West Ham fan groups at war after rift over protest march

• Head of one supporters’ association says he has feared for his safety
• Club’s board meets members of fans’ groups before march called off

West Ham United have been accused of failing to respond appropriately after the chairman of one of their supporter groups was left fearing for his safety, having received abuse and threats over attempts to organise a protest march against the club’s board before Saturday’s home game against Burnley.

Mark Walker, the head of the West Ham United Independent Supporters’ Association (WHUISA), has said he plans to stay away from games for the foreseeable future. He questioned why senior figures at West Ham had not offered more backing after he became the target of an online campaign orchestrated by a rival fan organisation, some of whose founders are former hooligans and which has links with an unrelated group condemned by anti-racism campaigners.

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