West Ham United

Former Bromley boss Andy Woodman joins Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff in the latest episode of the 72+ podcast. He lifts the lid on life after leaving Bromley and what's next for him.

They discuss the top of the Championship, with just one point separating the top five.

At the other end of the Championship, what's happening with Bristol City, who currently lie 17th in the league under former Lincoln manager Michael Skubala – and when is the right time for a manager to make the jump up?

In League Two, it's been a less than desirable start for Crawley Town who are bottom of the Football League and out of the FA Cup after being beaten by seventh-tier Wimborne – where do they go from here? Elsewhere in the FA Cup, Plymouth Parkway assistant manager Matt Godfrey drops by after their win – and with Barnet on the horizon.

And after Shrewsbury Town's new ownership is confirmed, what's next for them?

Listen to the full episode above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

We asked for your thoughts after Blackburn Rovers beat West Ham 2-1 at Ewood Park in the Championship on Saturday.

Here are some of your comments:

Blackburn fans

Keith: Typical Rovers, always play better against fancied teams but a good rehearsal for our next match against somebody else in claret and blue. One new manager bounce overcome. Let's hope for another next time out.

Ronnie: West Ham thought they just had to turn up and Blackburn would roll over. Well that went well for them.

Rob: A team that has more chance of going up than West Ham. They certainly had West Ham's mark.

Vicky: Perfect day - Rovers win and Burnley lose from 4-1 up.

Jeff: Actually inspiring from Rovers for once. Tony has done a great job so far, and a great atmosphere at the end. We turned the pressure on us in the first half to a win- so well done lads.

John: I can honestly say it's the best Rovers game I've seen for a long time, they played their hearts out. As Rovers fan I couldn't be more chuffed for the way they stuck together, and showed such grit and determination. And it paid off.

Image source, Shutterstock

West Ham fans

Clive: A new manager can't improve players that are not good enough to put a West Ham shirt on their backs. At least six players are not good enough to play in the Championship. West Ham will not get promotion until you change the core squad. One chance - January transfer window.

Paul: Not good enough. I remember last time we went down we just managed to win promotion through the play-offs. Same thing this time, I fear.

Sue: Played better but still don't take their chances. We could have won easily if they had taken their chances when they were in the box. Definitely need a centre forward. Got to keep confident and give Scott Parker a chance. He's only had four days.

Ewan: West Ham were clearly not clinical in the final third, Blackburn defended brilliantly and West Ham's wingers could not get past Blackburn's full-backs. Simply not good enough from a West Ham perspective.

Nigel: Hopefully reality is dawning on a squad full of ego and delusions of grandeur. They need to go back to basics, many weren't good enough for the Premier League and are now being found out in the Championship.

A root and branch update is needed and Scotty should take the opportunity to ring serious changes during this international break. If we do not go up at the first time of asking I fear our stay in this division will be a prolonged one.

Sofian: It was actually a decent performance compared to recent weeks. We pressed well, looked more comfortable in playing the game against a low block and we created plenty. However this defence and the goalkeeper are simply below par.

Mads Hermansen needs dropping for Alphonse Areola and we need to start winning games, and quick, in order to push for an automatic promotion spot.

Image source, Opta

West Ham head to Blackburn on Saturday (15:00 GMT) seeking to shore-up their leaky defence and get back to winning ways.

Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat at home to Stoke was a third defeat in four for Rovers, who have slipped to 14th, but Tony Mowbray's men have already beaten leaders Middlesbrough at home and drew at second-placed Wolves.

The Hammers came from 3-0 down at half-time to draw at Cardiff on Wednesday in Scott Parker's first game in charge but have won just two of their past eight games in all competitions, have conceded three times in each of their past three games and could tumble out of the top-10 if results go against them.

• Each of the past five league games between Blackburn and West Ham have been draws, with this their first meeting since May 2011 in the Premier League (1-1).

• West Ham have lost just one of their past 15 league games against Blackburn (W8 D6), and are unbeaten in their past 10 (W5 D5).

• Blackburn have lost their past two league games, last losing more consecutively in March/April 2025 (5).

• New West Ham boss Scott Parker has won all three of his away league games against Blackburn – at no side has he won more on the road in his managerial career.

• Andri Gudjohnsen has scored in each of his past four home league games. The last Blackburn player to score in five in a row at Ewood Park was Ben Brereton in November/December 2021.

Scott Parker feels he learned a lot from West Ham's dramatic comeback at Cardiff in his first match since taking over as manager.

The Hammers made a nightmare start to new boss Parker's reign and were 3-0 down at half-time.

But they stormed back in the second half to draw 3-3, with Max Kilman's late equaliser securing a point.

"The first-half performance was pretty poor," Parker told BBC Radio London.

"We had a really slow start. A lot of things didn't go well. We were very passive and slow with the ball.

"The biggest thing for me tonight is that there's a lot of learning that's taken place, particularly in terms of the team and the group.

"I came in here at nine o'clock this morning and met the players for the first time, so I didn't have a lot of input as such.

"The biggest positive is the team we saw in the second half. There were some changes based on what I was seeing in the first half, and the players adapted very well.

"We looked a real threat and dominant, and that's the team I want us to be."

We asked you what managerial qualities you would like to see brought into West Ham following Nuno Espirito Santo's sacking.

Here is a selection of what you had to say:

Ben: We need a cult of personality in our manager, that's how you wield a big club like West Ham. Find a solid starting 11 who know what they're doing. It's once we've got a foundation that our attacking options can find their flair.

Steve: Not a big surprise after an indifferent run of results. Eddie Howe would be a good replacement but might have eyes on a much bigger prize. Bit sceptical that anyone can put some steel into an underwhelming defensive line. We need a big reaction from the squad this week!

Andy: Our problem has been trying to act like a Premier League side in the Championship, instead of playing Championship football, so we need a manager who knows the league. I'd take Thomas Frank, but to be honest my main criteria is "just not Sean Dyche".

Saddy: The problem is not any individual coach or player. It is in the management of the club as an enterprise. We should have stuck with Moyes, our most winning manager in half a century. We consistently punch below our weight (in terms of league table results versus revenues). This confirms that the problem is mismanagement off the field. Until this is resolved, on the field performance will remain sub-par.

Image source, Shutterstock

Former West Ham midfielder Scott Parker seems to be the frontrunner for the job but not all of you are sold:

Spencer: Looks like Scott Parker will be the new manager. Scott is proven at Championship level but has question marks on his management in the Premier League.

I understand why Scott would be a good choice at the moment, and as a former player, but doesn't look like a long strategy to me. I would have tried to persuade a Kieran McKenna or Eddie Howe myself. But I'm sure the fans will get behind him.

Calum: Loved Parker as a player and believe he would get us up but his record once he gets back to the Premier League is shocking. Thomas Frank would be a better long-term fit, plays good football and can work on small budgets. But as usual, we will stick a plaster on a broken leg.

Matt: Craig Bellamy please. Young, hungry coach with attacking intent and tactical flexibility. Understands the club and fans. Not Scott Parker please, West Ham legend, but too defensive as a coach.

Phil: I'm seeing lot of fans scoffing at Scott Parker, I wanted Bellamy myself, but his record in this division speaks for itself. People are pointing to the fact he's struggled in the Prem - let's concentrate on actually getting there first.

Klaus: Scott Parker returning to the club is written in the stars. His tactics may be pragmatic but that is just what we need. Tunnel vision on promotion is more important than attractive football.

West Ham United step into a future without Nuno Espirito Santo on Wednesday when they visit Cardiff City (19:45 GMT).

The Hammers sacked their Portuguese boss on Tuesday after two successive losses left them in eighth place on the table.

Cardiff, meanwhile, will try to put their weekend loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers behind them as they try and build themselves up the table.

• Cardiff City won their last league meeting with West Ham in March 2019 (2-0), last winning consecutive league games against the Hammers in April/September 1950.

• West Ham have won four of their last five league games against Cardiff City (L1), a run which started with a 2-0 victory on their last Championship visit to the Bluebirds in March 2012.

• West Ham have already won 1-0 at Swansea this season – they've never won two away games against Welsh sides in the same league campaign before.

• Cardiff are unbeaten at home in the Championship this season, winning the last three in a row (D3). They last won four consecutively in this division in October/November 2024.

• West Ham are unbeaten away from home in the league so far this season (W3 D3), winning their last two by an aggregate score of 7-0. They last won three in a row on the road in October 2021, while they last did so without conceding between April and September 2007 (4 in a row).

With the club six points adrift of league leaders Middlesbrough and clinging on to a play-off place, West Ham United have decided it is time to part ways with boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Whoever is chosen to replace him will be the fourth permanent manager since David Moyes left in May 2024. Will the next one stay the course?

Who would you like to see guide the Hammers and what qualities are you looking for that you think may help secure your side promotion?

Let us know your thoughts here and come back later to see a selection of your responses.

West Ham United boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Radio London after the 3-1 defeat at home by West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

For the match report, and a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Image source, Shutterstock

West Ham's habit of starting matches slow was the subject of a team meeting this week, Irons captain Jarrod Bowen has revealed.

The Hammers have fallen behind in the first half of nine of their 15 matches in all competitions this season and boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to the players before the visit of West Brom on Saturday (15:00 GMT) stressing the important of starting faster.

Bowen wrote in the matchday programme: "We are all eager to bounce back from last Saturday's frustrating defeat [3-2 to Southampton].

"We started the game badly and ultimately, despite playing really well after falling 2-0 down, gave ourselves too much to do."

He added: "We know how much talent we have got in our squad. We know we can't afford to start games slowly and [Nuno] sat us down and talked about that this week.

"We know there is expectation and a lot of people saying we should be top of the league... but we need to do our talking on the pitch, what people say doesn't matter if we don't perform."