CandH blogger Rich Sprent gives his views on the stand/sit issue and argues the problem goes back 20 years and that the club is reaping what it has sown.
Yes, you really do reap what you sow.
The club HAS to take responsibility of 20 years of ‘turning a blind eye’ flouting PL rules and allowing standing at the BG. The FA has to take responsibility for allowing WHUFC to ‘turn a blind eye’.
The club again has to hold their hands up with the ‘bums on seats sell sell sell’ migration. 3000 stood each week at the BG. It was obvious it was going to be an issue really.
And then there are those who continue to stand. It’s wrong; it flouts the rules- just because they’ve been getting away with it is no excuse to ‘throw the toys out of the pram’ because they’re suddenly getting told off.
And for those who want to fight their own fans; to think it’s ok to abuse people of other races; that it’s ok to shout abuse and threaten people with their young children – there’s no place for you. There never was.
So where do we go from here?
1. People suddenly just sit down – unlikely to happen overnight.
2. The club moves people in/out – the danger here is that the contract states that there is to be no persistent standing as do the PL rules. I doubt the club could be seen to promote a ‘standing area’.
3. Up the security until the end of the season and either safe standing has been brought in or at least season tix can be legitimately moved without flouting rules. A steward on every row, police in attendance, greater segregation, banning orders – this sort of thing
4. Let it continue until the FA clamp down on the club and ban fans for a game or three.
Our choices don’t look great!
It will take most of this season to sort out and needs doing with a bit of decorum,
But the changes will be easier to take if the team started to perform to its standard we saw last year,
The start will have to be away fans sit at all times,
No other football shirts apart from the sides playing at that game,
The right stewards employed for this sport,
Possible a group set up with OS people West Ham People and fans from all groups,
Then everyone singing from the same sheet
We have seats in the West Side Upper and get a view on all the pockets of trouble on Saturday. Just makes me wonder that if we are having these issues amongst ourselves and with fans from Bournmouth and Watford thank Christ we have a bit of time to get something in place before the games where we know there will be flash points . It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out how in and outside the ground with such an inexperienced security force, there could be significant problems.Agree with the blog that if you put someone in charge of a stadium with no clue as to the reality of football…… Enjoy the site and rarely comment but this Saturday we left the ground just wondering where this all could lead, there was a pretty nasty atmosphere around which I haven’t felt for many years……..( and been there and worn the t shirt in the 70/80s) big pang for the BG driving home!!!
On the football front , sort the defence out and soon!!!!
Can anyone guarantee that these +2’s are actually Irons fans? I know the 2 next to me are Spuds who couldn’t get a ticket to their own ground!
Do we not know FishnChips view on this GW.He seems conspicuous by his absence.I take it he has run off with his tail between his legs 😉
Tone school started back last week so obviously he’s had to bed in his new uniform and chase Pokemon around the playground 🙂
Lol well I’m glad he got found out for who he was.He really peed me off.All his woe is me baloney.Back next time as SteaknKidney perhaps 😀
Spot on analysis. “We’d like to let you stand but the nasty PL won’t let us” is never going to wash after ignoring those rules for years at the BG.
Best outcome is if people just sit down now and sing loud. Worst outcome is that half of the most passionate fans either get banned or walk away in disgust at the direction the club is taking, and we end up in a clone of the Emirates. Because there’s only one way it’ll end, and that is with a seated stadium. The question is how long and painfully some are going to keep fighting against the inevitable, and how much it’ll damage the club while they do.
The perfect scenario for West Ham London will be mum, dad and 2 children attending all buying replica shirts and £8.50 burgers. There’s no money to be made out of ageing dinosaurs like myself who liked pie and liquor and a pint or two so why bother about us anymore?
Bang on GW, and you forgot to mention the coperates, they love entertaining and spending loads of dough, all goes down to client expenses, with our board watching the tills go ker ching, and someone tell me how you can get a life ban from westham for standing up !, you can kill some one and still get a second chance, so standing up at westham is more severe than killing someone, god help us all. this is a club that is losing is core supporters and maybe that is what they want. and then they will be satisfied with no singing no chanting just polite clapping, all lovely.