West Ham Issues Warning Over Offensive Chant at Burnley Match

West Ham have issued a stark warning to their own fans after an "offensive and divisive" chant aimed at Manor Solomon was heard during their Championship opener at Burnley.

The club confirmed they are investigating a song, containing what they described as an "anti-Palestine message", sung by a section of the away end during last Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Turf Moor. The chant referenced Solomon, the Israel international winger who joined from Tottenham this summer.

With their first home league game of the season against Charlton looming on Saturday, West Ham moved quickly to confront the issue head-on.

In a statement released ahead of the match, the club reminded supporters of the standards expected when they pull on claret and blue scarves and shirts.

They stressed that "each and every supporter is an ambassador" for West Ham and underlined 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."

The message was clear: passion is welcome, prejudice is not.

"We understand that singing and chanting is a traditional and deeply embedded part of the matchday experience," the club said. They urged fans to back the team "loud and proud" but drew a firm line at anything "that creates division or causes offence among fellow fans."

Manor Solomon's Background

Solomon, 27, has arrived in east London with a significant pedigree. Capped 49 times by Israel, he won three league titles with Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine before loan spells at Fulham and Leeds, playing his part as Leeds clinched the Championship title in 2024-25.

Now he steps into a new chapter at West Ham, with the club making it plain they expect the stands to reflect the values they claim to stand for: a fierce backing for the team, and zero tolerance for abuse wrapped in the noise of a matchday.