Irons in the fire: West Ham’s complicated chance for rebirth in the Championship | OneFootball

The Irons are back in the fire. Yet this time, the fire might not actually be the Championship.

The inaptly-named second tier of English football, which is welcoming back West Ham United after a 14-year absence, may simply represent a single flame of the many licking at the east London club.

The other particularly scorching strand to the narrative around the club in 2026, of course, has been the saga involving David Sullivan's exit as chairman after 16 years at the club.

In June it was revealed that West Ham had been “made aware of the impending publication of serious historic allegations”, leading the billionaire to step down but also deny all claims, which were soon shared in a joint-investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times.

The investigation detailed allegations that Sullivan had abused his power as owner of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport tabloids to prey on women in their late teens and early 20s, with seven women speaking to the BBC and the Times about accusations spanning decades, starting in the 1980s. “All come from women who were [...] young models seeking work at Sullivan's Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers,” the BBC reported. “They accuse Sullivan of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour.”

Many fans celebrated Sullivan's resignation, having craved his exit for so long. At the time of writing, however, he is not truly gone.

Despite his resignation, a warning that he should stay away from men's first-team games in the coming season, and suggestions that he was previously asked to stay away from the women's and youth teams (which he denies), Sullivan remains West Ham's largest shareholder, possessing a 38.8 per cent stake in the east London club.

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David Sullivan resigned as West Ham chairman but retains a stake in the club (PA)

But here comes Amanda Staveley, bursting through the doors with a consortium in tow, aiming to buy Sullivan's stake.

The former Newcastle United director agreed last week to buy a 25.1 per cent stake from the family of former co-owner David Gold, who passed away in 2023, at a cost of £150m.

Yet there is opposition from club co-owner Daniel Kretinsky, a Czech billionaire with a minority stake in West Ham, who could yet have a say in this power struggle.

It feels as though Staveley's involvement has led to equal parts concern and optimism in recent days, which is testament to the complicated opportunity facing West Ham.

As the flames continue to lick at the club, it's worth remembering that fire can destroy but it can also purge and purify.

It was far too easy at the end of the 2025/26 season for fans of other clubs to shrug, to claim that West Ham would come straight back up; it’s easy to say, if one supports a team that has never endured the stomach churn of the drop. Yet some West Ham fans do feel that relegation can represent a necessary wake-up call, an overdue reset.

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Captain and forward Jarrod Bowen has extended his deal with West Ham (Getty)

Many will remember the joys of the 2011/12 Championship season, the unfamiliar feeling of consistent wins – although a botched, wasted bid to seal automatic promotion led to a nervier climax than was needed.

This curious appetite among the fanbase has been represented by the number 50,000, which relays the approximate number of season tickets sold for the coming campaign, and even the number of tickets sold for Saturday's first-round Carabao Cup clash with Portsmouth.

Optimism has also been augmented by a promising start to the transfer window, which saw West Ham lock down captain Jarrod Bowen and bring in a combined £148m by selling Mateus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville and Freddie Potts.

A counter-concern, of course, might be a lack of signings since then, with the exception of defender Joel Veltman from Brighton, although staples of last year’s squad have been retained.

At the time of writing, goalkeepers Alphonse Areola and Mads Hermansen remain on the books; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jean-Clair Todibo and Kyle Walker-Peters are still available in defence; Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez persist in midfield; and forwards Taty Castellanos and Pablo should be champing at the bit to put a dent in second-tier opposition.

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Midfielder Tomas Soucek is injured but could still play a key part in West Ham’s upcoming season (Getty)

Some of these talents could depart between now and the Championship opener at Burnley on 16 August, but at least they would yield further funds for investment before the 3 September transfer deadline – or in the January window, should West Ham stutter in their bid for an instant return to the top tier. The club has suggested that any uncertainty around its hierarchy will not impact transfer dealings, although that does remain to be seen.

So, the Irons are back in the fire. There, perhaps, they can forge something stronger for the future.