by Staff Writer
Monday, 27th October 2025
TV pundit Alan Smith has become the latest pundit to lay the boot into West Ham United's under-pressure board of directors.
Chair David Sullivan and vice chair Karren Brady have experienced mounting pressure in recent weeks as concern over their performance grows, following a vote of no confidence from the Fans' Advisory Board (FAB) and a general panning in the media.
And now former England and Arsenal striker Smith, a regular pundit and co-commentator for Sky Sports, has added to the pile-on by insisting that club funds have been wasted by a slew of poor signings signed off by the duo.
Asked by KUMB for his thoughts on the fans' continued series of anti-board protests, which are being led by fans group Hammers United, Smith claimed there was a "black cloud" having over Stratford at the moment.
"The fans certainly think they should sell up," he said.
"They [the board] have spent money, haven’t they? They’ve just spent it really badly. I looked at that squad on Friday night when they were trailing. I looked at the bench, and you’re thinking 'Nuno’s got very little to play with'. Recruitment has been shocking, really.
"Fans ask for new owners but sometimes, the grass isn’t always greener. But yeah, it’s difficult to see where West Ham are going at the moment. And Nuno Espirito Santo must think, 'oof, this is going to be harder than I thought'.
"Yeah, there's a big black cloud hanging over the club."
West Ham's defeat at Elland Road on Friday night - the club's second defeat to a newly-promoted club this season following the earlier 3-0 thrashing at Sunderland - has left Santo's new side 19th in the table, above just winless Wolves.
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