Championship 2026/27

The last two posters are equating West Ham with Sunderland. The difference is that there is an underlying contempt for the owners and the stadium at West Ham. My prediction is based on a bad start which I think will churn up all those dormant feelings. They papered over the cracks with their Mickey Mouse European win, but if they don’t start brightly it will be like opening a gateway to another world of huge discount at the situation they find themselves in with a less than half empty stadium they hate.

Edit: Maybe they will sell season tickets in large numbers but what counts is the number of supporters still present in the 85th minute when they're losing their 3rd consecutive home match.

jimmymelrose said:

MrOneLung said:

I still think West Ham will average 50k next season

I reckon they’ll start at 30k and if they do badly, they’ll be getting about the same attendances as us. Sure, they have a bigger fanbase than us but if they're not in the top 6 they’ll be mightily pissed off whereas our fanbase is happy to be 21st.

I beg to differ!...

eastterrace6168 said:

oohaahmortimer said:

At no point will they have the same attendances as us 
Our crowds will reduce over time if there’s no promotion push 
West Ham will be up there and they will hang on to 40k-50k crowds 

Believe me, they will fall away like a pensioner's erection if they don't have a good start!...😉

It seems very unfair to me that the players who got them relegated will now get transfers and move on. There should be a clause like a promotion clause where if you get us relegated your money goes down and you stay and get us promoted 

MillwallFan said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

jimmymelrose said:

I really wouldn't be surprised to see West Ham in another relegation battle next season. They will go through a lot of upheaval this summer and I think they’ll start badly. Then the fans will get moody and the atmosphere will be awful. It all depends on which players they can keep, but their finances are in a mess. Regarding new signings, their owners couldn’t get that right in a league they already knew, so what chance in a new league?

I think they’ll be fine. I’d be amazed if they don’t make a top eight playoff place. I think there’s a very good chance Sullivan will find a buyer. They are ripe for the picking at this point. 

They don’t own their own ground. It’s a ground that’ll probably be half full in the championship. The club is a shambles from top to bottom. The fanbase have completely turned. They hate the ground. The finances are a complete mess. There’s going to be a fire sale of all their best players, who will probably go for less than their market value. They still owe 200 million in payment instalments from players that they bought a couple of years ago. Sullivan won’t let the club go for peanuts and is talking about handing his shares down to his son (remind you of anyone?). The whole club is toxic. 

People are tipping them to go straight back up for one reason and one reason only. Because they’re west ham. They see them as a big club and think they must bounce back for that reason alone. Personally I think they’re in big trouble and won’t be back in the PL anytime soon. I think they’ve got more chance of playing in the third tier before they get back to the PL. 

Crispywood said:

West Ham will definitely go straight back up their finances in comparison to the rest of the league will be ridiculously strong and I can’t remember the last time a relegated prem team didn’t go straight back up. 

DamoNorthStand said:

Crispywood said:

West Ham will definitely go straight back up their finances in comparison to the rest of the league will be ridiculously strong and I can’t remember the last time a relegated prem team didn’t go straight back up. 

Erm……..

Meant as in one of the 3 relegated sides but it’s not Like West Ham are in the same position as a Leicester or a Luton. 

bobmunro said:

MillwallFan said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

jimmymelrose said:

I really wouldn't be surprised to see West Ham in another relegation battle next season. They will go through a lot of upheaval this summer and I think they’ll start badly. Then the fans will get moody and the atmosphere will be awful. It all depends on which players they can keep, but their finances are in a mess. Regarding new signings, their owners couldn’t get that right in a league they already knew, so what chance in a new league?

I think they’ll be fine. I’d be amazed if they don’t make a top eight playoff place. I think there’s a very good chance Sullivan will find a buyer. They are ripe for the picking at this point. 

They don’t own their own ground. It’s a ground that’ll probably be half full in the championship. The club is a shambles from top to bottom. The fanbase have completely turned. They hate the ground. The finances are a complete mess. There’s going to be a fire sale of all their best players, who will probably go for less than their market value. They still owe 200 million in payment instalments from players that they bought a couple of years ago. Sullivan won’t let the club go for peanuts and is talking about handing his shares down to his son (remind you of anyone?). The whole club is toxic. 

People are tipping them to go straight back up for one reason and one reason only. Because they’re west ham. They see them as a big club and think they must bounce back for that reason alone. Personally I think they’re in big trouble and won’t be back in the PL anytime soon. I think they’ve got more chance of playing in the third tier before they get back to the PL. 

I hate to burst your bubble, and it pains me to say it, West Ham are a big club - in terms of historical average league position they will be the most successful club in the Championship next season - believe it or not West Brom are the next biggest in terms of historical league position.

But I agree that their history is irrelevant and I too believe they will struggle to bounce straight back.

i didn’t say they wasn’t a big club. I just meant that they won’t automatically bounce because of that fact. Lots of big clubs find themselves in the third tier. 

MillwallFan said:

Covered End said:

jimmymelrose said:

MrOneLung said:

I still think West Ham will average 50k next season

I reckon they’ll start at 30k and if they do badly, they’ll be getting about the same attendances as us. Sure, they have a bigger fanbase than us but if they're not in the top 6 they’ll be mightily pissed off whereas our fanbase is happy to be 21st.

So you think West Ham will average about the same official attendances as Charlton, for the season 2026/2027?

You cannot possibly go on arbitrary "in my opinion" figures, as that is not verifiable.

On that basis I bet you that West Ham have a higher official average attendance in The Championship next season for 2026/2027 than Charlton.

The loser donates to the Upbeats.

Name the stake you propose and I'll agree.

No way they’ll get the same as Charlton. But I also think talk of 40k is a push for them. Someone on here mentioning 50k. No chance. Not in the championship. 

Ok so I’ve just read that they have slashed the cost of a season ticket. Some bands by almost 40%. So with that in mind I think they will get to the 40k mark, even, as someone said above, touching 50. But the income from those sales have been massively reduced and with the debt they’ve got hanging over them I still think they’re bang in trouble. 

MillwallFan said:

MillwallFan said:

Covered End said:

jimmymelrose said:

MrOneLung said:

I still think West Ham will average 50k next season

I reckon they’ll start at 30k and if they do badly, they’ll be getting about the same attendances as us. Sure, they have a bigger fanbase than us but if they're not in the top 6 they’ll be mightily pissed off whereas our fanbase is happy to be 21st.

So you think West Ham will average about the same official attendances as Charlton, for the season 2026/2027?

You cannot possibly go on arbitrary "in my opinion" figures, as that is not verifiable.

On that basis I bet you that West Ham have a higher official average attendance in The Championship next season for 2026/2027 than Charlton.

The loser donates to the Upbeats.

Name the stake you propose and I'll agree.

No way they’ll get the same as Charlton. But I also think talk of 40k is a push for them. Someone on here mentioning 50k. No chance. Not in the championship. 

Ok so I’ve just read that they have slashed the cost of a season ticket. Some bands by almost 40%. So with that in mind I think they will get to the 40k mark, even, as someone said above, touching 50. But the income from those sales have been massively reduced and with the debt they’ve got hanging over them I still think they’re bang in trouble. 

Excellent, I'm expecting jimmymelrose to return very soon to name the stake.

bobmunro said:

MillwallFan said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

jimmymelrose said:

I really wouldn't be surprised to see West Ham in another relegation battle next season. They will go through a lot of upheaval this summer and I think they’ll start badly. Then the fans will get moody and the atmosphere will be awful. It all depends on which players they can keep, but their finances are in a mess. Regarding new signings, their owners couldn’t get that right in a league they already knew, so what chance in a new league?

I think they’ll be fine. I’d be amazed if they don’t make a top eight playoff place. I think there’s a very good chance Sullivan will find a buyer. They are ripe for the picking at this point. 

They don’t own their own ground. It’s a ground that’ll probably be half full in the championship. The club is a shambles from top to bottom. The fanbase have completely turned. They hate the ground. The finances are a complete mess. There’s going to be a fire sale of all their best players, who will probably go for less than their market value. They still owe 200 million in payment instalments from players that they bought a couple of years ago. Sullivan won’t let the club go for peanuts and is talking about handing his shares down to his son (remind you of anyone?). The whole club is toxic. 

People are tipping them to go straight back up for one reason and one reason only. Because they’re west ham. They see them as a big club and think they must bounce back for that reason alone. Personally I think they’re in big trouble and won’t be back in the PL anytime soon. I think they’ve got more chance of playing in the third tier before they get back to the PL. 

I hate to burst your bubble, and it pains me to say it, West Ham are a big club - in terms of historical average league position they will be the most successful club in the Championship next season - believe it or not West Brom are the next biggest in terms of historical league position.

But I agree that their history is irrelevant and I too believe they will struggle to bounce straight back.

 "I'm forever bursting bubbles" 🎶

I imagine West Ham have been able to reduce some ticket prices because of the reduction in rent for the stadium that they'll have next season.
Possibly a zero sum thingy.

oohaahmortimer said:

you can add Charlton and scum attendances together and they wont match what the hammers get this season 

Covered End said:

DamoNorthStand said:

oohaahmortimer said:

you can add Charlton and scum attendances together and they wont match what the hammers get this season 

We get, say, 21k on average?

just doing the maths and think you’re right.

West Ham should get more than 30k

What?
You think Millwall will only get @9k when they've already sold more than 9K S/Ts?

It was a poor attempt at a joke. Like the idea that Charlton actually average 21k 😉

The Red Robin said:

@MillwallFan is bang on with West Ham. They do really hate their ground but they were very happy to laud it over everyone when they moved there. They may get good crowds to start with, but that’ll soon dwindle if they struggle. 

They'll average 40k next season.