Premier League strugglers West Ham United have been warned that they could play in a “half-empty” stadium next season.
West Ham's 14-year Premier League stay is currently under real threat, with the club languishing in the relegation zone after failing to win any of their last 10 league games.
With 17 matches to play, Nuno Espirito Santo's side are sitting seven points adrift from safety and showing little sign of a team that is ready to close that significant gap.
West Ham supporters have been left disgruntled with what they have seen on the pitch this season and have expressed their frustration at the club's ownership.
Former Everton CEO has warned that West Ham are on the “edge of the precipice” and could face key issues with their stadium if they drop down to the Championship.
“If they go down, that stadium is going to be half empty and that’s a big stadium to play in half empty,” Wyness told Football Insider's Inside Track podcast.
“Any new owner, if there was to be one, would have to address that stadium issue and do an expensive rebuild as well as trying to get people up from the Championship, and that’s going to be a very difficult feat to do given the finances that you’re going to get in the Championship.
“So West Ham are on the edge of a precipice right here, and you know there’s a lot of pressure on [David] Sullivan and [Karen] Brady right now from the fan base, and certainly it’s something that they’ve got to be mindful of as to what the consequences are.
“I don’t see a good ending here, because I think it could take them a long time to get back up if they’re not careful.”
FGG says: London Stadium not fit for purpose
It was always going to be difficult to replace a stadium with the history and charm of Upton Park. But it almost feels insulting to mention the London Stadium in the same sentence as the Boleyn Ground, considering it lacks any character and is, simply, not fit for purpose for a professional football ground.
West Ham fans feel they have lost a significant part of their club with the move to the stadium, and relegation will only add to the supporters' sense of frustration towards the ground and the owners. So it would not be surprising to see attendances drop if the Hammers fail to preserve their top-flight status.