Editor Hugh Southon
on a tumultous day
It’s felt like a very long day …it’s also been a very West Ham day – a reminder that one of the great things about supporting our fabulous club is that we’re never short on excitement, drama and ‘political’ intrigue!
At the end of it all there’s a huge ‘mix’ of emotions. Who on earth would be an owner in the atmosphere surrounding the club at this point in its history?
That the club stayed in the Premier League is a matter for huge celebration and relief.
Sam Allardyce’s detractors – and I’ve been among them – may not want to accept it but this is what was demanded of him. It’s a hard argument to counter.
I have to own up. I have been one of the manager’s fiercest critics at time but that’s ok!
He’s big enough, ugly enough and has shown many times before he’s a survivor. I might wanna be standing beside him if the nuclear bomb were dropped!!!
Tonight, however, it’s time for the in-fighting, splits and air-turning-blue outbursts to end.
It’s a given that however hard Sam Allardyce tries, a huge swathe of fans are unlikely to warm to him.
He has one way only of becoming their new best friend-deliver a brand of football which we Irons find acceptable and within the ethos of the ‘West Ham Way’ which received a huge mention by David Sullivan on the official website.
We will get some early indications when the first signings are made. It’s not rocket science recognising a flair player – a West Ham Way player!
If we don’t see any but instead are confronted with physical survival types coming through the doors it will be a time to really worry.
We are in fact depending very heavily on David Sullivan and the board ensuring that doesn’t happen under their new hands-on policy in the transfer market.
My position is very straightforward: I’ve been a Hammer from an early age, the club comes first, managers come and managers go, I’m still here with many of you and will be until I draw my last breath.
The die has been cast. Sam stays and I will not be spending the next however many months putting the boot in if its undeserved. Equally ClaretandHugh will remain fearless in saying so when we believe things are wrong!
This is my club – this is my team – this is my passion. I want Sam Allardyce to give me back the club and the football I know and love . If he can, as ‘Arry might say, t’rific.
If he can’t, I believe the owners will shake his hand and bid him farewell sometime between now and next May!
Simple old game really ennit?
Personally, i tend to agree with the article. No one is bigger than the club, not me, not you, not Sam. What is best for West Ham FC is what is right. The owners & Sam are pretty clear on what the fans have said. They have made it clear to Sam the way it will be. It’s now up to him to pick up the baton & run with it. I reckon he will. He is smart & he would know that to not attempt to adopt a more attacking style of football would be making a rod for his own back. No matter what you think of Sam, or the decisions that have been made, the club comes first. If we are going to be negative, that is what we will get, self fulfilling prophecy. There is no benefit to packing up the kit bag & going home. We have always been gracious in defeat on the park & anyone who wanted a head on a platter needs to consider the effect of withdrawing support on both the club & the squad. The decisions have been made, the task is set, now in the true tradition of West Ham United FC let’s get on with it.
All I can say is that I’m gutted that the board did not listen to the fans. Supposedly we are important to the club? BFS is never going to play attractive footy, we will survive again but with little success to show. Come on he’s already looking at players that were not good first time around.
We have to be more positive about who we sign. I’m glad the board will take care of signings!!
Talk about us the Fans of WestHam United complaining about the Dross that the Dudley Dinosaur serves up – and that with the players his got
( Bfs ) How can he play Entertaining Football – Uhmmm Who brought in Demel Mcartney Jussi Downing Carroll Jarvis Collins Maiga Rat Vaz Te MTaylor ( Jcole the second time around when he was on a Spiral down fall,) and His number main Man – Kevin I will play every Single Game Nolan without even trying…. Big Fat Sam has built this team, we could have had W Bony for half the price of Carroll but Alladyche vetoed that signing (Fact) tell me how many goals did Bony score this season 24 – 26 Goal, – How many did Carroll score uhmmm two yes 2.. – adding to the fact he has called the Fans Deluded . he has to go- The Football is shocking its not value for money – Footballs not cheap anymore – it costs me £600 plus another £280 for my son, plus travel to watch drossy Hoofball and merchandise – We the Fans are being short changed while the TV money is being spread out amongst the Manager – Boardroom and playing staff- We deserves a refund…!
How nice, so you want to spend your last dying moments standing next to BFS when the bomb is dropped? Me, I prefer to be with the wife and kids………… at least we now now exactly where you allegiances really lie. ps. for the “fastest growing West Ham site on the net” you sure don’t get much of a return on your investment, even the Org and The games gone crazy used to get more replies. Adiós.
It was an analogy on survival – get a grip man. My allegiance is to West Ham as a club and I have taken Allardyce to task relentlessly. Clearly you need to have a little lie down.