West Ham goalkeeping legend Phil Parkes has given an explosive interview to ClaretandHugh in which he discusses the club and its current problems.
In this three-part exclusive he first speaks here of his views on the London Stadium; why after 15 years, he is no longer involved in the hospitality suites and explains why he’s unlikely to be returning to the stadium.
Parts Two and Three are equally riveting and we will bring those to you during the course of tomorrow.
Phil Parkes admits his days of watching West Ham ‘live’ are over and reveals: “All my memories are at the Boleyn and I don’t want to burst that ‘bubble’ in what is now an entirely new era.”
The decision was taken out of his hands to some extent by the club whom he claims decided they no longer wished to employ former players in the hospitality areas.
He said: “That was disappointing. I’ve been working in that area for about 15 years along with the other lads and none of us got a letter informing us of the decision or thanking us.”
He added: “I’m too long in the tooth to let it worry me and I’d made my mind up that my day was done anyway. I have never been a fan of the new stadium.
“I loved the Boleyn. It was my place and this is my club but I went to the new stadium and it didn’t feel like West Ham anymore. It seemed a natural time to call time on things and spend more time with the family.”
Phil admits that he had never bought into the new stadium and believes it has left the club with nothing of its own apart from the team.
And he admitted that he didn’t enjoy his first experience of watching from the stands of the former Olympic Stadium saying: “I think it may have been David Gold who said it would be the same as viewing a match at Wembley but you can’t always see everything there and you are a long way from the action anyway.
“I couldn’t believe either how the running track has been covered by some material that look really cheap and naff. It really does look so artificial.”
And he added: “I don’t know – I can’t say – whether I’ll ever go to the stadium again. If there’s a ‘Boys of 86’ reunion I probably will but I can’t see myself being a regular at all. Like I say I have my great memories of the Boleyn and want to keep them as they were.”
When the likes of Gary Firmager don’t go anymore you get an idea of what this move has done, emotionally, to many fans. I was getting to one game a year because of where I now live and watch the rest on TV, rarely missing a game.
Sadly, even on TV, the games lack the buzz that they had at the Boleyn. What’s done is done. West Ham will attract many new fans with the new stadium and increased ticket availability, so as long as they are selling out games they will not care. It’s their business and their prerogative if they want to look at things that way. But I’d love to know how many fans have already stopped going, or will stop at the end of the season when they realize that one of the core things that made our club so special is gone forever. While it’s shiny and new, old fans will keep going, hoping for the day it feels like home. But for many, like Phil Parkes I doubt that feeling will ever come.
I bumped into Gary Firmager on his way to the first or second game at the London Stadium. I don’t know whether he has a season ticket but he was definitely at one of the early games
I bumped into Gary at Bournemouth game. Said he was going home at half time; couldn’t stand it. Says he does have a season ticket, so he can come back if he chooses. I’m OK with the new stadium; more than OK, I like it and prefer it to UP. I won’t miss the loos oR ‘**** alley’ (walk to Paistow).
However, if the club didn’t write to big Phil etc, then that is shabby.
If anyone was effectively/actually employed (officially) in hospitality, then he would be entitled to know whether they had plans for him or not….and to do it to our probably greatest goalkeeper ever, is not right or decent.
I was lucky to have met Phil and family once in hospitality. Nice open, amenable and good bloke
Yeah there are lots of good blokes who support West Ham,we also have bullsh1tters & liars like you as well unfortunately Cometh the moment!
IMO I get the feeling,having seen the first 2 home games,the crowd are being distracted from making an atmosphere,because they are too concerned with what’s going on with other things, the stewards,the issue with standing,the blocking of peoples view’s, being in the wrong area of seating,etc.Not everybody has their attention drawn to the game,albeit good or bad.Admittedly there are problems,but rather than apportioning blame,lets get it sorted and concentrate on the match and create that “West Ham” atmosphere.
Good point noaskey1. They always say the crowd is the 12th man. Perhaps the atmosphere of the crowd is transferring to the players. Perhaps Nobes is not feeling the love. Same with Kouyate? Who knows. Not blaming fans for the play we are witnessing but it could be a factor. Fickle things are sports stars.
I think these teething problems are being magnified and will be sorted out. The majority of fans I have read about are very happy with the stadium. It’s just the standing , blocking views, fighting that they don’t like which is understandable.
What is it with the astroturf covering the track? I thought on this site it was said a new matching-coloured astroturf would be fitted soon.
Each to their own, Parkesy will of course have a set of feelings unique to any player but for those of us in the stands we are in a new home, everything feels unnatural as it should until we have some shared experiences good and bad, probably it will take one or two seasons to feel at home but eventually we will COYI!!!
Well if anything it gives the whiners something to get their teeth into again.Gary Firmager made a choice Pennsylvania,his own,thats fair enough.Does it suddenly become a benchmark for all fans.No.Im sick of reading ‘Oh so in so doesn’t go anymore’ like it is some barometer for all fans feelings,it bloody well isn’t.
Well, he’s lost his cushy little job – he’s bound to have the hump!
Have all the old hosts been given the heave-ho – Tony Cottee, Tony Gale etc – who’s replacing them or are ‘hosts’ a thing of the past?
Mind you the ‘hosts’ job must have been money for old rope :
‘Who was the best player you played against?’
‘Who was the best player you played with?’
‘Who was the dirtiest player?’ etc etc – yawn!
Lol Michael.Yes I bet they went into auto pilot when fans asked them questions.
The old boys whose glory days were at the Boleyn Ground were never going to have a connection with the London Stadium, same goes to fans like Nigel Kahn who were born in Newham and have a local connection with Green Street.
Everyone is entitled to their personal opinion but One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
I have a connection to Green St also, it’s where my grandad was born, as a kid I spent as many weekends as possible in the North Bank often with no adults just my mates, they will always hold an absolutely unique place in my heart. The game has changed to me UP was never the same after it was redeveloped, yes there were good times but for all the whiners imo they should face up to reality, we live in different times, the former OS has masses of advantages over UP we just need time to settle in, the noise really rocks in that place when the home support get going, hopefully we will see that more and more, onwards and upwards COYI!!!
Who the hell is Gary firmager,I’ve never been to see West Ham hoping to see anyone who isn’t playing to be honest . Nigel khan ,mayor of London ,yes?. COYI
He did OLAS,used to flog it outside the ground Baddow.
Wrong Nigel,not Khan but Kahn.Nigel owns West Ham every night he falls asleep & starts dreaming lmao
Let’s be honest the BG never had the same atmosphere once it went all seater anyway!
100% right Rick.BG was a library sometimes as well.But through nostalgia or indifference to the OS from some they are making out it was a cauldron at BG all the time,it was far from that after it became all seater.
Legend but sounds like sour grapes.