West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce hopes fans are patient this season.

He is hoping the fans will be patient as he builds a base for survival - but if they get on his back, he knows it is not personal.

He said: "Hammers fans are demanding of every manager - Avram Grant, Gianfranco Zola, Alan Curbishley who was one of their own, Alan Pardew.

"All of them had a time when the fans weren't happy, and that's the way they are. They come from all over the East End and travel in from Essex and they want to see excitement. Never mind the West Ham way, they want goal action, a commitment and talent.

"When you give them that and the team shows passion, they show the same back.

"It will be a different season. We aren't going to win the number of games we did last season, especially away from home."