Karen Brady believes West Ham can become one of the top 10 clubs in Europe after announcing Slaven Bilic’s side will be backed by more than 50,000 season ticket holders next season.
The Hammers will move to the Olympic Stadium for the start of the 2016-17 campaign after opting to leave their long-term home at Upton Park.
The Boleyn Ground holds 35,000 supporters and there had been concerns the 60,000 capacity in Stratford would be difficult to fill for the Premier League club.
However, their fans have reacted in unprecedented levels and West Ham can now boast the highest number of season ticket holders in London, with only Manchester United ahead of them in the country.
“I see West Ham challenging for the top six consistently, becoming one of the top 10 most successful clubs in Europe — and short term [I see] breaking our transfer record this summer, selling nobody we want to keep, filling our new stadium,” West Ham’s vice-chairman is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
“Getting the stadium is one thing, selling it out is another. Our attendances next season will include 10,000 children because of our affordable seating and we have 30,000 supporters on our waiting list. So the demand and desire to see West Ham at our new stadium is there.”
In an official statement on the club’s website, Brady confirmed the level of demand to be part of West Ham’s journey and vowed to repay their loyalty with a competitive squad.
Season Tickets at the new Stadium have sold out ➡️ https://t.co/gQV0SZvmMA #WHUFC pic.twitter.com/Y3RD8BJUci
— West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) May 9, 2016
She said: “Having made the bold decision to move to the former Olympic Stadium, we are delighted to see how it has captured the imagination of the Hammers fanbase.
“We find ourselves going into our first season with more than 50,000 season ticket holders and tens of thousands of people on the priority list for seasonal seats in 2017-18.
“Without doubt, our stadium move is an unrivalled success story, but we know the hard work does not stop now. We must deliver a stadium that exceeds our season ticket holders’ expectations and support Slaven Bilic in building a team on the pitch that matches our stunning new home.”
West Ham will play their final competitive match at Upton Park on Tuesday when they host Manchester United in the Premier League.
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