Blades fans will arrive harbouring huge resentent
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They come armed with nine points and possibly more significantly revenge for the Carlos Tevez affair back in 2006-07 which has created the most toxic of atmospheree among us and them since the 2006-07 season.
West Ham paid £20 million to the Blades but the circumstances surrounding that campaign remains an incendiary issue to this day.
‘Tevez’s arrival with Javier Mascherano at West Ham on transfer deadline day in August 2006 sowed the seeds of a problem. The discovery of the third-party agreements concerning the players that came to light in January 2007 provided the soil in which they could grow.
United lost an initial appeal against their relegation in the summer of 2007 despite an arbitration panel admitting it “would in all probability have reached a different conclusion and deducted points from West Ham”.
A year after relegation an independent FA tribunal found in their favour, with Lord Griffiths judging “We have no doubt that West Ham would have secured at least three fewer points over the 2006-07 season if Carlos Tevez had not been playing for the club.”
Sheffield United had wanted compensation of up to £45m in lost income but in the end came to an out of court payment which saw the Hammers pay almost £20 million
The West Ham chief executive, Scott Duxbury, said he was pleased to “draw a line under this whole episode”, McCabe was “happy and satisfied” with the settlement that had been reached in discussions that were “friendly, co-operative and in the best of spirit”.
The boardrooms and money men may have been able to bury the hatchet but football fans have longer memories than those that run their clubs.”
Now the fans return and a win would do much to PERHAPS bury the ill will they feel towards us and it’s not going to be easy given the last two displays from the Hammers.
It could turn into a seriously torrid afternoon – memories of perceived injustice live long in the minds of football fans!