West Ham relegated to Championship despite emphatic victory over toothless Leeds

As the minutes ticked away and the trap door widened, the home crowd made light of the misery and amused themselves by turning on the man who has done more than anyone to condemn West Ham to relegation. David Sullivan watched and squirmed. The West Ham fans showered him with abuse and nothing summed up the vacuum of leadership at the top of their club more than the sight of Sullivan leaving his seat in the directors’ box before full-time.

The 77-year-old was not there to face the music. Perhaps he needed a moment of quiet, space to work out where it has gone wrong. The answer, though, comes back to his outdated methods. Others have underperformed, not least Nuno Espírito Santo since taking over as manager last September, but ultimately this is Sullivan’s mess. He is the largest shareholder and it is hard to see anything changing until he hands power to someone with the vision to capitalise on West Ham’s potential.

This was utterly avoidable. Just as when West Ham were relegated with a record 42 points in 2003, a desperate bid for survival came too late. Closing out a dreadful season with a 3-0 victory over Leeds brought belated cheer but with Tottenham beating Everton it was not enough to stave off deserved punishment for West Ham, who will not even find solace in this being the first time a team has gone down with as many as 39 points since Birmingham and Blackpool in 2011.

Maybe this is how it had to end, Championship football confirmed at the home without a soul, It has long been evident that West Ham had no real plan when they left Upton Park 10 years ago,long clear that Karren Brady’s prediction of a world-class team in a world-class stadium amounted to empty marketing talk.

There were poignant moments as West Ham’s 14-year stay in the top flight ended. When Jarrod Bowen made it 2-0 with 11 minutes left, the Hammers faithful celebrated by singing: “We sold our soul for this shithole.” It is three years since Bowen scored the winner when West Ham won the Conference League final. Nothing has gone right since that night in Prague.

Agony for West Ham fans after learning Spurs have taken a first-half lead. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

The mistakes have piled up. The £105m earned from the sale of Declan Rice was wasted. David Moyes left in 2024 and Julen Lopetegui lasted six months as his replacement. Graham Potter took over from Lopetegui in January 2025 but could not make it work. Potter was gone five games into this season, with his side unable to defend corners, and there was hope that Nuno could stop the rot.

Yet Nuno’s reign began in a fog of confusion and weird team selections, leaving West Ham with too much to do despite a resurgence after Christmas. The former Nottingham Forest manager has managed poorly. West Ham have finished with the third-worst defensive record in the league and paid for losing too many winning positions.

Now what? Nobody mourned Brady quitting as vice-chair a month ago. There is uncertainty over Nuno’s future. West Ham want to keep him but there is no clarity over whether he wants to stay.

It cannot be forgotten that Nuno took charge of 33 games. The rebuild will not be easy. With West Ham posting losses of £104.2m last year, players will go. Bowen, who has never stopped trying, deserves better. The captain cannot be held responsible after finishing with 20 goal involvements. Top sides will be circling. Axel Disasi, who brought a semblance of order in defence, will go back to Chelsea after a productive loan. There will be interest in Crysencio Summerville and the outstanding Mateus Fernandes, who made Bowen’s goal with a lovely piercing pass.

Sullivan will need more than £100m in sales and an air of doom hung over West Ham at kick-off. Nuno dispensed with the back three that proved so disastrous during last weekend’s defeat at Newcastle. West Ham were back to 4-4-2, Pablo Felipe partnering Taty Castellanos up front, but they were nervous and passive during a dreadful first half.

For a while the only real source of entertainment came from the Leeds fans running through all the Championship teams West Ham will face next season. Leeds were safe. They had a lengthy injury list and tried to enjoy themselves. Dominic Calvert-Lewin spurned their best chance. The home fans were booing in the 40th minute.

Jarrod Bowen scores West Ham’s second goal but it was not enough to save his team. Photograph: Tony O Brien/Reuters

News of Tottenham going ahead soon followed. Nuno responded at half-time, Callum Wilson replacing Pablo, who has not scored since joining for £17m in January. West Ham grew frantic and Leeds wilted. Bowen delivered a corner and Castellanos headed home. The crowd celebrated with chants of “sack the board”.

Bowen scored and Wilson added a third in added time. West Ham fought but a long, painful summer awaits.