Moyes pleads for calm as invading fans shame club
David Moyes called for West Ham fans to unite behind their team after a series of shameful pitch invasions at the London Stadium.
The atmosphere was toxic as supporters went mad and tried to attack the club’s owners dur ing a third successive heavy loss that lef t the Hammers three points above the drop zone.
And skipper Mark Noble shoved one invader to the ground as tempers reached boiling point.
Noble said: “I didn’t feel scared and hope the fans have got it off their chests.”
There were four stoppages and West Ham’s owners were advised to leave the directors’ box for their own safety.
Moyes said: “We want the supporters behind us but you can’t cross the line and come on to the pitch.
“I don’t think I’ve been at football games in my time where I’ve seen that. All I’ll say is we need them all.
“We’re fighting for points. We’re all in it. The players know we did well today for long periods.
“We didn’t do so well for a couple of minutes in the second half. We needed the supporters in a different way.
“All I ask for is everybody sticks together and we try to get ourselves enough points to make sure we’re a Premier League team next season.”
Fans cancelled a planned protest march but took out their frustration on the pitch as Burnley ran riot.
Ashley Barnes’ opening goal just after the interval changed the mood and midfielder Noble intervened when a fan ran unchallenged to the middle of the park.
Two more came on and were led away by defender James Collins.
Burnley’s second goal from Chr i s Wood sparked mayhem and hundreds of fans charged along the concourse between the tiers of a stadium they hate.
They gathered underneath the directors’ box chanting “sack the board” and “you destroyed our club”.
Joint owners David Gold and David Sullivan, who moved the club from muchloved Upton Park to the new stadium, left their seats five minutes from time.
A fourth fan picked up a corner flag, ran to the centre circle and planted it in the ground whi le bemused players looked on.
Pol ice pat rol led the touchline and guarded the West Ham bench as more disturbances kicked off.
Young fans were told to sit in the Burnley dugout to take them out the crossfire.
Wood added a third after a Joe Hart error as Hammers players struggled to focus.
Noble said: “I wouldn’t say I felt in danger but you never know in this world.
“I’m a West Ham fan and I’ve always protected the club. If someone approaches me I’ll protect myself.
“It has been like this for the past two seasons since we moved to this stadium.
“Every time we lose the team and the board get a lot of stick. It seemed today the fans had enough. They wanted to show emotion.
“The atmosphere was horrible. We know a lot of it isn’t aimed at the players but we have to be man enough to play in that atmosphere.”
The scenes took place on a day that started with a minute’s applause in memory of the 25th anniversary of the death of club legend Bobby Moore. Less than an hour later there was anarchy on the pitch and in the stands.
Last night a Premier League spokesman said: “There is no place in the game for what happened at the London Stadium. We will be asking our own questions of West Ham about what happened this afternoon.”