West Ham United fans were sold a lie. They were told that a move to the London Stadium was beneficial for all concerned, would generate more income which could then be spent on bringing in quality players and would not affect community spirit.

So what went wrong? Well, the spirit which was always evident at Upton Park could not be moved to the new stadium. The Boleyn Ground, to use it’s more romantic name, was in the heart of London’s east end and epitomised what the club meant to it’s support.

It was a working class club in a far different way to the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, who were always seen as the “big three” in the capital.

One of the most famous supporters, if not THE most famous, was Alf Garnett who was a misogynistic, insult hurling, pipe-smoking and beer swilling socialist prone to trying to win arguments by shouting louder than anybody else. But he still thought the world of his club and would have voted Bobby Moore as prime minister in the blink of an eye. Although he was a fictional character his love for West Ham is embodied by all who support the club today.

That was West Ham in the sixties and it is still the spirit of the fans now.

The London Stadium was built as an athletics venue. It was never intended to host football matches and, as such, the crowd are too far away from the pitch to create any real atmosphere.

The move was a thinly disguised way for the triumvirate in charge of the club to make more money.

They took advantage of the fan base in the full knowledge that they would still turn up, and in even greater numbers, to support their club wherever they played. So they moved to a bigger stadium. They didn’t custom-build one in the way Arsenal did or in the way Spurs are doing. No, they wanted a quick fix for a quick buck.

So now, if they were to deliver only 75% of what they promised, they would see 60,000 or so fans in the ground for every home game, despite the apathy to the move.

They are being seen, however, for what they are which is three millionaires who are robbing the club of it’s soul in a pretty obvious attempt to profit from the deal.

How else can they explain keeping Slaven Bilić for as long as they did? He should have been put out of his misery long before he eventually was. How else can they explain employing former Preston North End, Sunderland, Real Sociedad, Manchester United and Everton manager David Moyes? Where was the ambition in that appointment when Moyes had not won anything and only done a half decent job at Everton? He is a man who had watched his previous TWO clubs relegated and will possibly be present for the third.

The only reason is because he was relatively cheap due to his stock being low. A bigger name should have been brought in and the money saved by being too tight to build a ground should have been spent on players.

In truth, the three owners would probably argue that they have spent money on players but they have hardly been the big names which would fill the ground every matchday or would get the club moving towards the top end of the Premier League.

Unfortunately, with these three in charge of the club and David Moyes in charge of the team, the future for the wonderful Hammer’s supporters doesn’t look too rosy!