Match of the Day presenter Kelly Cates has revealed what West Ham officials told her about the latest protest against the owners and fans will be livid.

When West Ham’s Fan Advisory Board issued a public vote of no confidence in the club’s owners in September, it was with a view to forcing substantial change.

A list of demands and grievances were communicated to the Hammers hierarchy via vice-chair Karren Brady in two subsequent meetings.

But West Ham’s owners have been defiant and defensive rather than apologetic and conciliatory in their responses since.

First the Hammers board released a 1,382-word statement in a pre-emptive strike before West Ham fans could release minutes from their meeting with Brady.

West Ham fans continued protests with mass march

It is alleged West Ham asked Arsenal to stop supporters bringing anti-board banners and black balloons for their protest at the Emirates.

Protests are being led by fan group Hammers United, who have vowed to continue their activism all season.

The ultimate goal of the ‘No More BS’ campaign is to force David Sullivan and Brady out or to at least stand down from the day-to-day running of the club.

Before the win over Burnley at the London Stadium on Saturday, fans were protesting again.

Hammers United appealed to fans to try and make the march before the Burnley game the biggest ever in order to get their message across.

Footage showed a very strong turnout which ended at the director’s entrance.

Supporters talked of being emotional seeing just how many attended.

Fans arranged for a West Ham-themed hearse to drive to the London Stadium as part of the march.

Some fans even carried a coffin on their shoulders to the game, symbolic of the club’s death.

Kelly Cates reveals what West Ham told her about protest

Supporters sang anti-board chants outside the ground and refused to be drowned out by London Stadium announcements.

Now Match of the Day’s Kelly Cates has revealed what West Ham officials told her about the protest and fans will be livid.

The revelation probably won’t surprise supporters given the stance taken by the ownership towards the protests.

But the claim, aired live to the watching millions on Match of the Day, will undoubtedly increase tensions between the club’s hierarchy and large sections of the fanbase.

Hammers News witnessed the protest before the Burnley game first-hand.

On witnessing the march from start to finish, our estimate was around 10-12,000 fans turned out in what we declared the biggest ever protest against West Ham’s owners.

Other Hammers fan sites such as Knees Up Mother Brown estimated around 10,000, eclipsing the 8,500 who turned out for a march the last time fans rose up against the board in 2020.

Match of the Day addressed the matter of the protests in its coverage of West Ham’s win over Burnley.

But Cates, the daughter of football great Kenny Dalglish, revealed the club tried to downplay the numbers involved.

West Ham downplay fan turnout for march by over 6,000

“The club say about 2,000-3,000 fans were protesting before the game about the board,” Cates said on Match of the Day.

Quite where the Hammers have plucked that figure from is anyone’s guess.

Probably the same random number generator Brady uses to publicise the West Ham waiting list or the club uses for its official attendance figures at times.

That figure is, at the very least, 6,000-7,000 off reality.

It is further evidence of West Ham’s owners getting defensive rather than coming out and addressing the issues head on in order to satisfy the disgruntled fanbase.

This stance and behaviour only serves to irritate Hammers fans further.

And it will simply add more fuel to the fire and increase the appetite to continue the protests after the international break.