West Ham go top of Championship - are they ready to leave past behind?

What the report says

West Ham moved to the top of the Championship after a 5-goal win at Bolton, with captain Jarrod Bowen scoring twice to secure a third straight league victory. BBC Sport reported that the result was celebrated by around 4,500 travelling supporters and marked the club’s best run since December 2023, when a previous sequence of wins preceded the later decline that ended in relegation.

The match also came amid wider changes at the London club. BBC Sport said Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky is set to become West Ham’s largest shareholder under a deal announced on 3 September, while David Sullivan remains involved but with reduced influence. Chief executive Karim Virani and director of football Nils Koppen are described as part of a new football structure that is intended to make recruitment and decision-making more open and coordinated.

The article notes that West Ham sold 12 players and brought in nine during a busy summer, including record signing Arne Engels from Celtic and Norwegian youth standout Edvin Austbo. BBC Sport said there is still some uncertainty around possible future ownership moves involving Amanda Staveley, but inside the club there is talk of greater stability and unity.

Manager Nuno said that belief from ownership, staff, players and fans is helping the club move past earlier turmoil. More broadly, the report suggests West Ham’s current form is being viewed alongside an effort to reset the club’s off-field direction as they adapt to life outside the Premier League.