West Ham United owners David Gold and David Sullivan have written an open letter backing manager Sam Allardyce.

The Hammers were thrashed by Nottingham Forest yesterday in the FA Cup but the club's board are keeping faith in Allardyce. Gold and Sullivan also outlined the club are closing in on signing a striker and a defender. 

The letter, published on the club website, said: "I know Sam would have loved to have put out a more varied side, with our talented youngsters accompanied by more senior players in the starting XI.

"But many key players are out injured and Sam has been handed a near impossible task of coming through three crucial games in the space of six days with a squad of only 14 fit and available senior players. This is not an excuse it is a fact. We know Sam has not lost his ambition or desire and is committed to making West Ham United a great Premier League club.

"We now face a Capital One Cup semi-final on Wednesday followed by a vital Barclays Premier League trip to Cardiff on Saturday. Despite an extremely difficult draw, we are determined to do all we can to get to the Capital One Cup final over two legs with Manchester City.

"We hope to have several of our missing players back in time for Cardiff and we go there knowing that a win can get us out of the bottom three. Such is the nature of the Premier League this season; there are only six points between us and the team in 13th place.

"Make no mistake, though; we are under no illusions as to the seriousness of our current predicament in the Premier League. But on the board we have a combined talent of running football clubs and we will draw on all of our nous to get West Ham United out of this situation."