Hammers blogger Kwame Boakye compares the success of Wolves to the struggles of West Ham

East London Advertiser: Wolverhampton Wanderers's Leander Dendoncker celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Molineux, Wolverhampton.Wolverhampton Wanderers's Leander Dendoncker celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Molineux, Wolverhampton. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Wolverhampton Wanderers…the club that West Ham United aspire to be, the club that West Ham United should be by now.

Nuno Espirito Santo's men are next up in our battle against the drop, but with the 'old gold' from Wolverhampton sitting sixth in the league and in the last 16 of the Europa League one can't help but think: 'Wasn't that the 'next level' Hammers fans were promised after leaving the Boleyn?'

East London Advertiser: West Ham United's Angelo Ogbonna (left-centre) appears dejectedWest Ham United's Angelo Ogbonna (left-centre) appears dejected (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

This is only Wolves second season back in the Premier League and they've managed in just shy of two season's what West Ham can only dream of - being in the latter stages of European football, whilst being more than competitive in the Premier League.

It makes a mockery of the talk of 'next level' being attached to a stadium move when Wolves have in less than two season's surpassed West Ham with a stadium of 31,700, almost half the size of the London Stadium and almost 4000 less than that of Upton Park.

Whilst West Ham have struggled and toiled under the 10 year stewardship of the much maligned Gold, Sullivan & Brady lurching from one problem to the next, rarely making the latter stages of cup competitions and failing to get past Romanian bogey side Astra Giurgiu on the two occasions the club did qualify for Europe, Wolves in that time have had a rocket strapped to their back.

At the end of 2013-14 season they were promoted to the Championship, the next two seasons saw them labouring around mid-table obscurity.

The following season they were promoted, finished seventh in their first season in the Premier League, reached an FA Cup semi-final (something West Ham haven't done since the 05/06 season) and secured Europa League football by virtue of their league finish.

They will arrive at the London Stadium on Sunday after a first leg last 16 tie against Olympiacos, so the side that have yet to complete two seasons back in the top flight of English football are on the cusp of a European quarter-final and sit sixth in the league with an outstanding chance of being in next season's Champions League.

But the side who were promoted back to the Premier League in 2012 and have remained there since are battling against relegation.

Wolves were relegated the same year West Ham were promoted; 2012, so the club had a SIX year head start and yet their reality is West Ham's dream.

Wolves have reached the promised land, that proverbial 'next level' that West Ham fans were promised upon leaving their spiritual home for this rented accommodation, and in far less time.

In doing so they have proved the glass ceiling can be smashed but only when the right people are in charge.