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West Ham portray themselves as a family club. That sometimes does not show itself, particularly around ticket price rises this summer - although the club will still argue, for a London team, they are one of the cheapest in the Premier League.

However, they do a huge amount of community work and have tried hard to maintain and nurture their links to the supporter base.

It will have been particularly sad therefore to learn young Hammers fan Elliott Eley had passed away.

Elliott was only 11 and was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease shortly after he was born. The illness affects the digestive and immune systems and currently has no cure.

He was a mascot on the opening day of the season when the Hammers played Aston Villa and got to walk out with skipper Jarrod Bowen. He was also a guest of the club on a training ground visit in the summer.

The club released a statement and to say it was "devastated" to learn Elliott had passed away.