If West Ham do go down this year (which I really, really hope they do...), they are likely to struggle to come back. I think two factors might be fatal for the club:
1. Players leaving to play at a higher level (like Bowen).
2. Relegation linked pay cuts in their contracts and want to leave for more cash.
Those two factors could become a cycle, feeding off each other and getting worse. The playing squad could be decimated. Given their financial situation and the parachute payments they will get, I think they have 2 years to come back up or potentially face going down again as FFP will force their spending to be low.
I used to laugh at them, I actually feel a bit sorry for them now. They have no home, a team with too many mercenaries and a board who, aside from being utter dildoes are crooked and lie to the fans. As much as love to see them lose, they could literally go into free fall like Man City did at the end of the 1990’s.