Father Christmas: βWhat would you like for Christmas, Sonny?β
West Ham fan: βIβd like a toy car, please. No, make that a big toy trainβ.
Father Christmas: βOk, a train it isβ.
West Ham fan: βWill the train be EXACTLY the same as my old one?β
Father Christmas: β Well, maybe not-I may not be able to get an exact copyβ.
West Ham fan: βIn that case, make it a car, please. I want a big, shiny one, but make it faster than my old oneβ¦..but I want it the same as the old one , pleaseβ.
Father Christmas sighs, stands up, then locks himself away in his house for his own sanity!
I am old enough to remember our successes, and suffered through our many painful βfailuresβ. We may not rate high in terms of how many βbigβ trophies, compared to others, ( although, I think winning the World Cup for your country trumps ALL other clubs boasts!), but I think of us as having a solid, loyal, fan-base who are always there for their club.
Football has changed beyond all recognition over the last 20/30yrs-not all for the better of the game, or fans, many might say.
It is now firstly a business, secondly, a sport. Look at the CONSISTENTLY top clubs. They have mega-rich, ( usually/all non-British), owners & a new, bigger, stadium-or plans for one soon.
Without at least one of these, modern-day footy, just walks over, and kills these clubs. Anyone see Torquay winning the Prem League any time this century? No!
West Ham now have one of these βnecessitiesβ -the Stadium!
So, thatβs the fans happy. No?
We need new mega-rich owners?
Ok. We have a stadium for today, but fans moan it isnβt the same as our beloved ground. Well, it isnβt and wonβt ever be the same.
We HAVE to accept that many who will now attend WONβT be beer-drinking,pie βnβ mash eating fans. Truth is, times change & few are-thatβs why pie βnβ mash is harder to find & pubs closing!
I can remember when Chelsea just THOUGHT they were a big club! They have had to accept changes-but how many want to go back to their βgood old daysβ?
We need mega-rich owners? Probably true to stay in the top four, but as Chelsea are learning, even with money, there is always someone richer, and only one club will win every title/Cup.
Maybe we need those mega-rich owners to stand a chance-but then many fans will have to adjust their thinking when it comes to saying West Ham are an east end club, run by fans they know and see at games.
Are we ready to say we are a Chinese-run club by people weβve never seen, but love the Cups weβve won?
What I see are confused West Ham fans that ARE going through this transition, but havenβt yet agreed with what they want and on what they are willing to compromise.
We all want the best, but what that is poses a difficult few questions.
TwentyΒ years from now, weβll have it sussed -the Prem title & and Champs League in our cabinet, wonβt we?!