Independent Supporters' Committee

WHUST is a founding member of the
Independent Supporters’ Committee (ISC).

The ISC is the main channel of communication and consultation between the Club and supporter groups. It is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding.

The purpose of the West Ham United Supporters’ Committee is to strengthen the relationship between West Ham United FC, West Ham United supporters and supporters’ groups, and to ensure the Club actively consults with supporters and takes their views into account at all levels of decision making. The aim of the ISC is to assist the Club to make decisions that are in the best interests of the West Ham United supporter base.

The Committee is a construct whose make up has been defined independently of the club by founding members.

The membership of the Supporters’ Committee is structured with an aim of representing a broad cross section of WHUFC supporters in conjunction with the Club’s other channels of supporter engagement. In addition to the founding members, elections were held in December 2021 and a representative was elected from Away season ticket holders and from Claret members.

We have continued to work with fellow ISC members on issues of major concern to fans such as:

  • Digital ticketing

  • COVID-19 protocols

  • Matchday pricing

There are a number of sub committees that are focussed on certain topics:

  • Ticketing

  • Liaising with the Newham Safety Advisory Group

  • Street Vendors

  • Stadium / Atmosphere

  • Communications / Newsletters

In terms of specific actions that the ISC has worked on with the Club:

  • The creation of the Hammers Hub on the Club website: a central place on WHUFC.com to host all of the important safety and matchday information for supporters;

  • Insisting that the Club communicate any updates personally with all Season Ticket Holders and match attendees, consulting with the ISC on its communications with supporters;

  • Liaising with and consulting on Season Ticket options, changes to COVID regulations, the move to digital ticketing, and supporter experience during the pandemic;

  • Facilitating options for fans to donate Club Cash to the NHS;

  • Introducing safer drop-off locations for supporters upon return of away travel coaches;

  • Refunding booking fees for Southampton;

  • Meeting stakeholders such as Stadium management, Chair of the Safety Advisory Group, catering partner;

  • Playing a key role in recognising our heritage at London Stadium, for example in the naming of the Champions Statue and honouring Mark Noble’s final season;

  • Shadowing the Supporter Services team on matchday, with an opportunity to provide input into Supporter Liaison Officer briefings and steward inductions;

  • Feeding back to senior club and stadium staff on operational, safety and matchday experience.

Other issues currently being progressed include:

  • Improving the position of local sellers:

    • Delaware North Catering met with the ISC and confirmed preferential rates for community.

    • Seeking independent sellers on the approaches to the Stadium

  • Reconfiguration of the West Stand lower tier.

  • Safe Standing


There have been concerns about the ISC and in particular how it differs from the old Official Supporters' Board (OSB). Members of the WHUST Committee were involved in setting up the ISC, and our aim was to create a more open and democratic forum for engagement between the Club and us as supporters.

Our aspiration for the ISC is to create a forum which acts as a critical but cooperative friend of the Club where there is a mutual relationship of trust on both sides. Developing this relationship with the Club will take time given that the ISC has only been in existence since the beginning of 2021.

A central plank of the success of the ISC will be working with the Club to improve its approach to consultation with fan groups. Consultation is more than just presenting a decision as a fait accompli, it is also about actively involving those affected in the actual decision-making itself.

WHUST is prepared to be frank with the Club and ask difficult questions where necessary, whilst also maintaining a professional approach.

If the recommendations of the Fan-Led Review are adopted in full, a body like the ISC is likely to fit into the role of the proposed 'Shadow Board' that the Review has recommended. This will only work if ISC members, including WHUST, treat this with the seriousness it deserves.

WHUST