news-engine

For supporters, management, the board and players alike, there is the opportunity to embrace a new era at West Ham from the top down. The demise of the Sullivan – Brady era means that pretty universally, fans have a degree of optimism – and even, dare we say ‘hope’ that they’d not expected following May’s relegation. But being the largest club in the division has its price: Every other side wants a piece of West Ham United. After the dejection of last season, hope is back at West Ham Being the fallen Premier League big boys and arguably the largest side ever to play in the second tier, West Ham’s team have targets on their backs. At least, that’s the claim from livscore.com, who sum up the coming challenge succinctly: “Between Hermansen’s direct acknowledgment of the pressure, [Former skipper Kevin] Nolan’s blunt outside view that the whole league is coming for them, Nuno’s insistence on respecting every fixture, and Bowen’s refusal to let the squad coast on reputation, West Ham’s own message matches what’s coming from the rest of the division: every Championship club circling this season with West Ham on the calendar sees it as the standout date. The scale of the club, the size of the crowd, and the quality still on the pitch mean that for all other clubs, facing West Ham this year won’t feel like just another midweek away day. It’ll feel like the biggest game of their season.” Forty six cup finals await then. Daunting? Or an opportunity to put right the relegation disaster that this squad of players should have been good enough to see off last season? Probably both. But a good start and three points this afternoon – however they’re accomplished – will help to steady the nerves and fortify the spirit of the travelling fans and thousands watching from home.