Back in that Hammers family was so humbling

By Hugh Southon

Arnie scores and my fan fever explodes

It’s dead easy to sit a distance watching streams of games and coming to conclusions – that has it’s place – notably on most away games.

But yesterday I rediscovered the joy of dropping everything in my media world and simply being a fan again and it was so good.

Why? Because you feel the same frustration, anger, disappointment and joy in the moments that count along with over 50,000 others. Family indeed.

Ok, we were beaten but there were first half signs that something was coming together until the wheels fell off after  half time and all the usual complaints set in.

It was easy to sympathise with a geezer who turned to me as we walked out and said: “Different year – same s..t.”

Hard to disagree on what we’ve seen so far and when you’ve spent money and travelled many miles defeat is the most intense and miserable experience in the world.

It also strips you of any media pomposity you may have felt in past years and it makes you understand the family to which we all belong.

Standing with arms outstretched singing Bubbles at the top of your lungs and giving your all for the team, brings a totally different dimension concept to life as a Hammer.

I can never go with the foul mouthed intensity of hatred we see on some social media outlets but yesterday brought a new mind set – an attending fan’s mindset.

So amid all the bitter disappointment and frustration there was pride and an overwhelming “I’m back where I started” feeling as I made the long trek home with a sad young Hammer for life – my grandson .

I’d have been there much more had I not been caring for my late wife over eight years – coming back was an uplifting experience!

Good on every one of you who has suffered down the years with the occasional bright spot thrown in – life as a Hammer is never gonna be easy but we soldier on.

I feel in a very real sense as if I came home yesterday and it was humbling and uplifting despite the numbers 1-2.

COYI