When West Ham United were relegated after a 3-2 defeat to Wigan at the end of the 2010/2011 season the Premier League lost one of England’s most famous clubs.

But a victory for the Hammers in last season’s Championship Play-off final secured their immediate return to the top flight, where many people feel they belong. But with some of their key players leaving in the summer transfer window, are they strong enough stay there?

A good start to the season could be the key to whether they retain their Premiership status, and they couldn’t have asked for better fixtures in the first few weeks of the season. They begin their campaign at Upton Park against Aston Villa, a team that were so nearly relegated themselves last season, followed by Swansea, Norwich and Fulham, all sides that will be making avoiding relegation their number one priority. Sam Allardyce will likely be targeting at least 8 points from their opening four games, and if they get that, it will set them up fantastically for the rest of the season.

So what of the Hammers’ new boys? The signings of ex-Bolton Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and defender George McCartney will add a vast amount of premier league experience and quality to an already strong defence. Their most recent signing, Mohammed Diame will also add to their defensive abilities, and add more bite to midfield where he will be hoping to partner club captain Kevin Nolan.

However, a strong defence alone cannot win games. With only 2 experienced strikers in Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Te, an injury to one of those could be disastrous for Big Sam. He will definitely be targeting a couple more attacking minded players to give them better strength in depth and a greater chance of survival.

So where will they end the season? If they play like they did last season, they have a great chance of staying up, and may even be looking to finish in a mid-table position. Whilst the fans may dream of getting into Europe at some point in the near future, for now, if the Hammers finish in 17th place, everyone associated with the club, including their sponsor, ‘Alpari’ will be happy.