West Ham Urges Fans to Stop Offensive Chant Towards Manor Solomon
West Ham have issued a firm plea to their supporters to drop an "offensive and divisive" chant aimed at new signing Manor Solomon, after it was heard during their Championship opener at Burnley.
The song, which the club say contained an "anti-Palestine message", was sung by a section of the away end during last Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Turf Moor. West Ham moved quickly in the days that followed, making clear it has no place around the team or its fanbase.
Solomon, the Israel winger who arrived from Tottenham this summer, suddenly finds himself at the centre of a flashpoint that has nothing to do with his football. The 27-year-old, capped 49 times by his country, has built his reputation on the pitch – winning three league titles with Shakhtar Donetsk, impressing on loan at Fulham and helping Leeds to the Championship crown in 2024-25.
Now his new club are trying to ensure the conversation stays there.
Club Statement
In a statement released before West Ham’s first home game of the Championship season, against Charlton on Saturday, the club underlined the standards they expect in the stands as well as on the pitch.
They reminded fans of "the responsibility we all hold to represent the club in the right way" and stressed that "each and every supporter is an ambassador".
The message was unambiguous. West Ham insisted that "regardless of their background, every supporter within our diverse fanbase should also be free to enjoy watching their team play football without fear, discrimination or abuse," adding that they "remain committed to ensuring that everyone feels safe, respected and included".
The club acknowledged that chanting is woven into the fabric of English football culture, calling it a "traditional and deeply embedded part of the matchday experience". They want that noise. They want that colour. They just do not want it used as a weapon.
"We encourage our supporters to sing loud and proud about their football club and the players wearing the claret and blue shirt – but never in a way that creates division or causes offence among fellow fans," the statement continued.
As West Ham prepare to walk out at home for the first time this league campaign, the spotlight will not only fall on Solomon’s first steps in claret and blue. It will also rest on the stands, and on whether the message from the club has truly been heard.
