West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is convinced his side will head to their new Olympic Stadium home this summer as 'one of the best sides in the Premier League' despite losing to Stoke on the final day of the season.
Stoke came from behind to beat the Hammers 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday to leave the visitors facing the possibility of missing out on Europe.
Michail Antonio's 23rd-minute opener for the Hammers was cancelled out in the 55th minute by a Giannelli Imbula strike.
Diafra Sakho had squandered a great chance to make it 2-0 just before Imbula's equaliser and a series of goal-line clearances subsequently stopped the visitors regaining the lead, with only inches in it on one occasion.
West Ham are leaving the Boleyn Ground behind for the Olympic Stadium from next season onward, and Bilic believes his team have proved themselves despite seeing their European hopes take a dent.
Bilic told club reporters: "Frustration is the feeling I have. It was the last game and we needed to win but we didn't do it. I am disappointed.
"It's difficult to take because we were the better team for the majority of the game but we didn't take our chances.
"We were dominant for long periods in a difficult away game but we are disappointed to lose sixth place on the final day.
In Pictures: Final day of the 2015/16 Premier League season
"I want to congratulate Stoke because they didn't steal it, they just took their chances.
"I said to the boys at half time that if it was basketball we would be 15-20 points up and we should have been 3-0 up and cruising.
"Of course it was a great season for us. At the start there were so many question marks with a new manager and new players.
"Now we go into the new stadium and we are one of the biggest sides in the league. That gives us confidence."
A seventh-placed finish means West Ham will reach the Europa League third qualifying round if Manchester United win the FA Cup next Saturday.
And Bilic admitted he will be supporting United against Crystal Palace when the time comes, adding: "I expect United to win the FA Cup.
"It's going to be hard but they go into the final as favourites. I'll be a fan for 90 minutes."
