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Better times ahead for West Ham

It's difficult to think of West Ham in the Championship, even if they do get the dubious bonus of a revival of the Dockers' Derby with Millwall.

However, Four Fur Two forecasts they will return as champions and that's my view as well, although unfortunately it means six points taken off my team, Charlton.

In its season preview the magazine says: 'Off-field it's a work-in-progress, but on it the Irons look firm favourites, with a mix of good Premier League players, recent second tier stars and emerging academy products, all under a top boss in Nunio.'

But how did the club with the 20th highest revenue of any club in Europe and with the eighth largest average gate get relegated in the first place?  Average attendances at the London Stadium are more than 60,000.

Since moving from Upton Park they have spent £1 billion in the transfer market, making them rivals to Liverpool and the Haringey club.  Around £450m has been spent on 53 'strikers',  Take Jared Bowen out and the results are not impressive.   As it is, some of the fringe relegated players will be on £100,000 a week.

If you compare them with Fulham, the former have tried to build a balanced squad with good sell on value. West Ham have waited until they spot a weakness and then try and fill it.

Fans have shown their loyalty by buying season tickets.  Some soccer tourists may be lost, but the average gate will probably fall by no m ore than 10,000.

The London Stadium is not fun to walk to from Stratford station, about 20-25 minutes with no traditional football diversions.  The pitch is about the same size as at the Boleyn Ground, but the athletics track contributes to an optical illusion that makes it hard to keep teams compact.

At least Sullivan and Baroness Brady have now gone who seemed to an outsider to display a mixture of arrogance and complacency.   Hammers United spokesman Tony Payne told Four Four Two that fans have to take some credit for getting rid of them.

He said: 'We were relentless, we were consistent and we were right.  We exposed the so-called leadership group for what they were: clueless.'

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