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CandH Exclusive: Gold – “I won’t be driven out”

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David Gold will not be driven out of West Ham.

The co chairman spoke with me  this evening after the ghastly scenes of intimidation and threatening behaviour in front of the director’s box at the London Stadium

My job on ClaretandHugh is to get news and reaction and this piece is a report of Gold’s feelings following the worst demonstration against him and the rest of the board we have seen.

If that means – as many want to believe that I am a board lackey and in their pay – carry on. What it really means is that I’m doing my best to keep the fans fully in the picture.

He has one reaction: “I’m going nowhere.”

He’s staying at West Ham United because he believes the majority of fans are fair minded people who do not believe in threatening and intimidating behaviour such as he faced this afternoon.

I asked him straight out whether today’s demonstration would see him quit and added: “I could hardly blame you if you did given the horrible behaviour of those fans.”

His response was immediate: “Yes but the vast majority are decent people whatever they may feel about us!”

He added: “We were mortified when we had to leave the box – it’s unreal to hear these people saying we have stolen money and that we are liars and cheats. It’s all so wrong.

“It’s not as though they are pointing at a specific issue – they are all generalisations and simply not true.

“I have no objection whatsoever to those who don’t like the way we run the club. Many of them are very decent people who argue their case passionately and intelligently – that’s fine.

“But I will never be driven away from anything by the behaviour I saw today. It won’t happen because of all the decent fans out there.”

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

0 comments

  • sleepswithdafishes says:

    The other day Mr Gold answered questions on The West Ham Way, about the issues raised by the mindless minority. Very soon a supporter was on Hammers chat, picking to pieces all Mr. Golds answeres. To do that this supporter had to step into the world of fantasy and science fiction to re-arrange facts into lies.
    Do these people have anything else to occupy their lives? Are they so bored that they have to concoct a crisis from everyday issues? Are they so Neanderthal that they need to terrorise our own people , and our own players, in our own stadium?
    The Davids must never back down to these morons. They must stand firm and resist the temptation ( health permitting ) to take the retirement they deserve. It’s there club, it’s our club, and this disease must be erradicated before it’s too late. They have our support ( all 98% of West Ham supporters )

  • zahama says:

    From a distance this was a sad day in the Hammers history – perhaps leaving Upton Park was a mistake but there seems no way of undoing that now

    I am not sure that selling to foreign owners is the solution – while it has worked for Man City and Chelsea there are plenty of examples where it hasn’t – e.g. Aston Villa , Hull, Birmingham and us when we had the Icelandics

    I feel for David Gold as he comes across as genuine and prepared to talk to the fans

    Sullivan fails to get the same response – especially his tasteless remarks about Fonte, Snoddgrass and Slaven (after supporting him saying he should have fired him at the end of last season)

    Also the board’s record in appointing managers is very poor – not only at West Ham but also at Birmingham

    Perhaps taking advice on that would help – also admitting that they might have got it wrong on certain occasions (they were quick to blame Zola for wanting Benni McCarthy, but seemed to have been the ones who wanted Zarate and Hart – the latter loan has IMHO had a negative impact on our season)

    In order to move forward I feel that we need a genuine response from the board to the the grievances of supporters (and no I am not in favour of pitch invasions or physically abusing the directors)

    • sleepswithdafishes says:

      so he will go if 86% turn against him. Well that now only needs 84% more to hate him.

  • tw says:

    Isn’t it all a bit late now:
    – Our net spend on transfers this year has been the lowest I can remember.
    – Moyes’ record is no better than the final run in for Bilic.
    – The team today, were either more focussed on their spring break, or were sent out to play for a draw.
    – We are into year 9 of a 7 year plan, but we should all keep the faith.
    – Julian Assange has a better chance of getting out of the Ecuador Embassy than most have logging on to the C&H site.
    – Don’t worry the board have taken over £16m from the club since 2016, so at least the sale of the Boleyn went to a good cause.
    – Frankly today’s protests involved only a small group of fans and the scale has already been overplayed in the media. Unfortunately many of the ‘decent’ people referred to in this evening’s other post will probably just vote with their feet.

    I’m not sure that there’s enough winnable points in our remaining games to keep the club up and whilst I don’t doubt DG’s commitment to the cause, I don’t see what he can do about it.

  • master says:

    What is it that the brainless don’t understand? They aren’t going anywhere because the club makes them.money. Would you walk away from something making you loads of cash. Your protests and screams and feet stamping makes no difference at all, to them. However, it does screw over the team, manager and other fans who dont agree with you. Carry on being pointless, you will anyway.

  • iateublakey says:

    Half a dozen idiots who do not represent 95% of fans have dragged whu into a new era of shame. all the fans who shouted abuse during the game at the board also shamed the club. at 0-1 we would have come back and got something , even a win from the game, we were the better side for 65 mins and should have been 2-0 up. but the invaders cost us a 2nd goal through lack of concentration, then its game over with a Hart clanger. this was a staged protest aimed at the fools who started then called off a march, this was only ever going to end badly, but they surpassed themselves with the shame of it all.

  • danbee says:

    Just pick a good manager and your life will be peaceful like levy at spurs. They have Poch one of the best young managers in the world and we have Moyes one of the worst. Everything will go quiet if only you knew how to choose a manager.

  • JMan43 says:

    Sorry to say that Gand S were our only option is rubbish. They are directly responsible for the toxicity that pervades the club. The half truths, the lies, the broken promises and the fact that they have underinvested in our playing staff are all directly responsible for why so many feel that we no longer have a soul or identity. I do not condone what happened today but it is a result of how GandS have run this club, nothing else.

  • I'm Not the Answer to Our Right Back Problem says:

    Social media and mindless morons are the reason for today’s problems.
    I have been a Hammer for 45 years and have been through thick and thin, highs and lows and believe me there has been some lows. But this is the first and I hope the last time I feel embarrassed to be a West Ham fan.
    If it was not for the 2 Daves we would not have a club we would all be supporting FC of West Ham United in the Ryman of Lower leagues.
    COYI
    COY2Daves.

    • Alan Pardews Dad says:

      And thanks to the 2 Daves, very soon we won’t have a club.

      Too many broken promises and bull****.

    • Hammerkip says:

      Sorry but that’s rubbish IMO…..go and read the guardian article for when they were at Birmingham..you are pro board so everyone who isnt is wrong then ..its opinions not social media ..

  • Aggrowe says:

    Surely you are not blind to see that we are not happy with how the club can is run & finally people who including me have had enough!

    We have never been at this stage/point before where so many people have been unhappy with whats happening with our club, how can you not accept that?

Comments are closed.