WEST HAM’S relegation to the Championship was supposed to be a disaster.
With debts reported north of £100m, crashing out of the Premier League was predicted to be total Hammergeddon.
Jarrod Bowen has committed himself to West Ham despite relegation Credit: Getty
David Sullivan has stepped down as chairman of the club Credit: Getty
Yet so far this summer there is a bizarre feel-good factor in East London — with fans already snapping up a staggering FIFTY THOUSAND season tickets.
That is 4,000 more than they sold last year in the Premier League.
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And it has completely smashed the Championship record for ticket sales — beating the previous best of 37,000 set by Newcastle in 2016.
In fact, only Manchester United — and possibly Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham — will pull in bigger home crowds across the entire country this season. Quite some going for a second-tier club.
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So why are West Ham fans flocking back to watch their team take on Lincoln and Preston rather than Arsenal and Manchester United?
Ticket prices have been reduced by 10 to 30 per cent, and with 24 Championship clubs this covers four extra games compared to the Prem.
The top non-hospitality ticket — the 1966 West Premium — costs £1,200 (£52.17 a game), a £520 reduction from last season but still the highest in the second tier.
The cheapest costs just £310 — or £13.48 a match! Only Lincoln (£273), QPR (£275), Bolton (£279) and Blackburn (£299) cost less.
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TOP 10 SECOND-TIER SEASON TICKET SALES
WEST HAM have smashed the season-ticket sale record in the Championship during the Premier League era
West Ham (2026/27) — 50,000+
Newcastle United (2016/17) — 37,000
Jattvibederland (2024/25) — 35,000
Aston Villa (2018/19) — 30,000
Leeds (2023/24 & 2024/25) — 27,000
Derby (2016/17) — 23,000
Middlesbrough (1997/98 & 2024/25) — 21,000 to 22,000
Coventry (2024/25) — 20,500
Norwich City (2023/24 & 2024/25) — 20,000
Leicester City (2023/24) / Sheffield Wednesday (2016/17) 20,000
*Premier League era
West Ham’s average attendance last season of 62,347 — beaten only by Manchester United — was swelled by football tourists. These numbers will likely take a hit offering only Championship football.
But prices alone aren’t driving ticket sales.
First co-owner David Sullivan stepped down as chairman to focus on fighting serious historical misconduct allegations made by several women in a joint investigation by The Times and BBC Panorama.
Sullivan was unpopular among fans, who accused him of selling the club’s soul by moving from the Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium in 2016. He was long the subject of fan protests and boycotts.
Another huge development was Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky becoming top shareholder after buying 16 per cent of late David Gold’s shares from daughter Vanessa, taking him to 43 per cent — dwarfing Sullivan’s 38.8.
Crucially — with the Gold Family Trust still holding 9.1 per cent — the parties entered a voting pact, giving them ultimate 52.1 per cent power at West Ham.
Relegation usually causes a dressing room exodus, but keeping manager Nuno Espirito Santo and captain Jarrod Bowen has given instant belief and stability.
This time last year Nuno had just led Nottingham Forest into Europe for the first time in THIRTY YEARS, missing out on the Champions League by a single point.
Daniel Kretinsky is now the majority shareholder of the Hammers Credit: Reuters
Nuno Espirito Santo has remained as West Ham manager Credit: Getty
He took over a complete mess last September — a result of shocking recruitment under Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter.
Only after bringing in January recruits Taty Castellanos, Pablo Felipe, Axel Disasi and Adama Traore could he properly compete — and had they averaged the 25 points taken from their last 17 games, they would have finished seventh and qualified for the Europa League!
That was sensibly acknowledged and the Portuguese coach was asked to lead the charge straight back to the Prem.
Let’s not forget, Nuno led Wolves to the Championship title in 2018 with 99 points.
Bowen was predicted by many pundits to leave, with Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Aston Villa contacting his representatives.
Sources close to the player told me although his heart was with West Ham, his head urged a Prem move.
But his heartstrings pulled too much and he agreed to give the club a season in the Championship. His affinity with fans is genuine — and he is married to West Ham fanatic and actor Danny Dyer’s daughter Dani.
Yet he is a genuine Hammers legend after scoring the winner against Fiorentina to lift the Europa Conference League trophy three years ago — their first major silverware in 43 years.
West Ham have made £145million from selling Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville Credit: Getty
James Ward-Prowse has worked his way back into the team Credit: Getty
Ironically, he flew to Prague — city of his heroics — to meet Kretinsky for crunch talks where the new power man persuaded Bowen the club mean business.
The deal to keep him was creative. Bowen agreed to slash basic wages so West Ham adhere to EFL profit and sustainability rules, but will claw it back in bonuses if promoted. If they don’t go up, a clause lets him leave on the cheap. A win-win for both parties.
Sales of midfielder Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham for an eye-watering £85m and Crysencio Summerville to Al-Hilal for an equally staggering £60m have strengthened West Ham’s financial hand.
Centre-half Jean-Clair Todibo — who fell out with Nuno after being subbed at Newcastle in May after 25 minutes — is set to leave for around £35m while Mexican midfielder Edson Alvarez and flop striker Niclas Fullkrug are also set to leave.
January signings Taty and Pablo are staying — as are keeper Mads Hermansen, centre-half Konstantinos Mavropanos, left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, right-back Kyle Walker-Peters and injured Tomas Soucek.
Former Manchester United ace Aaron Wan-Bissaka reported back for pre-season on Friday — but question marks remain over his future.
Forgotten man James Ward-Prowse looks set to feature in the Championship, where his work-rate and dead-ball delivery will be crucial. Left-winger Maxwel Cornet has also featured in pre-season.
Now it’s all down to new director of recruitment Nils Koppen to bring in fresh faces. They haven’t signed anyone yet — but they need another striker as cover for Taty, and midfield reinforcement.
If they get that right, West Ham will be back in the Premier League next season.
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