West Ham have taken the unusual step of banning half-and-half scarves for the London derby against Tottenham.
The move is among a number of increased security measures aimed at preventing away supporters from getting into the home sections at the London Stadium for a potentially volatile match.
The return of Mohammed Kudus, signed by Spurs for £54.5m in the summer, is expected to be among a number of anticipated flashpoints West Ham are seeking to counter with extra security measures for the late afternoon kick-off.
The Ghana international’s comments in the wake of West Ham’s controversial sale to Spurs – the first player to be transferred between the two clubs since January 2011 – have gone down badly with sections of the home support. A clip posted by Tottenham on their X social media has Kudus saying: “I only wanted Spurs.”
Saturday’s 5.30pm Premier League fixture against Tottenham is being broadcast by Sky Sports and there are reports that some supporters are planning protests against David Sullivan and the rest of West Ham’s owners.
The east London club said on its website: “West Ham United would like to make supporters aware that enhanced security measures will be in place for Saturday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur. This includes additional checks at turnstiles, restrictions on half-and-half scarves or items illustrating the colours/crests of both clubs and steps to ensure home areas remain for West Ham United fans only.
“We would like to kindly ask all supporters for patience when entering the stadium to allow our staff to perform these checks, especially during the busiest times in the 45 minutes ahead of kick-off.”
