West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen has issued a heartfelt apology to supporters following the club's relegation from the Premier League, describing the experience as deeply humiliating.
"It's hard to post something like this when all you're feeling is embarrassment and pain," the skipper wrote on Instagram.
Bowen acknowledged the team's failings without making excuses, stating simply that the squad "weren't good enough" throughout the campaign.
The England international contrasted Sunday's devastating outcome with his finest moment in football, when his goal secured the Conference League trophy against Fiorentina in Prague three years ago.
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen was heartbroken after relegation
|REUTERS
"Sunday was the worst," he admitted.
The Hammers' descent to the second tier carries significant consequences for London's public finances, with Mayor Sadiq Khan having previously labelled the club's stadium arrangement "the worst deal imaginable."
A rent reduction clause negotiated when West Ham relocated from Upton Park to the Olympic Stadium will see payments to City Hall fall by £2.5m annually following relegation.
Professor Rob Wilson told City AM that the London Stadium deal "remains a significant taxpayer burden," noting that the stadium operator recorded losses exceeding £20m despite receiving nearly £5m in fees from the club.
West Ham were relegated with 39 points
| REUTERSThe 99-year lease was agreed by Boris Johnson in 2012.
The club's dramatic decline comes just three years after their greatest modern achievement, lifting European silverware in the Czech capital.
West Ham's 14-year spell in the top flight concluded on Sunday despite a 3-0 victory over Leeds, with Tottenham's results elsewhere sealing the Hammers' fate.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo, appointed in September when the side sat 19th in the table, is anticipated to depart this week after discussions with club officials.
The Portuguese coach was unable to arrest the slide that has seen West Ham drop from European champions to Championship competitors in a remarkably short period.
The London Stadium remains a "significant burden" on taxpayers in the capital
| PADespite the disappointment, bookmakers have installed West Ham as early favourites to claim the Championship crown next season, pricing them at 9/4 to secure an immediate return as title winners.
Betfair also rates the east London outfit at 8/13 to achieve promotion by any route, making them clear frontrunners ahead of fellow relegated sides Wolves and Burnley.
Bowen remains defiant about the club's future, insisting West Ham "belongs in the Premier League" and pledging to fight for a swift return.
"One thing I know about this club is that it has the desire and fight to bounce back from this," the captain declared.