West Ham hero says fans don’t like going to London Stadium and accuses board of having no plan

West Ham’s London Stadium has long been derided among the fan base, but now it’s being identified as one of the reasons for their struggles. The east London side have had a torrid start to the season, with a win over Nottingham Forest last time out patching over three defeats in all competitions. West Ham had their worst-ever start to a season, but halted it with a win over ForestGetty Fans are now making their voices heard, and some are targeting the stadiumOffside via Getty In response to their struggles, which come after a year of them last season, the club’s official fan advisory board [FAB] has issued a vote of no confidence in West Ham’s board. The FAB covers 25,000 members from 11 different fan groups, and submitted a letter to shareholders citing a ‘sustained failure on behalf of the executive management’ since their Conference League win in 2023. But according to Hammers legend Tony Cottee, the London Stadium stands out as one of the biggest issues. “The biggest problem the fans have got, myself included, is that the club moved to an athletics stadium,” he told talkSPORT. “I’m not saying it’s not a great stadium, because it is, it’s a wonderful stadium, but moving West Ham from a traditional ground of the Boleyn to an athletics stadium hasn’t worked for the fans. “There’s lots of friends of mine who say they haven’t got there or they won’t go there again, and I just think there’s a real lack of enthusiasm towards the stadium and a lot of frustration as well.” West Ham’s London Stadium story Upton Park housed West Ham from 1904 to 2016 when the club thought it had won the lottery by beating off competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient for the former Olympics arena. Club vice-chair Karen Brady called the move ‘the most successful stadium migration ever’, but as time has worn on it appears fewer and fewer are in agreement with her. Cottee’s point was echoed by lifelong West Ham fan Brian who phoned in to say: “They sold us a dream and it turned into a nightmare, that place. “I was a season ticket holder for years at Upton Park but I gave it up after the first season at the new stadium, I didn’t like the place. The biggest problem with the stadium is its bowl-like structure taking fans away from the pitch and ruining the atmosphereGetty “The ‘soulless bowl’ we call it it’s a lovely arena, but it’s not a football stadium, it’s not built for purpose. “They ripped the heart out of the club I love. I only go to away games now, that’s the only time I feel connected to West Ham United.” What else is wrong at West Ham? All of this comes despite the European success in 2023, which brought the club’s first major trophy since 1981. There was expectation that the club would push on, particularly after netting £105million from Arsenal for Declan Rice, but that hasn’t happened. Cottee explained: “Of course West Ham had the good times two years ago and we thought ‘come on let’s crack on’ but there’s only two players from that team left, the rest have left in two years. “The frustration has come from the first three games and the fans want something to change. The Hammers were expected to push on after their European triumphGetty But Cottee thinks the lack of a plan from Sullivan and Co has hampered their progressGetty “I don’t think the board or owners are going to change, but the fans are saying we’re not happy, please listen to us. “I don’t feel like everyone’s swimming together at the moment, there are too many factions in the club. “You cannot have uncertainty at a football club and my biggest problem is they don’t have a plan, what is the plan? They go from week to week, month to month, and if they do well or get relegated it’s ‘oh whatever’. “There’s no plan and that’s where the frustration of the fans comes from.”

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West Ham hero says fans don’t like going to London Stadium and accuses board of having no plan

West Ham’s London Stadium has long been derided among the fan base, but now it’s being identified as one of the reasons for their struggles.

The east London side have had a torrid start to the season, with a win over Nottingham Forest last time out patching over three defeats in all competitions.

West Ham had their worst-ever start to a season, but halted it with a win over Forest

Fans are now making their voices heard, and some are targeting the stadium

In response to their struggles, which come after a year of them last season, the club’s official fan advisory board [FAB] has issued a vote of no confidence in West Ham’s board.

The FAB covers 25,000 members from 11 different fan groups, and submitted a letter to shareholders citing a ‘sustained failure on behalf of the executive management’ since their Conference League win in 2023.

But according to Hammers legend Tony Cottee, the London Stadium stands out as one of the biggest issues.

“The biggest problem the fans have got, myself included, is that the club moved to an athletics stadium,” he told talkSPORT.

“I’m not saying it’s not a great stadium, because it is, it’s a wonderful stadium, but moving West Ham from a traditional ground of the Boleyn to an athletics stadium hasn’t worked for the fans.

“There’s lots of friends of mine who say they haven’t got there or they won’t go there again, and I just think there’s a real lack of enthusiasm towards the stadium and a lot of frustration as well.”

West Ham’s London Stadium story

Upton Park housed West Ham from 1904 to 2016 when the club thought it had won the lottery by beating off competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient for the former Olympics arena.

Club vice-chair Karen Brady called the move ‘the most successful stadium migration ever’, but as time has worn on it appears fewer and fewer are in agreement with her.

Cottee’s point was echoed by lifelong West Ham fan Brian who phoned in to say: “They sold us a dream and it turned into a nightmare, that place.

“I was a season ticket holder for years at Upton Park but I gave it up after the first season at the new stadium, I didn’t like the place.

The biggest problem with the stadium is its bowl-like structure taking fans away from the pitch and ruining the atmosphere

“The ‘soulless bowl’ we call it it’s a lovely arena, but it’s not a football stadium, it’s not built for purpose.

“They ripped the heart out of the club I love. I only go to away games now, that’s the only time I feel connected to West Ham United.”

What else is wrong at West Ham?

All of this comes despite the European success in 2023, which brought the club’s first major trophy since 1981.

There was expectation that the club would push on, particularly after netting £105million from Arsenal for Declan Rice, but that hasn’t happened.

Cottee explained: “Of course West Ham had the good times two years ago and we thought ‘come on let’s crack on’ but there’s only two players from that team left, the rest have left in two years.

“The frustration has come from the first three games and the fans want something to change.

The Hammers were expected to push on after their European triumph

But Cottee thinks the lack of a plan from Sullivan and Co has hampered their progress

“I don’t think the board or owners are going to change, but the fans are saying we’re not happy, please listen to us.

“I don’t feel like everyone’s swimming together at the moment, there are too many factions in the club.

“You cannot have uncertainty at a football club and my biggest problem is they don’t have a plan, what is the plan? They go from week to week, month to month, and if they do well or get relegated it’s ‘oh whatever’.

“There’s no plan and that’s where the frustration of the fans comes from.”