West Ham go top of Championship - are they ready to leave past behind?

Yet, this being West Ham, the concern is not rather truthful straightforward.

Uncertainty remains implicit the intentions of Amanda Staveley. It was the erstwhile Newcastle director's woody with erstwhile co-chair Vanessa Gold successful July that triggered the pre-emption rights process astatine West Ham which yet led to the woody that not lone sees Kretinsky and Sullivan summation their stakes, but besides chap shareholders Tripp Smith and Terry Brown.

In theory, if Staveley agreed a woody with Sullivan and Smith, who volition person 11%, she would ain implicit fractional the club.

Yet that would besides beryllium taxable to pre-emption rights.

Sullivan talks positively astir Kretinsky privately and is unhappy the caller process diverted attraction distant from the transportation window. His words bash not look to beryllium those of idiosyncratic astir to make adjacent much turmoil astatine the London Stadium.

But immoderate fans are wary.

"It seemed Sullivan was going erstwhile helium stepped down, but that hasn't happened," said Simon Lane, a Hammers play summons holder from northbound Wales, who stopped for a chat 90 minutes earlier kick-off.

"No-one truly knows what to marque of it all. Does helium privation much shares? Does helium privation to get out? Why would helium bash a woody with Kretinsky and past merchantability the full thing?

"It's hard to cognize what is for the champion really. Some fans bash similar what Amanda Staveley did astatine Newcastle but Kretinsky puts the close radical successful spot and Karim is talking with fans, which is what we person wanted.

"I americium optimistic for the play though."

In Bowen, Engels and others, West Ham person people fewer Championship rivals tin match.

Nuno knows a palmy nine needs much than that.

Stability and unity are not words often utilized astir West Ham successful caller years. But Nuno tin spot the way to a agleam future.

"I anticipation it's better," helium said. "I deliberation it's the content of everybody, starting from the ownership to the staff, to the players, and fans, that we are trying to amended and person amended days.

"What I see, and consciousness is unity successful each the departments of the club. Five 1000 fans connected a Tuesday night. (What happened successful the past) is down us. It's precise important to beryllium unified. There is nary different way."