West Ham are top of the Championship. Three consecutive league wins, a five-goal thriller at Bolton settled late by skipper Jarrod Bowen, and a travelling support of 4,500 who stayed long after the final whistle to savour a result that has become all too rare at this club. It is a fine moment. It is also worth keeping in perspective.

The run that matters — and the one that didn't

Three wins on the spin is the first time West Ham have managed that since December 2023. That previous run is an instructive reference point: it came during the final weeks of David Moyes's tenure, prompted a contract offer that was never signed, and ultimately did nothing to prevent relegation last May. A good run of four games can flatter a squad that is not yet ready. West Ham fans will know that better than most.

That said, the context this time genuinely feels different. Nuno's side sit at the summit with a home average crowd already exceeding 60,000. A support that large, in a ground that size, is a material advantage in the second tier. The noise at the London Stadium when results go their way will be unlike anything most Championship clubs can generate.

What has changed behind the scenes

The more significant shift, according to those inside the club, is structural rather than tactical. Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky is now chairman and is set to become the club's largest shareholder with 46%, once the agreement announced in early September completes. David Sullivan, who resigned as chairman in June amid allegations detailed in a joint BBC Panorama and Times investigation, is expected to retain a 40% stake under that same arrangement. He has continued attending matches and remains part of the picture — a fact that has not gone unnoticed, or unchallenged, by the fanbase.

Chief executive Karim Virani has drawn praise for his openness with supporters on issues that matter to them, including the divisive badge change of 2016. Director of football Nils Koppen is said to have genuine influence over recruitment, a departure from previous practice where deals were reportedly executed without adequate internal discussion.

A transfer window that signals intent

Twelve players departed during the summer, among them Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes. Nine arrived. The headline figure was the £22 million paid to Celtic for Belgium international Arne Engels, described as a Championship record fee. But those within the club point to the signing of Edvin Austbo, a 21-year-old Norwegian winger named his country's young player of the year, as the clearest evidence that recruitment is now a more considered, longer-term process. West Ham tracked Austbo for a considerable period before completing the deal at an initial cost of around £10 million.

That kind of diligence was not always the hallmark of how the club operated. If it has genuinely changed, it matters as much as anything that happens on the pitch between now and May.

Uncertainty that has not gone away

The ownership picture, however, is not fully resolved. Amanda Staveley's position at the club remains unclear. Her agreement with former co-chair Vanessa Gold in July triggered the pre-emption rights process that produced the current shareholding arrangement. Were Staveley to reach an agreement with Sullivan and Tripp Smith (who will hold 11%), she could, in theory, control a majority stake — though that too would be subject to pre-emption rights. It is a complicated picture, and complicated ownership pictures have a habit of spilling onto the pitch.

Sullivan's public comments about Kretinsky are said to be warm, and he has expressed frustration that the ownership process distracted from the transfer window. Those are not the words of someone preparing to ignite another boardroom battle. But supporters have been given reasons for optimism before.

The league table is the only number that counts

For now, West Ham lead the Championship. The squad has depth, the manager has the backing of his players, and the fanbase has turned out in numbers that dwarf most of the division. Three wins do not guarantee a promotion campaign, and the second tier has a way of punishing assumptions. But the underlying changes at the club are more substantive than anything seen in recent years. Whether they translate into automatic promotion or another long season of almost is the question this campaign will answer.

Frequently asked

Are West Ham top of the Championship?
Yes. West Ham went top of the Championship following a win at Bolton, their third successive league victory of the season.
Who is the new chairman of West Ham?
Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire and Royal Mail owner, is now West Ham's chairman. He is expected to become the club's largest shareholder with a 46% stake once a deal announced in September completes.
Will West Ham win promotion from the Championship?
It is far too early to say. Three consecutive wins have taken them to the top of the table, but the Championship is notoriously difficult to predict and West Ham have previously had promising runs that did not lead to sustained success.