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  1. Did West Ham need 'stability and continuity' or 'a fresh start'?published at 17:10 BST

    Your West Ham opinions banner
    Nuno Espirito SantoImage source, Getty Images

    We asked for your views on the announcement that Nuno Espirito Santo will lead West Ham United in the Championship next season.

    How do you feel about the head coach staying on in his role? Would you have preferred someone else to take over?

    Here are some of your thoughts:

    Noa: I'm honestly delighted. He has done so much for us already and I believe he could be the man to bring us straight back up. It's a shame he wasn't in this position at the start of this season, instead of being stuck with directionless Graham Potter, but maybe he is the foundational piece needed for the rebuild.

    Helen: I have two thoughts on this. 1) A win rate of 27% is still quite poor and most managers would have got the boot. He had long enough at the club to avoid the damage from the early weeks. 2) Continuing to play Lucas Paqueta, especially after the red card, was unforgivable. But he could get promotion if he can keep enough of our star players. Forced sales because of finances would mean he loses my vote of confidence, so the board need to back him with money too!

    Chris: He was why we went down! It was due to him playing full-backs on the wrong side, persisting with five at the back, getting Pablo into the team - the list is endless. I'm gutted, I wanted a fresh start.

    Leigh: This is a good decision from the club, if Nuno gets full backing. The names being banded about were certainly not upgrades. He is a solid manager with a proven track record. I also think it shows that the power may be shifting from David Sullivan. I liked the statement released and I think Karim Virani has already done more for the fans than Karren Brady.

    Michael: How can you keep a manager that plays Pablo, on zero goals, one assist and not much else, in the last game of the season? He also brought on Mohamadou Kante, a supposed future star, who has contributed zilch. Both players are not even Championship players. Get Scott Parker.

    Gavin: After relegation being confirmed on Sunday, I felt a change was absolutely needed, especially given some of the questionable tactics Nuno employed this season. However, the fact the club have confirmed he is staying so quickly, and with the amount of change necessary this summer, I now feel stability and continuity is required. Hopefully Nuno (and Paco Jemez) will bring that. Keep Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek and Callum Wilson, and I think we'll be OK!

    Mark: Thumbs up for Nuno, but bring in Mark Noble as his assistant.

  2. Is Nuno the right person to take West Ham straight back up?published at 11:49 BST

    Simon Stone
    Chief football news reporter

    West Ham have your say banner
    Nuno Espirito SantoImage source, Getty Images

    Nuno Espirito Santo will stay on as West Ham manager to lead their fight to get back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

    The Portuguese met with the club's senior management on Monday, in the wake of their relegation from the top flight.

    Although both parties could have severed ties without compensation, they decided to stick together in the hope that Nuno will repeat his 2018 promotion campaign with Wolves.

    "We are pleased to confirm he has expressed his continued commitment to the club - as we have to him," the club wrote in an open letter.

    "Nuno made it very clear that he is highly motivated for the challenge of guiding West Ham United back to the top flight at the first time of asking. That must be the unquestionable goal for next season."

    West Ham's statement accepts the club "cannot shy away from the fact our season has not been good enough", having been relegated to the second tier for the first time since 2012.

    Club sources estimate it will cost them £200m in lost revenue which means, after a hefty loss of more than £100m in their latest accounts and more losses expected, player sales from a squad including much coveted stars like Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes are inevitable.

    Nuno's promotion drive at Wolves was led by Ruben Neves and loan signings, including Diogo Jota. It remains to be seen whether he will have the same calibre of players this time around.

    How do you feel about Nuno staying? Is he the right person for the job? Or would you have preferred someone else to lead the promotion charge?

    Let us know your thoughts here

    Read the full article

  3. 'Lack of clear direction cost us the ultimate price... 2/10' - season report cardpublished at 09:55 BST

    Holly Turbutt
    Fan contributor

    West Ham fan's voice banner
    Crysencio Summerville of West Ham United looks dejected Image source, Getty Images

    Season score out of 10 and overriding emotion?

    A disappointing 2/10, with relegation making it impossible to give anything higher. I would have given it 1/10, but I've offered an extra point because we had an upturn in form after January that reminded us why we love football.

    Best moment and why?

    It has to be our 4-0 win at home over Wolves. Taty Castellanos and Konstantinos Mavropanos both scored twice to pull us out of the relegation zone - it was a moment when we came back from having no faith to having a fighting chance.

    Player of the season and why?

    Mateus Fernandes. We went from having a completely uninspiring midfield that couldn't link up play, to having one that could compete at Premier League level. Fernandes really turned things around for us in this area - always looking to play the ball forwards and break through the lines.

    Unsung hero and why?

    Tomas Soucek. He always works hard, never complains and remains faithful to West Ham, even when times have been tough. He's one that you know you can rely on - even in the most challenging battles - to set an example and put everything on the line.

    Biggest disappointment?

    The way West Ham threw away points this season. There were so many opportunities for us to pick up points, but we conceded late so many times. Ultimately, these are the moments that relegated us.

    What needs to change this summer?

    The way we do business because we've reached a point where the lack of clear direction has cost us the ultimate price. We need to invest wisely, find our identity again, establish better communication with fans and build a team - with everyone working towards the same goal of getting us back into the Premier League.

    Major hope for next season?

    To get back into the Premier League. If West Ham don't get promotion, I can see our financial struggles making it very difficult to get back up any time soon. I'm keeping the faith. COYI!

    Find more from Holly Turbutt at West Ham Network, external

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  4. 'Club not in overly strong position' - fans on who Hammers should keeppublished at 09:55 BST

    Your West Ham opinions banner

    We asked for your views on which players West Ham need to keep on their books in 2026-27, as the club looks to bounce back from top-flight relegation.

    Here are some of your thoughts:

    Helen: We need to keep Jarrod Bowen and Taty Castellanos for the goals, plus Axel Disasi and Konstantinos Mavropanos for our defence. I would love to keep Mateus Fernandes for a longer term, but I think we need to cash in on him. A midfield of Tomas Soucek and Freddie Potts should be good for the Championship.

    Hugh: West Ham need to retain Crysencio Summerville and Bowen to give them any goal-scoring ability and chance to bounce back to the Premier League. The attack is so lacklustre without them.

    James: The harsh reality of relegation means the club aren't in an overly strong negotiation position as other teams will know they need to sell. Should they decide to cash in on Taty Castellanos, Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes etc, those players should command decent fees. The hard part is going to be moving on players who have made minimal impact, such as Max Kilman. On the flip side, the players who failed to shine in the Premier League may do so in the Championship, in what is hopefully a brief stay.

    John: Before we think about which players should stay or go, we need to ensure the chairman goes as soon as possible. The club's management team was assembled by him, and we can be sure money will be the dominant influence on who stays or goes. The club need to put right the total financial mismanagement over the past three years. I hope Jarrod Bowen stays and receives assurances that the team will be built around him.

    Graham: I couldn't agree more with every word Jarrod Bowen said - the team were simply not good enough. Undoubtedly the boardroom and merry-go-round of head coaches hasn't helped - but these are well paid professionals who, frankly, should do better. The ones I'd like to stay at the club - Bowen, Mavropanos, Castellanos, Fernandes, Callum Wilson and Disasi - will undoubtedly be sold to balance the books, meaning we'll be left with the dismal remainder (many of whom bear the largest responsibility for our relegation). Let's hope there's some great up-and-coming stars in the academy on which to build a brighter future.

    Arthur: Tell Jarrod Bowen we want to build the team around him, and pay him whatever is necessary.

  5. Who gets Nevin's unwanted award?published at 08:54 BST

    Pat Nevin
    Former footballer and presenter

    Marc Cucurella of Chelsea and Valentin Castellanos of West Ham fight for ballImage source, Getty Images

    I hate ending the season on a downer, but we need to consider which club has had the most awful campaign, considering their resources and history.

    It can't be Burnley or Wolves; they are with all due respect 'yo-yo' clubs. Spurs can obviously try to claim the booby prize not only for abject performances but a lack of spirit for large parts of the campaign.

    West Ham take the official prize as they have been relegated, but the post-Christmas reawakening under Nuno means that there will be great hope they can bounce straight back up.

    Though the manager will get some abuse from a section of angry fans, their ire should be and generally has been aimed higher up in the West Ham food chain.

    For pure underperformance at vast expense with some incredible talent available, Newcastle get a shout but Chelsea must also be well in the frame for the wooden spoon. Tenth in the league is beyond the pale with the one possible hope remaining.

    Hopefully Xabi Alonso might be a Chelsea manager at last allowed to do his job without constant controlling by a group that have got rid of a host of top football people.

    They have done this with a total lack of the ability, or personal insight, to see where the real problem lay all along.

    The rest of my column has a new home – on the BBC Sport website.

    ‌Click through as I decide who is the manager of the season, whether we should ditch in-game guards of honour and I say goodbye to Pep Guardiola

  6. Were Hammers relegated because of 'no real plan at the top'?published at 16:57 BST 26 May

    Media caption,

    Watch former Premier League winger Andros Townsend discuss who is to blame for West Ham's relegation from the Premier League.

    "For West Ham it has been a slow decline," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

    "Clubs like Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford have a clear structure and plan from the top.

    "If a manager leaves they have a manager to come in and not change everything. At West Ham there is no real plan at the top. You go from David Moyes to Julen Lopetegui to Graham Potter and back to Nuno.

    "You're going from different styles but keeping the same players. They have spent the money but they are just spending and doing things without any plans.

    "That's why we've seen West Ham drop into the Championship, not because of the manager or the players."

    Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

  7. West Ham fans deserve an apology - Bowenpublished at 14:12 BST 26 May

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    Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United looks to the floor Image source, Getty Images

    Captain Jarrod Bowen says West Ham fans deserve an apology after the Hammers were relegated from the Premier League.

    On Bowen's Instagram, the 29-year-old said: "It's hard to post something like this when all you're feeling is embarrassment and pain.

    "I could write loads trying to explain where it all went wrong this season, but honestly what you deserve from me is an apology."

    The England international was appointed as the club captain ahead of the 2024-25 season and was part of West Ham's side to win the Conference League in 2023, ending a 43-year wait for a major trophy.

    "Winning that trophy in Prague was the best night of my career. Sunday was the worst," he wrote.

    "We just weren't good enough. Simple as that. And that's why the season ended the way it did."

    Hammers fans have protested for boardroom changes throughout the 2025-26 campaign, with some fan protests occurring in the London Stadium.

    Bowen added: "To the fans, you didn't let us down once. The support home and away never changed, even when things weren't good enough from us on the pitch. We should have given you more. You deserved more."

    The east London club have had 14 consecutive seasons in the Premier League since their promotion with Sam Allardyce as boss in 2012.

    West Ham signed Bowen from then Championship side Hull City in 2020. He gained his first England cap from Sir Gareth Southgate in 2022 but the forward has missed out on selection for Thomas Tuchel's squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

    "One thing I know about this club is that it has the desire and fight to bounce back from this. This club belongs in the Premier League and deserves to be back there as soon as possible," said Bowen.

    As Bowen's future is in the balance, who do you think West Ham need to keep next season to bounce back from relegation - let us know your views by using this form

  8. Would Parker be a 'no-brainer' or a 'short-term' move?published at 11:28 BST 26 May

    Media caption,

    Watch the panel on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club discuss who could takeover at West Ham should Nuno Espirito Santo depart following relegation.

    "If West Ham are winning a lot in the Championship then most fans won't care particularly about the style of play," said The Observer's Rory Smith.

    "My worry for West Ham is if they appoint a manager to get them out of the Championship but you're not sure if they can establish you in the Premier League.

    "Scott Parker is a good example of this. Are you not just locking yourself into another short-term cycle?

    "The club's that really struggle in the Premier League are the ones who don't think at least a bit long-term."

    "I think Scott Parker should be a no-brainer for West Ham," added former Premier League winger Andros Townsend.

    "Not only does he have the knowledge to get clubs out of the Championship but he is a club legend and someone the fans love. He will get bums on seats and then it's down to performances to keep them there. It could be a massive coup for West Ham to get someone like Scott Parker."

    Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

    The pink BBC iPlayer logo on a black background
    The orange BBC Sounds logo against a black background
  9. 'Season fizzled away to relegation'published at 08:05 BST 26 May

    Taty Castellanos of West Ham United looks dejected after the team's defeat.Image source, Getty Images
    Chief football writer Phil McNulty byline banner

    Now the curtain has come down on the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, here is my end-of-season review - with a look back to what I predicted in August.

    Prediction: 13th

    It was such disappointment for a fiercely loyal set of fans to watch this season fizzle away to relegation. The soulless bowl that is London Stadium, so unpopular with fans after their beloved, atmospheric Upton Park, will now play host to Championship football.

    Graham Potter was sacked in September after only eight months and, while Nuno Espirito Santo occasionally suggested he could take West Ham clear of relegation, they were simply not good enough.

    This may not be an instant return for a club in need of a fresh start.

    What I said in August: "I'm not really expecting fireworks in east London this season."

    Check out the rest of my review here

  10. Gossip: Hammers keen on Parker or O'Neil to replace Nunopublished at 07:24 BST 26 May

    Gossip graphic

    Scott Parker, who recently left Burnley, and Strasbourg's Gary O'Neil are of interest to West Ham if they part company with boss Nuno Espirito Santo this summer. (Guardian), external

    Meanwhile, Roma are keen on West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville as they gear up for the Champions League next term. (La Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

    Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

    Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

  11. 'He should definitely leave now' or 'he'll get us back into the Premier League'?published at 15:53 BST 25 May

    Your West Ham opinions banner
    West Ham United's Nuno Espirito Santo looks on during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Leeds United.Image source, Getty Images

    We asked for your views on whether you would like Nuno Espirito Santo to stay or go after BBC Sport's Simon Stone reported he would be meeting the club's hierarchy to assess the situation after the Hammers were relegated on the final day of the season.

    Here are some of your comments:

    Rob: Nuno should stay. He is a good manager if given the tools needed. That is the problem, though. You could have the best manager in the world in charge, but if you don't have a plan, structure or someone buying what is good for the team and not the purse or preferred agents, things will never work.

    Robert: He needs to go. He has destroyed West Ham. We will have to sell most of our more talented players because of his poor management. Think about it, he has been fired from every club he has managed.

    Bill: The season suffered from a poor start, decisions made by the board with regards to managers and transfers. Nuno, though a bit defensive, has refreshed the squad, which gelled and improved towards the end of the season. Sadly, this was just too late, but if the squad can be kept together, a quick return is hoped for.

    Terry: He should definitely leave now. The Championship is no place for defensive football. We need to be on the front foot early on, every team will be after our scalp so we cannot play negative football.

    Alan: He should stay. West Ham improved a lot under Nuno and I believe he'll get us back into the Premier League again.

    Richard: Go. He has not done a decent enough job. Some of his player choices and subs made were strange. We need a new manager in the Championship. I suggest Mark Noble as manager and Kevin Nolan as his deputy. They've both been Hammers and know West Ham.

    John: The decline was on before he arrived. I believe he can take the club back up in one season as long as Jarrod Bowen and a few key players stay.

    David: Nuno should obviously stay. It took him a while to get the team in shape, but when he did, given the squad he has, he did really well under all the circumstances and pressure.

  12. 'Enough is enough'published at 12:49 BST 25 May

    James Jones
    Fan writer

    West Ham fan's voice banner
    David Sullivan sits with his fiancé at London StadiumImage source, Getty Images

    West Ham's relegation to the Championship is the result of years of mismanagement at almost every level.

    Owner David Sullivan has drifted from one reactive decision to another, without any real idea of what direction he wants the club to travel in, for too long now.

    There has never really been a long-term vision under his stewardship - and certainly never a strategy.

    Haphazard player recruitment, often driven by favoured agents, and cheap managerial appointments will be what many people point towards as the main reason behind the club's second relegation since Sullivan and David Gold bought it in 2010.

    But it goes much deeper than that.

    The move from Upton Park to London Stadium, and the way it was engineered by those in charge of the club, will never be forgiven by fans.

    The training ground hasn't had significant investment either, with many of West Ham's Championship rivals next season having far better facilities.

    Fans and neutrals will blame those who called for David Moyes to leave the club in 2024, despite the success he brought over a glorious four-year period. Moyes had stabilised West Ham and given it an identity, despite Sullivan's best attempts to sanitise the club and turn it into a London tourist attraction.

    But there-in lies the issue.

    Moyes' departure, whether you wanted him gone or not, exposed West Ham's lack of direction and identity after all.

    There was clearly no plan for what came next, no plan for how to build on it, and no plan around pushing on. Julen Lopetegui came in and flopped. Graham Potter did the same after him. Nuno Espirito Santo showed signs of steadying the ship, but also made mistakes.

    And now we are here - back in the Championship with over £100m worth of debt to manage.

    If ever there was a time to admit defeat and walk away from the club, it is now. This latest crisis has shown that Sullivan is no longer fit for purpose.

    West Ham deserves better. The fans deserve better. Enough is enough.

    Find more from James Jones at We Are West Ham, external

  13. 'I don't think West Ham players have given enough' - Rooneypublished at 08:32 BST 25 May

    El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mads Hermansen and Axel Disasi of West Ham United look dejected.Image source, Getty Images

    Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer reacting to West Ham's relegation:

    "You can't be unlucky after 38 games, the fact of the matter is you deserve to go down. They have been really poor for long periods and eventually what happens at the top of the football club filters down to the pitch.

    "That's what has happened at West Ham. Not good enough defensively, haven't scored enough goals and ultimately their recruitment over the years has been really really poor. So, they are not unlucky.

    "In the three years since David Moyes has left they've had 10 players who have been signed for £25m or more. You could argue only Summerville, Fernandes and maybe Castellanos who have been successes. They are nowhere near getting value for money.

    "Recruitment is such a big job and clearly that has hurt them over the last three years."

    Manchester United record goalscorer Wayne Rooney added: "I think they are good players but I also think the teams who have come up recruited well which has allowed them to stay in the Premier League.

    "I've watched West Ham quite a few times this season and this is damning for the players. I don't think the players have given enough. I've seen them walking back, not getting to the ball to get tackles in, stop crosses, and those are the fine margins you have to get right."

  14. 'Awful day' but 'inevitable' - Hammers fans on relegationpublished at 08:07 BST 25 May

    Your West Ham opinions banner
    West Ham fan looks dejectedImage source, Getty Images

    We asked for your thoughts and feelings after West Ham were relegated from the Premier League.

    Here are some of your comments:

    Alfie: I feel we deserved a win at the end of it all. Been a tough season to be a West Ham fan. We just can't let it come down to the last day, we should have been clear by last week. Still hope that Nuno stays on for next season and the only way is up I guess. COYI.

    Dave: Did what we had to do today, but sadly it was not enough. A poor season punctuated by a few encouraging results in the latter part of the campaign. A major shake up of the team lies ahead for a real challenge next year.

    Blake: Disappointed - reality finally hits. We played alright today, but haven't been good enough this season. Some good players but not enough urgency all season. Looking forward to Lincoln away days.

    Michele: I'm absolutely gutted obviously, but the season been horrendous and if I'm brutally honest, this result was inevitable. Sad, but hopefully they will bounce back next season. I have been following West Ham for 50 years, awful day.

    David: It was inevitable, despite some rallying after Christmas. It's how we rebuild that matters now. No point going back and blaming this and that. We need to realise we are in the Championship and let's get back as soon as possible.

    Sean: Gutted, but we simply weren't good enough throughout the season. Had chances but Nuno blew it several times by playing too defensively. Still, it's a great opportunity now to give younger players the opportunity to shine. COYI.

    Adam: Disappointed. Owner's/board are at fault - they appointed the wrong manager and we were left with a hole too deep to dig ourselves out of. Nuno has to take some responsibility too for some of the team selections and tactics for the second half of the season. We now need to take our medicine, rebuild and bounce straight back.

    Tim: We've only got ourselves to blame - the table doesn't lie! Hopefully this spells the end of David Sullivan and with the poor recruitment, it's time for a reset!

    Huw: Goal difference doesn't lie. Just not good enough in the end. Looking forward to a trip to Preston on a cold wet Tuesday in January!

  15. Players will be sold - but which ones?published at 08:01 BST 25 May

    Simon Stone
    Chief football news reporter

    Mateus Fernandes of West HamImage source, Getty Images

    There will be departures from a West Ham squad where contractual clauses mean most players would take significant wage cuts, up to 50% in some instances, in the event of relegation, BBC Sport has been told.

    Axel Diasi, Adama Traore and Callum Wilson are all out of contract in the summer.

    Captain Jarrod Bowen is the crown jewel in West Ham's squad.

    Along with Tomas Soucek and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, he is one of only three players who started the Fiorentina triumph still at the club.

    Bowen's status was factored into the seven-year contract he signed four months later. The question is, will he stay?

    Although he is clearly one of their most saleable assets, the hope is Bowen will lead a promotion charge.

    Midfielder Mateus Fernandes has been linked with Paris St-Germain and Manchester United and seems certain to move on, with West Ham hoping for a significant profit on the £40m they paid for him last August.

    Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf cost £19m from Slavia Prague in July. He is also a player West Ham could make a profit on.

    The problem is there are plenty of others West Ham will struggle to shift, given some calamitous recruitment since that famous night in Prague - the £105m subsequently received from Arsenal for Declan Rice, and more, has been squandered.

    They paid £40m to sign Max Kilman from Wolves in 2024 on a seven-year contract. He hasn't played a single minute since the end of January.

    Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug signed a four-year deal in 2024, when he was 31. He joined AC Milan on loan in January after scoring just three goals in 29 appearances for the Hammers in an injury-troubled spell.

    James Ward-Prowse still has another year left on the contract he signed in August 2023. He started seven games and was a substitute in another five after joining Burnley on loan in January.

    The list goes on.

    Read more about the impacts of West Ham's relegation here