David Sullivan believes Olympic Stadium is better than Wembley

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West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan says their new Olympic Stadium home is better than Wembley, the new temporary home of rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

West Ham United’s Adrian, Dimitri Payet and team mates look dejected

A woeful start to the season and life at their new 60,000 seater home has left morale on the pitch and in the stands at a new low.

Fighting among fans and safety fears at the ground as well as a perceived lack of the famous intimidating Hammers atmosphere from Upton Park has seen the stadium switch cited by many as a reason for the club’s contrast in fortunes compared to their fantastic campaign last term.

West Ham’s Olympic Stadium

Five defeats from the first seven Premier League games is the club’s worst ever start to a season and Bilic’s side were also unceremoniously dumped out of Europe in qualifying too.

The club finds itself at the centre of a new negative story each week with the spotlight firmly fixed over East London following the move into such an iconic ground.

The Hammers fought off legal challenges from the likes of bitter rivals Spurs and fellow East Londoners Leyton Orient to secure the rights to be anchor tenants for the next 99 years.

Tottenham fans making Wembley a temporary home

Tottenham have since announced plans to redevelop White Hart Lane into a 61,000 seater stadium.

By that time West Ham will have their license to have a 66,000 capacity, making the Olympic Stadium the biggest football ground in London, regardless of planned new grounds for Spurs and Chelsea.

Of course the Olympic Stadium – now being called the London Stadium – is only topped in terms of capacity by the national stadium at Wembley, which is currently hosting Tottenham’s Champions League matches and will be their temporary home while White Hart Lane is redeveloped.

West Ham co owner David Sullivan

But Sullivan told Channel 5 TV show Eamonn and Ruth: How The Other Half Lives that he thinks West Ham’s ground trumps life under the Wembley arch.

“It’s like Wembley, but better than Wembley we think,” Sullivan told a visibly impressed Eamonn Holmes on the show.

“It’s just wonderful, it’s the most wonderful feeling to be involved with your local football team and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

“I cried the day we bought West Ham… we lose money every year but one day we’ll break even, one day we’ll get our money back, and that’s the dream (to) win the league one year.”