West Ham supporters angry after Gold likes ‘morons’ post
Co-owner also backs ‘Neanderthal’ comment Supporters group says it shows lack of judgment
FOOTBALL NEWS CORRESPONDENT
West Ham United co-owner David Gold has come under fire from one of the club’s largest independent supporters’ associations for “liking” tweets that referred to some fans as “morons” and “Neanderthals”.
Gold, co-owner David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady have all been criticised by West Ham fans this season and were the subject of a protest by 900-2,000 people last month. Another protest, against the West Ham board, which is set to attract even bigger numbers, is planned for the end of this month and Gold has stoked the bad feeling towards them by liking messages on Twitter.
Following the transfer deadlineday signing of Jarrod Bowen, Gold liked a tweet from @claretbluetrue that read: “Well done to the three Davids. Funny how the moron contingent have gone quiet tonight as yet again in a highly competitive market the board have spent big.”
Two days earlier, Gold had liked a tweet from the same user that read: “Thank you David. Rest assured that, despite the foul and ignorant abuse thrown around on social media by a loud mouthed Neanderthal minority, the vast majority of the support are with you and the club.”
Gold’s actions prompted an angry response from a number of supporters and West Ham United Independent Supporters’ Association released a statement that said: “David Gold’s decision to like the following tweet shows an appalling lack of judgment and understanding for the way West Ham fans feel. Calling us morons is never OK.” @claretbluetrue @claretbluetrue
It does not help that Gold’s action came immediately after Brady had claimed that West Ham were listening to their critics and were willing to take on board the opinions of their supporters.
Brady, in her weekend newspaper column, said: “We expect criticism and I can assure you we’ve been trying to make things better in the transfer window.
“We have always been open to engaging in meaningful supporters.”
The West Ham United Independent Supporters’ Association has also called on Brady to resign or be sacked in a statement that was sent to the club and subsequently made public.
In the latest West Ham accounts that were released last week, it was revealed that Brady earned a £238,000 “performance-related” bonus that prompted criticism from the group West Ham United For Change.
And West Ham United Independent Supporters’ Association has now called for Brady to leave the club, pointing to, among other things, her £1.136 million West Ham salary, the time she puts into The Apprentice BBC television show and the column she writes for a national newspaper.
Despite signing Bowen on deadline day, West Ham slipped into the bottom three of the Premier League table with a 3-3 draw against Brighton on Saturday, having led 3-1, and face yet another relegation battle since moving to the London Stadium.
Sullivan and Gold had targeted a push for Champions League qualification within seven years after taking over at West Ham 10 years ago.
Fans now want answers over what they believe have proved to be broken pledges and the strength of feeling was underlined last month by one supporter taking his protest on to the side of the London Stadium pitch.
West Ham were left red faced when Cameron Robson applied to be a flag bearer for the home game against Liverpool and then managed to wear a T-shirt with the “GSB [Gold, Sullivan and Brady] OUT” slogan on the front of it. dialogue with