West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has called on the club's armchair fans to get serious and support the Hammers.

The new co-chairman wants fans to buy merchandise and attend games.

Sullivan said: "We have a million supporters who probably haven't seen us play in the last ten years and I bet 950,000 of them haven't even bought any club merchandise.

"However, these million people would still highly regard themselves as West Ham fans. David Gold and I are typical of maybe a million Hammers fans. Other than when Birmingham maybe played West Ham, we never saw them in the last 20 years. But, still we regarded ourselves as West Ham fans.

"As our accounts published, the club is in a mess, but with the help of our million supporters, we will dig ourselves out of it.

"Within five to seven years I believe we can be a power in British and European football. We expect to make progress season on season until we become a great side again.

"We need the help now of our million armchair-supporters because we know they are just that - supporters.

"Come to a game before the end of the season, buy something from the club shops, visit our website or use a West Ham credit card. We need everyone to do something for the club we all love."