Former West Ham manager Avram Grant: I take responsibility for the Hammers’ Premier League relegation

He said: “It is a very sad day for me. I think the saddest day since I started in football 40 years ago.

“It is the first time I faced this kind of situation. I cannot say it in words, I’m very, very sad, especially for the supporters.

“It’s a good club and I came with a lot of desire and belief to do something here.

“I know the financial problem and I still thought we could do better. Maybe this game was the story of our season.

“2-0, one decision of referee when it was a foul on Tomkins not against him, was one of many other decisions. Then, at 2-2, we have all the chances.

“But, I must say, I am very sad because at Chelsea and Portsmouth they came very happy to the last game of the season. I wanted so much for this to be the same this season.”

Grant presided over a disastrous campaign for West Ham that saw them trapped inside the relegation zone for the vast majority of the campaign. The ex-Chelsea boss accepted “responsibility” for the drop to the second tier and thanked the 5,000 supporters who travelled to the DW Stadium on Sunday.

Grant stated: “I take responsibility. I’m not a guy to put the responsibility on other people.

“It is too tough for me this situation that we were relegated.

“Most of the time I have been at other teams, the supporters have been happy for my work and achievements. Today, so many supporters came, 5,000, and they’ve been so good to me.

“I must say, I wanted to do so much better for them.

“It was my responsibility to pick the team and every game the tactics. So, it was my responsibility about the result.”