This is not a happy time to be a West Ham United supporter. The club looks a certainty for relegation from the Premiership. It faces FA sanctions for the way the mysterious signing of two Argentinian players was conducted – one of whom has already left the club. And it replaced the manager who secured Premiership football and an FA Cup final place with a coach who appears unable to inspire any kind of fightback.

I’m not a Hammers fan, but do feel real affection for the club. My father was born within a crowd roar of Upton Park. My aunt bought me a West Ham sports bag for my 10th birthday. I couldn’t understand why at the time – we lived in Cardiff, and I was just starting my (inevitably) bitter-sweet relationship with the Bluebirds. Over the years, though, I came to admire the way West Ham nurtured local talent and played attractive football. I mourned Trevor Brookings’ valiant but unsuccessful attempt to save the club’s place in the top flight in 2003. I was cheered by the team’s rousing first season back in the Premiership in 2005/6.

So this season’s string of disasters came as a shock. New owner Eggert Magnusson replaced manager Alan Pardew with Alan Curbishley, a man who won respect for over-achieving with Charlton but whose teams mysteriously fade in the second half of the season. Hardly a man to win a New Year relegation struggle. Pardew then became the new Charlton manager and inflicted a 4-0 defeat on his old club.

Bring back Trevor Brooking I say…