David Sullivan said his new year’s resolution was to further unite West Ham supporters with his board.
Karren Brady repeated that promise today saying on her twitter account “Engaging with fans is a top priority and I am very grateful for your recent questions & the insights you have given me”
The timing of an article by West Ham fan Martin Samuel in the Daily Mail over the weekend was unfortunate, even more so that the club decided to re-print the offending article on the official website leaving some to make the accusation that the story was planted in the first place. The article has got many West Ham supporters backs up as Samuel suggests Hammers fans have selective memories and are conveniently blaming all the problems on the stadium move.
This is what Samuel said: “Who remembers Fortress Upton Park? No, me neither.
And, yet, after another depressing capitulation, this time against Manchester City, the airwaves and message boards were full of disgruntled West Ham fans who could not recall their team rolling over like this at the old place.
Shipping five goals to City and Arsenal at home in the same season is being blamed on the move to the London Stadium, as if the best teams once shivered when imagining a trip to east London.
The Hammers’ struggles against the biggest clubs is not restricted to their new groundHappily, there are record books for the times when memories fail, so we can see Manchester City lost once in seven visits to Upton Park in the period from March 1, 2009. West Ham’s home record against Arsenal was even worse, a single victory in 14 matches since October 3, 1999.
As for Manchester United — 2-0 winners on January 2 — they also recorded two-goal margins of victory in 2014, 2011 and 2009, and Chelsea won by a margin of three goals or more at Upton Park in 2013, 2010, 2008, 2007 and twice in 2006.
So let’s not pretend. Upton Park had its moments — not least in the final year — but it was never mistaken for the Bernabeu by visitors. The negativity felt by the locals towards West Ham’s new stadium is a contradiction anyway. On one hand, fans are furious because the team keep losing, on the other they say they did not want to move to a new stadium, because West Ham was more about community, good football, and having a laugh with your mates, and it didn’t matter that they wouldn’t win the league. So which one is it? It cannot be outrageous that West Ham keep losing, but equally outrageous that the club should have left Upton Park because success was never the aim. Does the result matter or not?”
In my view the article is spot on. However I’m not sure if the need to post it on the official site. Across social media and West Ham forums this season all I’ve been seeing is the standard comments of “I’ve been a fan for 30 years and this is the worst I’ve every seen” which is quite frankly a joke. We’ve had a poor season with some very bad performances, but any one whose been a fan for a long time has seen worse plenty of times before so it’s not the stadium, which does by all accounts have its problems.
He wrote a similiar article about the atmosphere at Upton Park when we were still there.That the days of the intimidating vociferous matches had largely gone apart from some derbies or bigger matches.He was right,it is only that it doesnt sit comfortably with some who live in la la land & wont accept that in the last decade or so our ground could rival Highbury the libary regularly..
Seats killed Upton Park it was never the same.
Agree Shaun, the article is spot on, yes the stadium has some issues not least the stewarding but the amount of games I went to especially under BFS where there was zero excitement, nothing atmosphere, I can count numerous also under Grant, Zola, Curbishley, Roeder, Macari, Redknapp, Bonds and Redknapp and Lyall etc where the players didn’t turn up and left us with nothing to cheer, every football club is like that, look at Klopp having to go mental to get the Liverpool supporters going, it is commonplace, there is a tendency to remember the great games because they have the most emotion attached to them and to forget the dismal ones because there is nothing memorable about them but as we all know we have seen our fair share of dross over the years. The article for me is an experience that matches my own, does it make me support the team any less, absolutely not COYI !!!
How about the atmosphere at Old Trafford tonight for a cup semi final.It was pin drop quiet for much of the match.
Yep true, watched the match thought Snodgrass and Hull in general played pretty good, the atmosphere indeed was flatter than a witches t1t as they used to say in pagan times 😉
Do i now also have to mention im not a new breed or brand of fan.Purely living in the real world where the truth hurts sometimes.
The BG when it was rocking was special.It still makes my spine tingle thinking about some matches especially under lights.Man they were special but by the same token there were some awful,awful atmospheres there too.I can remember sitting at one match & i wondered if there was anyone still awake apart from a loud cough or single ‘Come On You Irons’ from around me.
I understand fans wanting to hold it in reverance to some respect but you can still be a realist.It was shocking sometimes.
Tone has it right,seating was the death knell to a large extent.
Do i also have to put a disclaimer that this comment in no way shape or form makes me a suck it up supporter which some appear to have been branded in recent days.
Just an oldish man who can see it from both angles.
Agree with the article. Most of the moans about the ground are hysterical and involve personal insults. We haven’t won a thing in 36 years (except Inter Toto cup!). I preferred the Upton Park of the 70s and 80s not the post 94 ground which i thought never generated the same atmosphere. If we had not moved there would be vitriol stating that other London clubs are moving forward. I think once we start winning a few matches and making some new memories, the London Stadium will become home. 60,000 fans, West Ham fans as owners, still in the same borough with a decent squad. I couldn’t have believed this 20 years ago. My Dad who is 78 said he preferred the 1948 Upton Park. Everybody has their own memories, most are rose tinted. My son only knows the London and thinks its fantastic. There is a new generation coming through. Its commensurate upon me and my Dad to pass down the culture, memories and the West Ham way and help create a future for the youngsters. I find it hard listening to ‘fans’ who leave at 50 minutes and complain of the commitment from the team. That never happened in the 70s and 80s and we lost a lot! Lets get behind the team to the final whistle and beyond and show the world that we are the best fans in the world.
👍😎
Lol did everyone suddenly click on to the site when the football finished on TV,it appears so 😁
I cant give an opinion on this i only went for about 20yrs so i didn’t have time for the smell of the onions & police horsesh*t on Green St to warp my memories.Even the stench from the kharsis didnt do the job 😂
Well if you only went for 20 years Rads you will now be branded as a short to mid term supporter from now on and any thing you say will be shot down by anyone who has supported the club for longer lol 🙂 🙂
You know what mate i have said many times if fans decide to jack in the LS then fair play,it makes no difference to me & its entirely their right too.
But dont f*cking tell me every day you are jacking it in or continue to moan about the stadium.If your jacking it then it aint a problem to you next season so belt up lol.
That aint saying if you dont like it dont go,its just saying stop f*cking telling me 😂😂
The ones that get me mate are those that sit by the side of a fjord in Norway telling everyone what a disaster the ground is without ever setting a bloody foot in it 🙂
Mate some fans are so precious & sensitve.We have an old lad in my regular boozer,Benji,ex boilerman in the navy.Been a massive irons fan all his life.Weighs in at about 60 years old now.Anyway he sits in the pub moaning all the time about the new ground.So in the end a few of us often get p*ssed off with him & tell him to deal with it,live with it,dont go if he dont like it,give it a rest,normal banter.Anyway does it get all sensitive,does he f*ck.
Where a fan lives or comes from doesnt matter to me if they support the club thats a winner in my book.But yes i do draw the line when i get preached to about who i might or might not be based on how loud i moan or dont by some presumptious fool who hasnt even had first hand experience of half of the issues he has so so much to say about.
Sometimes its better to keep quiet than look a total jackass.But having said that most jackasses are jackasses for a reason & never change.
Standing shoulder to shoulder, peanut man squeezing through, smoke filled stmosphere, wanting a wee and gaving to do it there as impossible to get to the loos ( a glorified gutter!), watching Devo and Sir Trev tearing it up, Bonzo sticking it up em, hilarious gallows humour as we blow another match, ground shaking from the atmosphere, happy if we reached 6th from bottom. Happy days!
Lol dont reminisce too much Fazz you will start crying 😉
I like it Fazzamania very good & bang on.
Got a small tear in my eye already 😂
you sure it’s a tear Fazz and you just don’t need a jimmy again ?
Getting away from this subject i cannot believe how a rumour in the press or electronic media about a bid by us can cause so much pandemonium amongst fans.They seem to see a quote from a rag about a bid we put in then totally lose their grip on reality & start savaging the bid or the derisory offer we made.They do realise its better not to take things as fact from the media involving transfers dont they????
By the end of the month every team will have been in the hat for hundreds of players if you believe the press.How can supporters be so naive to bite about what is to all intents & purpose is written on a load of fish & chip paper.
Being sh1t isn’t anything new, I’ve been going since late 70’s & the 1st game I saw we got relegated lol (there’s proof on youtube of me sitting on safety barrier 1978) three sides of the ground has been replaced since so it isn’t really the same stadium anyway
Yes its like Triggers broom handle,the same ground but with three new stands Lol
Mervyn Day in goal and Curbs in midfield. Guaranteed defeat.
Big Tone we should have to pay to get in pal.Dummies being spat left right and centre because someone has seen an article on what we have alledgedly bid for a player on some site from NewsNow or the like.Thick as pig sh!t pal.If nothing else the TW month gives us some entertainment.
Samuel had it spot on. I agree with all the others that said his article was spot on. I’d like to say I miss the stench of the Old toilets and the health food stalls on green street but I don’t. Not really. I don’t miss the massive queues for the tube waiting ten minutes to move two feet up the road either. I remember the best atmosphere was the boys of 85/6 season. Only a third of the attendance we have nowadays but all standing and all fully committed to the cause. No plastic fans back then. I prefer the new stadium now. The atmosphere is great when we’re winning. No problem there. Maybe we just have too many bad losers with rose tinted glasses nowadays.
I never thought I’d say this after all the stuff that went on on this site over Alladyce and Nolan vrs the other site (the one Bobby and Ron and John would choose to read) being so virtuous with their “I’m a fan I support the manager and my club” claptrap but C&H have now become the site of moderation and decency. Whilst others slag off the club and the owners with personal insults and bile as well made up stories just to keep the hate rolling this site, the home of the mongrel, supports their club.
Keep it as the club needs our support. Samuels article is spot on but even that got picked apart over there. If the hate, bile, insults, moaning and sheer nastiness doesn’t stop we won’t have a club to support.
Just my view and I agree with everything above.
Just to add I’ve supported the club about 40 years and have been home and away about 600 times, I’ve eaten Green St burgers and trod in horse poop. I believe this gives me approx 65% true fan rating.
Treading in horse poop is ok but I draw the line at Green Street burgers.
There was NEVER a “Fortress Upton Park”. Not when we lost 8-2 to Blackburn Rovers, or when we beat Leeds Utd 7-0 & not when I took my son to his 1st. Game, & we were beaten 4-0 by Everton. & certainly not in any of the relegation seasons. As for the London Stadium – I haven’t been there – but the boy says it’s not too bad. Anyway, I won’t make any uninformed comments about it, other than to say that I was against the move, & that it is the same for both sides – so why can’t West Ham perform better there ?
The article in the Mailwas spot on, in my opinion.
Then sadly you will never pass 50% on the truefanOmeter E20. You opinion shall never really be valued on some sites. It’s not too late you can make up points by wandering around Upton Park with a woollen scarf a rattle and a long face every weekend for a month.
I stand by what I have said since the start of the season, you can’t blame the stadium for the performances but you can blame the performances for the stadium ( or lack of atmosphere in the said stadium). Quite simply nothing to get excited about end of. As for fortress Upton Park have these folk forgotten the BFS days….let me remind you – 31 Aug 2013 – West Ham 0, Stoke 1, ‘Jermaine Pennant’s brilliant free-kick eight minutes from time gave Stoke the win against a lacklustre West Ham.’ Probably one of the worse games of Football I have even been mis fortunate enough to travel to. (I missed the cup match against Citeh).
So the general consensus is that there was a grain of truth in the article & it wasnt absolute drivel as i have seen it being called elsewhere😁
Its simple really you can either be accepting of the truth or live in your gingerbread house with unicorns prancing past your window content with being in total denial.
Only the views of a younger fan who hasnt earnt the right to slag the club off all day because i have been to thousands of games 😂😂
Spot on Radia. I actually hope that most of the mugs that say they will not go again after this season won’t! Good riddance to them.
I can but laugh at the total hypocrisy of the supporters who would be so appalled by the treatment of Allardyce,Gold & Sullivan during the BFS tenure but now freely rip them apart themselves because they are now in a situation they themselves dont like.Hypocrisy at its best.
If supporters look back to the 2nd last game at the BG you will see a severe kicking by Swansea 1-4. Bournemouth put 4 past us last season as well so even the smaller clubs weren’t scared of coming to east london. Some supporters don’t like to hear the truth. And the truth is we have been sh1t all season not just at the LS.
My point exactly Big Tone.
I have a question for Hugh. What’s with the tag line? There are 40 posts above on YOUR site that say otherwise. I think you are an avid reader of Wetpants!!!!
Sorry make that Sean.
I dont think the article put too many fans backs up.Only the ones who cant see the wood for the trees & still live in a fantasy world of rip roaring atmospheres at the old ground every match.Someone bring them out of their day dreaming & see it for what it was.
Being honest about the old ground isnt a capital offence & though we all loved it it isnt some kind of shrine never to speak ill of.
If fans see it that way then they have lost the plot.
Do you mean someone with a fanOmeter rating of more than 90% Long Fella? Like attended more than 1,000 matches home and away, eaten green street burgers, possessing 20 home tops dating back to Avco and having the gold Pony top as well being born within 2 yards of bow bells and speaking like an illiterate Dick Van Dyke? Plus treading in horse poo on green street and standing in line outside Upton Park in the wet for 90 mins after a match? Have I missed anything? You won’t change them fans mate and do you know they’ll still be here next season complaining about the same stuff.