Richard Keys has sent an infuriatingly smug statement to West Ham fans after Nottingham Forest defeat

Richard Keys never seems to miss an opportunity to antagonise West Ham United supporters.

The broadcaster is well known for throwing out provocative opinions about various clubs, but West Ham regularly appear to be on the receiving end of his barbs. In recent times, it has even felt as though Keys has taken a certain satisfaction in the Hammers’ struggles.

Those struggles are very real right now. West Ham are in deep trouble and are facing the very real prospect of relegation from the Premier League.

During Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the London Stadium, Nuno Espírito Santo cut a frustrated and helpless figure on the touchline. After the final whistle, the West Ham boss appealed directly to supporters, asking for their backing despite the disappointing result.

But patience is wearing thin. Unless results and performances improve quickly, fan apathy will continue to grow. That was evident against Forest, as thousands of supporters chose to leave early, leaving large sections of the stadium empty.

Richard Keys mocks West Ham fans after Forest loss

The sight of tens of thousands of vacant seats may yet prompt David Sullivan into action. The club’s co-owner has faced pressure before.

Back in 2024, Sullivan was the focus of supporter protests aimed at both the board and then-manager David Moyes. A dismal run of form after the turn of the year — just two wins in 12 matches — led many fans to believe a change was necessary.

Predictably, Richard Keys has now used West Ham’s current plight as ammunition, taking to X to ridicule the fanbase.

He wrote: “Just two years ago West Ham fans were demonstrating because they wanted David Moyes fired. Be careful what you wish for…”

“Be careful what you wish for” jibe misses the point

The implication behind that remark feels deeply unfair. Supporting a football club is about ambition and dreaming — about hoping for unforgettable European nights against giants like Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

And West Ham fans have more than earned the right to dream. They packed out Upton Park season after season, even during Championship campaigns. Away allocations still sell out within minutes. That level of loyalty, especially for a club that has won just one trophy in 46 years, deserves respect.

Yet pundits like Keys suggest supporters should simply have been content with where the club was two years ago. What that argument ignores is the fact that many fans could see the warning signs long before results collapsed.

The protests weren’t about sitting sixth in the Premier League. They were about a lack of ambition. David Sullivan’s refusal to invest during the January transfer window, coupled with Moyes’ increasingly cautious tactics, made the club’s direction painfully clear.

At the end of 2023, West Ham were well placed to push for a top-four finish. Instead, hesitation and conservatism set in. The season ended with a ninth-place finish, and from there the decline accelerated.

A 14th-place finish followed in 2024/25, and now, in 2025/26, relegation looks frighteningly likely.

West Ham supporters saw this coming. That is why they raised concerns when they did. Unfortunately, that context seems to be lost on many — Richard Keys very much included.