Despite plummeting into the relegation zone and fans’ furious protests, co-chairman Gold insists that West Ham are on the UP and have never had it so good

DAVID GOLD has launched a passionate defence of how West Ham is being run – and insists the club are still on the way up.

Furious Hammers fans have staged protests, shouted abuse and even worn T-shirts calling for Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady to leave their club.

This season is on the brink of disaster – with the club stuck in the relegation zone – after the supporters were promised European football when they left Upton Park to move into the London Stadium in 2016.

But co-chairman Gold, 83, insisted that supporters he speaks to are happy and also promised that he has not taken a penny out of the club in terms of salary or expenses.

Gold said: “We’ve now got a stadium which holds 60,000 from one which held 35,000. OK, we do understand that there have been difficulties with the stadium, but you’ve only got to go back and look at what you had at West Ham.

“When I was a fan as a boy, all I remember is a football club in the old second division, all my young life it was in the old second division.

“At least it’s in the Premier League now. OK, we’ve got a few problems now, but overall we’re moving upwards.

“I spoke to a cab driver yesterday, we had half an hour talking and he was thrilled with the stadium. His kids love it, he was telling me the story about his day when he goes to a match. But is he on the television? Is he in the paper? No. All that’s in the paper is the guy that wants to kill me or burn my house down. That’s the problem.”

The fans were sold a dream with the move to the London Stadium, but that’s in danger of turning into a nightmare.

Gold says they are still on track to use it as a springboard to reach the next level.

“It still is,” he said. “You’d like to do it in five years, which we hoped would happen, but it’s not because we’ve taken all the money out and gone off to Barbados to sit in the sunshine.

I’ve not received a penny in salary or expenses from West Ham in 10 years. I know of owners or chief executives that are earning £3million a year... and more.”

Gold did refuse to deny they could sell the club in the future as it’s believed they could cash in after 2021 without having to pay money back.

“Well, I might… that’s our prerogative,” said Gold.

“But do I look like I’m in it for profit? I’m the kid who used to bunk in at West Ham, I grew up with a life of poverty as a young boy. It’s a dream.

“Nobody believes the story, but how can a kid in the East

End of London with his arse hanging out of his trousers end up making it in the Premier League?”

Gold also defended Sullivan and Brady, who have both come under fire from furious supporters.

“For people to say that we’re liars, that we’ve taken all the money and all of it is wrong. We make mistakes, but we’re not liars.

“David Sullivan’s not a bad person. He wants the club to be successful.

“Karren Brady works for the football club and she wants the best for football club.” the