West Ham underwent radical changes in personnel and outlook during a season which saw them narrowly stave off relegation from the EPL.

Manager Gianfranco Zola was controversially dismissed after his side packed with internationals finished in a disappointing 17^th place, having dallied with the drop for much of the season.

Zola’s record was difficult to defend. But he was dismissed without compensation because of an alleged breach of contract, a decision which could well see the East London outfit in court.

 

The decision was taken by new owners David Sullivan and David Gold who took the Upton Park reins from Icelandic bank Straumur after a complex and protracted, if largely civilised, takeover battle.

They quickly publicised the dramatic over-spending of the Icelandic regime which ran the club from 2006 to 2009, with heavy emphasis of the exorbitant wages of under-achieving players, past and present.

And Zola’s dismissal without compensation has been seen as a cost-cutting, as well as a footballing, measure.

Despite observers claiming the Hammers were “too good to go down” the EPL table suggested otherwise, and six defeats in-a-row in February and March left them hovering above the relegation zone on goal difference.

This run included a now-infamous home defeat to fellow-strugglers Wolves, after which Sullivan wrote an open letter of apology to fans, branding the team “pathetic” and shambolic.”

Seven points in four games during April saw them clear of the threat of relegation with two games to spare. But it was not enough to save Zola.