What’s wrong with West Ham: a supporters perspective on what will relight the fire for the Irons.

Like many West Ham fans, I can pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with the club to the second I walked into the Bobby Moore lower stand at Upton Park. Unfortunately, I was never allowed a season ticket until we moved ground, but I did attend my fair share of games before we left.

As a relatively young fan though, the large majority of my footballing memories come from the London stadium. While I’m very well aware that it’s not Upton Park, I’ve grown to appreciate the stadium for what it is and accept it for what it isn’t.

With that all being said, I’ve never felt such a disconnect from the club I love so dearly. I don’t expect to tread any new ground with what has caused this for myself, and so many other supporters, but I do hope to offer a glimmer of hope for what could make being a West Ham fan enjoyable again.

Despite what outsiders will say, it’s not the fact we’ve been in awful form since Moyes left that is making it such a chore supporting the club. Fans were happy showing their love for the club when we’ve been in rough patches before, and when they weren’t they were eager to show their anger. Now, it feels like they can hardly be bothered to voice their frustrations (and who can blame them?).

Obviously the atmosphere at the London Stadium is, by some distance, the worst in the Premier League. However, I don’t believe it’s even this that’s caused such a drop in care. We’ve seen before just how heated it can get at that infamous Burnley game. We’ve also seen just how incredible the atmosphere can get too.

Instead, I think there’s one key thing that is making following the Hammers so unbearable; it’s the players. Realistically, how many first team players do fans actually care about? Jarrod Bowen is one and perhaps Soucek is another, bar those two there’s hardly anyone that makes you want to get behind him. It’s not about ability, it’s about effort. As those fan favourites have slowly disappeared over recent years, with Antonio, Cresswell, and Coufal really being the last big trio to leave, there’s been no one to replace them.

Before, you knew there were players that were going to go out on the pitch, give absolutely everything they’ve got to give, now there’s barely any of that. When we concede, there’s no leaders, no rallying cry to fight back, it’s just acceptance.

Since Tim Steidten joined, there’s been little to no emphasis put on the people, it’s purely been on their individual ability. Little thought has gone into making a cohesive squad whose personalities will gel – a trend which seems to have continued even after his departure.

If the fans don’t see figures on the pitch that are going to give their everything, why are the fans going to give them more support than they deserve?

So, the big question is simple, how does West Ham start feeling like West Ham again? For many, it won’t, and it hasn’t done since leaving the Boleyn, but for others this is the low point. This season is make or break for so many fans, that passion, that spark needs to come back, or they’re done.

For me, on the pitch anyway, the solution is actually rather easy – play the youth. Last season, one of the biggest positives that everyone loved was Ollie Scarles’ involvement in the first team. Before that, one of the highlights of Moyes’ final season was that goal from George Earthy. It’s these young lads that will make the club feel like home again.

Academy players are always eager to prove their worth, but so many of them are West Ham fans who will be feeling the same frustration we are. They know what it means to be a Hammer and you can bet they won’t be short on passion, hunger, and fight. I guarantee if the likes of Potts, Orford, Scarles, Earthy and even Marshall were getting more minutes you would instantly see a massive boost in fans feeling that spark for the club once again.

I’m certainly not calling for all of them to start every game, what I am asking for though is for them to be given a fair shot, not just 5 minute cameos once in a blue moon.

Even if they aren’t playing particularly well, they physically can not do any worse than what the senior players are doing. I would much rather go down with a team of players who you want to get behind, who love the club, and wouldn’t go down without a fight, than the team we’re currently having to watch.

For me, playing the youth is the only chance we’ve got at saving West Ham, not from relegation, but rather from a total capitulation of fan support.