West Ham United shared its views and those of its supporters expressing vehement opposition to the proposal for a Super League at a Premier League meeting held on Tuesday morning.
Following a meeting between senior Club officials and the Independent Supporters’ Committee within 24 hours of the news breaking, Vice-Chairman Karren Brady met with representatives from 13 other Premier League clubs to share the Hammers’ unequivocally strong disapproval of a proposal by six clubs to create a breakaway league that undermines our values and those of the game we all hold so dear.
As a Club that was founded by working-class shipbuilders over 125 years ago, is deeply rooted in its own community and is acutely aware of the traditions of English football, we passionately believe that there should be no barrier to supporting West Ham United and these proposals go entirely against the integrity of our Beautiful Game.
Thames Ironworks FC was formed in June 1895 by Arnold Hills, a man who believed his local community should have its own football team. Well over a century later West Ham United, owned by two supporters, remains at the heart of our community, true to its working-class values.
From humble origins, the Club grew, attracting more support and better players, working its way up through the football pyramid to earn its place at the highest level of the game, where we are proud to be today and giving our all in line with those values, to achieve a place in Europe.
The foundations of our Club and our sport are based on the integrity of competition and the loyal support of our fans who have grown up as members of the Claret and Blue Army and followed us over land and sea.
These proposals are an attack on sporting integrity, undermine competition, and ignore those supporters, and those of the thousands of clubs and millions of players, from the Premier League to Sunday League, who can aspire to reach the top of the game just like our 150-plus homegrown Academy of Football graduates who came from grassroots and were developed into first-team players.
Our supporters have been there throughout our 125-year journey, for our FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup wins, our promotions and many other memorable moments.
These proposals go totally against the ethos and values – the West Ham Way – that have inspired us to those unforgettable successes and will shape the next generation of Hammers, on and off the pitch.
West Ham United will continue to do everything possible standing together with its supporters, government, governing bodies and the wider football community to resist this attack on football in the best interests of our Club and of the game we all love.
We believe we have a social responsibility to do so and will continue to keep supporters fully updated.