Allardyce Get's Board Backing

Last updated : 07 January 2014 By Covsupport News Service

Former Coventry City defender Sam Allardyce has been given the backing of the West Ham United Board.

West Ham crashed out of the FA Cup with a 5-0 thrashing at Nottingham Forest and have dropped to nineteenth in the Premier League table.

However, Allardyce has been given the backing of The Hammers board who have released the following letter to supporters:

"Like all West Ham United supporters we feel frustrated and hurt by our recent results. We understand how you feel and we, the board, feel the same," the open letter read. "It is never enjoyable being knocked out of a cup competition and losing by such a large scoreline to a lower division side is hard to take for us all. We thought the youngsters gave their all and did not stop trying but in the end Nottingham Forest's experience proved too much for us.

"Sam has been handed a near impossible task of coming through three crucial games in the space of six days with a squad of only 14 fit and available senior players. This is not an excuse it is a fact. We know Sam has not lost his ambition or desire and is committed to making West Ham United a great Premier League club.

"We now face a Capital One Cup semi-final on Wednesday followed by a vital Barclays Premier League trip to Cardiff on Saturday. Despite an extremely difficult draw, we are determined to do all we can to get to the Capital One Cup final over two legs with Manchester City.

"We hope to have several of our missing players back in time for Cardiff and we go there knowing that a win can get us out of the bottom three. Such is the nature of the Premier League this season; there are only six points between us and the team in 13th place.

"Make no mistake, though; we are under no illusions as to the seriousness of our current predicament in the Premier League. But on the board we have a combined talent of running football clubs and we will draw on all of our nous to get West Ham United out of this situation. We have experienced difficult times before and we know what will get us results - hard work, determination and perseverance. To that end, we are all working round the clock to do everything in our powers to help arrest our slump in form."