By Hugh Southon
Editor ClaretandHugh
I wear a retro shirt which carries the crossed hammers and on the back is the number 6… for very obvious reasons!
The days in which the retro shirt was the ‘real’ shirt live in my heart forever – they will go with me to my grave – they were the best times of my life from a footballing perspective.
But you know what – everything changes as is very capably demonstrated by the image above from the 1920s:
O the ball we use now,
O the boots,
O 3pm Saturday kick offs
O the no substitutes rule
O the back pass rule to the keeper
and much more I can’t be bothered to detail. It’s a given in life and a given in football
If many of our former heroes could come back and take a look now they probably wouldn’t recognise the game they graced.
So excuse me if I can’t get overly excited about the Hammers hierachy merely thinking – and consulting with the fans – about possible revisions to the badge.
It’s a discussion at this stage, nothing more, yet already we have seen – in some cases – a very angry response. WHY? Isn’t discussion allowed?
We’ve been told things won’t change unless a majority of fans agree and until anything different happens we need to accept that.
From where I’m sitting the reaction against any form of change is a little bit absurd. To react about a discussion about ‘where next?’ is just ridiculous.
If this argument had been allowed to prevail down the years we would still be named Thames Ironworks and we’d all have short back and sides or moustaches with our barnets plasterd down with thick grease.
Can we please accept that discussion is good …that things change and that everybody, whatever the perception to the contrary, has the best interests of this great club deeply engraved on our hearts.
Many of you will know that I was once very fortunate enough to act as Bobby Moore’s ghost writer in the media and remember doing a bit of brown nosing.
I recall saying: “That 1966 World Cup team and the way the game was played will never be surpassed Bob.”
He fixed me with a look only Mooro could give and said: “Grow up Hughie …the best memories are in our heads – that’s the best camera of all!
“Everything changes and we need to embrace it. Football is still a great game. It may have changed but it’s no less great.”
We may or may or may not need to change the badge but let’s at least be allowed to discuss it!
Whatever happens over the next few weeks, the camera in our heads Bob spoke of so eloquently and the love we all have for the claret and blue will continue regardless.
Interesting read, however I have to point out one small error on your part, up until 1998, you last badge change you did have FC on it, that was dropped for the simpler design you have now.
When Manchester United changed their badge it was, as the club stated at the time “for corporate image” it was a complete re-design, it kept parts of the old crest, and brought in some that were new, parts that could be used as trade marks, like “the devil” image.
I understand your point that we must move on, but I also say that change for changes sake isn’t good for the game, there is now talk from Sepp Blatter about managers being able to challenge the Refs decision twice in a game, is that going to benefit the game?
Bobby was right, we do have that camera in our heads, but with the technology we have today, it’s up to us “older” fans to make sure that the past doesn’t die with us, or fans in the future will have nothing to look back on.
GDubyah is admin@ http://www.premierleagueforum.co.uk
Whoops – amended and thanks.
Not suggesting we change for change’s sake only that we can surely discuss this stuff. Nice response and many thanks.
Why I said “change for changes sake” is because it seems whenever there is a change of hierarchy at a club they feel they have to put a stamp on it, they have to leave a mark for history to remember them, when the reality is for the life of me I can’t remember who was the instigator behind the Man Utd crest changing, I guess it was David Gill on the advice of the commercial dept.
It’s also been thought that Nike were behind behind it because the old crest was too complicated for mass production, and this could be the case with yours now.
When you look at a United shirt now the crest is no longer embroidered into the fabric, it’s a sewn on patch, far quicker to sew on a standard patch than to embroider every shirt.
This was the reason behind the change Everton tried to push through, the fans rebelled and the club had to back down and reach a compromise.
If the West Ham fans also make a stand, and they are listened to, then it’s a big plus for history and tradition if the badge remains the same.