David Gold has insisted he is not prepared to gamble financially with West Ham United, pointing to the likes of Leeds United as evidence of what can happen when it all goes wrong.
From competing in the Champions League at the start of the 2000s, Leeds were relegated in 2004 after going into financial meltdown; the Whites even dropped as low as League One before recovering and winning promotion to the Championship.
Gold also picked out Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Coventry City and QPR as clubs he feels took too many financial risks and paid the price.
As such the West Ham co-chairman is unwilling to take any financial chances with the Hammers.
Told on Twitter that fans want Gold to gamble financially, the co-chairman shot back: "Leeds, Portsmouth, Bolton, Sheffield Utd, Coventry, QPR and many more, all gambled and are no longer in the Premier League."
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Leeds are currently putting in a strong push to return to the Premier League, but the other clubs Gold pointed to are some distance from reclaiming their top flight status.
Gold has regularly been criticised by West Ham fans on social media, with many unhappy at the club's move to the London Stadium, which sees supporters some way from the pitch due to the stadium being constructed to host athletics.
And he insists if fans turn overwhelmingly against him then he will move on.
Picking a high percentage, Gold wrote: "If 86% of West Ham fans voted for me to go I would go, I don't want to be where I am not wanted."
