Robbie Savage has come to the defense of West Ham fans who left early during their recent 6-0 loss to Arsenal, dismissing criticism as “cheap insults” and “nonsense”.
Following the Hammers’ humiliating defeat at the London Stadium, where they were already trailing 4-0 by halftime, a wave of supporters decided to exit early. This prompted backlash from some quarters, including BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Chris Sutton, who argued that fans should stick by their team in all circumstances.
In his Daily Mirror column, Savage rebuffed such criticisms, asserting that it’s unfair to label fans who left early as “not proper fans”. He argued, “Why should you sit there and suffer if your team is getting a good hiding on the pitch when you’ve made the effort to turn up?”
Savage emphasized that attending matches is a personal choice, and fans have the right to react as they see fit, regardless of whether they stay until the final whistle. He dismissed the notion that leaving early reflects poorly on one’s loyalty to the club, labeling it as an outdated and irrelevant argument.
Ultimately, Savage urged fans not to be swayed by the noise surrounding this debate, emphasizing that attending matches should be about enjoyment and personal preference rather than conforming to outdated notions of fandom.
