Sunday afternoon could be one of the most important in West Ham United's history.
Apart from the small matter of looking for their first home win of the season against Manchester United, Hammers fans will meet under the banner of the West Ham United Supporters Trust (WHUST) for the first time.
And the new body, which should be fully operational in January, is a potential lifesaver for a club in danger of being overwhelmed by ill-feeling between fans and the board.
Sally Roberts is one member of the steering committee, which has been responsible for taking idea of a trust and getting it as far as Sunday's official launch.
And she is quite clear that better relations between the executive boxes and the stands are crucial for the club.
"The whole idea is to build communication between the board and the fans because the board have alienated themselves and that could sound the death knell for any club," she said.
"Our first aim is just to make fans aware of this, because people tend not to think about how awful the future could be."
Published Thursday November 14, 2002
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