Former West Ham defender Stuart Pearce insists Irons fans can make London stadium the best atmosphere in the country.

This season, West Ham have endured a disappointing run of results in recent weeks, particularly at their Stratford base.

“There will be no better atmosphere with 60-odd thousand fans here," Pearce told the club's official website.

“There are some big old clubs in London, and now West Ham have a stadium to rival them.

"The training ground has also improved, so the club has a lot going for it at the moment.

“There's no reason why the club can't achieve great things in the next few years."

He added: “This will become a fantastic home for West Ham, they will have some great occasions here. This is just this settling-in period."