West Ham United co-owner David Gold has come under fire from one of the club’s largest independent supporters’ associations for “liking” tweets that referred to some fans as “morons” and “Neanderthals”.

Gold, co-owner David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady have all come under fire from West Ham fans this season and were the subject of a protest by 900-2,000 people last month.

There is also a protest, which is set to attract even bigger numbers, planned against the West Ham board for the end of this month and Gold has stoked the bad feeling towards them by liking messages on Twitter.

Following the transfer deadline-day signing of Jarrod Bowen, Gold liked a tweet from @claretbluetrue that read: “Well done to the three Davids. Funny how the moron contingent have gone quiet tonight as yet again in a highly competitive market the board have spent big.”

Two days earlier, Gold had liked a tweet from the same user that read: “Thank you David. Rest assured that, despite the foul and ignorant abuse thrown around on social media by a loud mouthed Neanderthal minority, the vast majority of the support are with you and the club.”