West Ham's Appeal Against Offensive Chant Targeting Manor Solomon

West Ham have issued a firm appeal to their own supporters to drop an "offensive and divisive" chant aimed at new signing Manor Solomon.

The club said it was "aware" of a song, containing what it described as an "anti-Palestine message", being sung by a section of the away end during last Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Burnley – their opening Championship fixture of the season at Turf Moor.

Solomon, the Israel winger who joined from Tottenham this summer after previous loan spells at Fulham and Leeds, found himself at the centre of a flashpoint he did not create.

Club draws a line

Ahead of their first home league game of the campaign on Saturday, against Charlton, West Ham moved to draw a clear line over what is and is not acceptable from the stands.

In a statement, the club stressed it wanted to "remind supporters of the responsibility we all hold to represent the club in the right way" and underlined 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 the heartbeat of English football culture – the noise, the songs, the rituals that roll from terrace to terrace.

"We understand that singing and chanting is a traditional and deeply embedded part of the matchday experience," the statement continued. West Ham urged fans to "sing loud and proud" for the team and for the players in claret and blue, but "never in a way that creates division or causes offence among fellow fans."

Spotlight on Solomon

Solomon, 27, has been capped 49 times by Israel and arrives with a strong pedigree. He won three league titles in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk before moving to England, where he spent time on loan at Fulham and then Leeds, helping the Yorkshire club win the Championship in 2024-25.

Now he steps into a new chapter at West Ham, with the club making it clear they want the conversation around him to be about his football – not a chant that crosses the line.