme season. We were relegated again as well and I was forced to ask myself who was I supporting? The players didn’t care, the board had shown what they thought of us and it appeared that West Ham was really just us the fans. Over the years it is a feeling that has only been enforced. The fans are the club. It’s amazing to think that if we ever get to adapt the London Stadium into a football ground we would probably have to make the attendance even bigger to meet demand. Best fans in the country by a million miles ⚒️⚒️
maybe because everyone turns up they don’t have to change anything.
They knew they were on the back foot at the end of last season.
Promised Sullivan would be gone. he’s not.
promised big cash injection, it’s not happened.
promised they would keep the best players with the exception of a couple. No fire sale. Nonsense.
Promised a new approach, nothing, same manager, same rubbish players.
Promised a new badge, let’s have a survey and we might change something in there years.
Sell 50 something thousand tickets, and what has changed. NOTHING
they must be laughing at everyone, especially Sullivan sitting there like he’s done nothing and Nuno as if he’s a new boy. He got us relegated….
Who looks stupid, is it them?
Very well said Matt.
Our support is and always will be the huge.
Billy Bonds always said that we are the best and most loyal.
If we can attract someone who will invest into this club with a clear vision for sporting success, employ highly competent directors of impeccable credentials to impart and embed West Ham United football philosophy. Who cherish and value our heritage.
Identify managers and coaches to put together a coherent squad of players who will buy into these ideals.
It’d be nothing less than we deserve for us long suffering supporter’s.
And look what we are getting Pinnock on a free a 33 year old journeyman. Thanks W Ham
Sold and got rid of a host of players for big money and barely spent any of the money on replacements.The squad needs bolstering with leaders,fighters and pace to prosper in this tough division otherwise we are in for a nasty shock.1 week to go and then there is no going back and we are stuck with the players who were outfought for much of Saturdays game.We only woke up in the last 20 minutes which is a constant with Nuno at the helm.
100% agree Matt, I was a season ticket holder for 20 years until 2012. Then ill health and location stopped me attending. I first went to the Boleyn in 1968, seen relegations, promotions, cup wins and the boys of 86.
Today I see a fabulous club, with an amazing fan base, loyal, passionate and always there home and away. The way they have been treated (in large by the board) in the past 20 years is a disgrace. The manner in which some players after relegation, have behaved has been a disgrace. Some, have been dignified and loyal, too many have not looked at their own part in our demise. They, the manager and the board are responsible for us being where we are today, not the fan base. Too few Tomas Soucek’s and Jarrord Bowens’s and far too many Arran Wan Bissakas doing bugger all.
Get Nuno out now before it’s too late but make sure we have the right replacement ready to come in. Eddie Howe would be my choice, not likely to happen. The lad who was at Ipswich would be my second choice.
Sort out the problem in defence (Todibo would play for another manager, Nuno has fallen out with too many players to often) play with pace and destroy the opposition not sit back, score 3-4-5 goals and leave them wandering what happened. Play people in the right position and don’t stifle them.
It’s football not rocket science, Nuno must go now!
I’ve not got time to mention the board!!!!
Rant over!
Out.