West Ham have been accused of attempting to undermine fan protests as organisers confirm plans for a huge march ahead of Burnley as well as demands to change the club’s badge.
If West Ham’s owners thought the brilliant win over Newcastle would dampen fan protests against them, then they have had a rude awakening.
There will always be an element with any fanbase where results on the pitch dictate the appetite for change off it.
That was evident at West Ham when the last protest movement against the board was effectively ended by the meteoric rise from relegation contenders to European trophy winners under David Moyes.
The latest uprising from Hammers fans is unprecedented, though.
Not least because it came with a public declaration of no confidence in the ownership from the West Ham Fan Advisory Board.
There have been two meetings between the FAB and the Hammers hierarchy, including vice-chair Karren Brady, in the six weeks or so since.
In that time West Ham fans have protested with black balloons at away games, lined the road leading to the director’s entrance before a home defeat to Crystal Palace, boycotted the home loss to Brentford and performed a sit-in after Newcastle.
Supporters have always made it clear they are behind the team and manager and that the protests are not aimed at them.
There was plenty of evidence of that at the London Stadium on Sunday where the best atmosphere for some time was rewarded with a shock 3-1 win over Eddie Howe’s Champions League outfit.
nuno Espirito Santo’s side were in danger of being cut adrift in the bottom three had they not pulled the Newcastle rabbit out of the hat.
Victory closed the gap on Burnley in the safety of 17th to three points.
And West Ham face the Clarets at the London Stadium this weekend in what is a huge six-pointer before the November international break.
The match once again comes against the backdrop of further activism from supporters who have vowed to continue their campaign all season long until changes are made from top to bottom.
There has been a new flashpoint in tensions between supporters and the ownership, though.
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