"The target is very simple this season and I can sum it up in one word - improve. We just want to be better than we were last year," said Grant as he fended off questions about possible Europa League qualification on his first public appearance as Hammers boss.

The club's co-chairman David Gold is convinced they can qualify for Europe, the team's spine could all make the England starting XI and that Grant has a reported £25million transfer kitty at his disposal.

These are all the ingredients for a potential top-10 finish, so why does the West Ham boss feel he needs to downplay expectations?

Put simply, it is because events on and off the pitch at West Ham last season can also be summed up in one word - chaos.

In truth, anyone who followed West Ham last season has probably spent the last few weeks recovering from the emotional rollercoaster ride.

First, the worldwide recession hit the club's former owners hard, forcing then manager Gianfranco Zola to sell players such as Lucas Neill and James Collins.

Left short of key personnel, the Italian then watched on in despair as his threadbare squad went on a miserable nine-match winless streak to send them hurtling towards the foot of the table.

Further defeats caused yet more misery before the new year brought with it what many perceived to be the club's saving grace - the arrival of Gold and business partner David Sullivan.

The two Davids, who had turned Birmingham into a Premier League outfit after 16 years of investment, ploughed in millions of their own cash to save the club, which they revealed was over £100million in debt.

Zola received much-needed funds but that did not stop the club from flirting with relegation while off the pitch signs were clear that the relationship between the board and the management was beginning to strain.

Sullivan described the team's performance in a 3-1 defeat to Wolves as "shambolic" and "appalling", causing Zola to consider his position.

Such public humiliation could have caused him to walk but the Italian stayed on to narrowly steer the club to safety before being shown the door shortly after the season's end.

Gold and Sullivan then turned to Grant, who had worked wonders at crisis club Portsmouth to take them to the FA Cup final.

Grant was initially frustrated in the transfer market before he completed the double signing of Frederic Piquionne and Mexico winger Pablo Barrera on July 16.

They joined free signing Thomas Hitzlsperger in a squad which is also boosted by the return of long-term injury absentees Luis Boa Morte and Kieron Dyer.

More importantly perhaps, Grant has so far managed to hold on to England quartet Scott Parker, Carlton Cole, Robert Green and Matthew Upson.

With Grant in place, and more signings rumoured to be on the way, Gold sees reason to be optimistic.

"It was a real struggle last year," the 73-year-old reflected.

"You can't imagine how bad it was. We ended up with 35 points and nine times out of 10, you'd be relegated with 35 points so things had to change. That's why Avram came in.

"Now, with the new signings, and other players returning we're looking in much better shape this season."

Grant has revealed the club holds a special place in his heart thanks to memories of a childhood visit to Upton Park during the Hammers' glory days when they had European and domestic success under Ron Greenwood.

He said: "I came here a few years after the 1966 World Cup win and there were a lot of West Ham players in the team that so it was fantastic to be here to experience that."

West Ham fans may long for a return to the time when the likes of Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst propelled them to European glory, but for Grant just a season of progress and stability will do.