New West Ham chief executive Karim Virani has wasted little time stamping his authority on the club by cancelling a bizarre decision to have a former Arsenal player appear as a West Ham “legend” at the London Stadium this weekend.
In a move believed to have been agreed before Virani’s appointment, Ray Parlour had been booked for a corporate meet-and-greet ahead of the Hammers’ crunch Premier League clash against Arsenal. The event had even been advertised on the club’s official website.
Now, obviously Parlour — who is believed to be a West Ham fan — may well be an Arsenal legend. But he’s certainly not one at West Ham United.
Fans Reacted Exactly As You’d Expect
Unsurprisingly, the decision sparked criticism from supporters, particularly given the importance of the game and the growing frustration surrounding away fans regularly appearing in home sections at the London Stadium.
It was one of those ideas which just felt completely tone deaf.
With tensions already high and the atmosphere around the club fragile, it was odd how the decision had been signed off in the first place.
West Ham Fan Virani Moves Quickly
Fortunately, it’s now been rectified.
The reversal was confirmed during last night’s Fan Advisory Board meeting, where Virani met supporters in an official capacity for the first time since replacing Karren Brady.
And, in truth, it’s exactly the sort of common-sense call I’m pleased to see from the new chief executive.
As mentioned previously, Virani is a very different personality to Brady.
While it’s still early days, the willingness to listen and react quickly to supporter concerns already feels like a positive step.
At the very least, West Ham fans can now attend one of the biggest matches of the season without having an Arsenal Invincible fronting hospitality in the home end.