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Parkesy doesn’t feel “this is West Ham anymore”

Phil Parkes has regularly said that the move from the Boleyn to Stratford was a bad idea and nothing he has seen since has changed his mind.

And speaking to ClaretandHugh in discussing the massive unrest towards the board, he has made it clear he believes it’s that which lies  at the heart of the fans’ problems.

Here he speaks of why we are facing such troubled times and whether it’s possible for the Irons to come out on the other side in what has become an increasingly bitter and vocal outburst.

By PHIL PARKES

ParkesyI never wanted to see West Ham leave Upton Park. I was and have remain totally opposed to it and I believe the board are paying the price for doing so during the present uproar  – for me that’s the central reason for the outrage although there are other issues.

Yes, there were supporters who believed it was the right thing to do but after last season there are fewer of them because of a lack of atmosphere at this place. I speak to many who are unhappy with their seats and the whole set up at the London Stadium.

I don’t go to the place because for me this is not West Ham anymore. We have no assets, just a team. It feels wrong and those who thought it may work are changing their minds.

Some of them loathe where they are sittting and as a result aren’t bothering to turn up which is why you have so many empty seats on occasions. That, for me, is tragic.

I never thought this would work and believed that if they were going to move it should have been into their own purpose built stadium on a site where there is plenty of ground between the A13 and A25. You could have had the stadium, shopping complex, hotels and all the rest of it.

It makes me sick to say this but I have to. Spurs are getting it spot on by building their own stadium next to White Hart Lane. That’s what we should have done – no question about it.

The “multitude” of other issues being seized on by irate fans are easy understand and the board will find it very difficult to change the mood.

It seems that David Sullivan sees himself as some kind of director of football and that’s not right for me – he has to be an owner doing what an owner does.

I’m not sure – despite what they say – the current owners are in this for the long term but they are not going to throw the towel in on the back of what’s happening at the moment – its not Mr Sullivan’s nature as far as I can see.

Much has been made of broken promises and there’s one I can bring to mind – they have faffed on replacing the Supporters Club and should have sorted it. Beyond that there’s not much that people can say they have lied about but they do tend to like the limelight a bit – signing autographs in the car park and all the rest of it. That really does make me laugh. Why would anyone want a chairman’s autograph.

Having said all that the answer to our problems can be solved by the players on the pitch. Get a win over Huddersfield and go on a five game  winning run and the issues go away – it’s the nature of football.

Lose against Town – which looked at a wonderful first home game when the fixtures came out – and I dread to think what might happen.

I’m reading on social media – which is usually completely over the top – there could be protests. I’ve played in that sort of atmosphere and to be honest it makes no difference at all. You are focused on what you have to do and that’s an end to it.

The board has a very difficult job on hand changing the mood but  the fans should accept we have been through situations like this and worse and will keep the faith but let#’s be clear – what happens on the field is all down to the players and manager.

Slaven has  a great squad and I can’t understand why we have had such a bad start given that. He and the team need to get it right on Monday and way beyond if we are to get back to anything like normal.

They have to carry some responsibility.

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

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

29 comments on “Parkesy doesn’t feel “this is West Ham anymore”

  1. ‘but they do tend to like the limelight a bit – signing autographs in the car park and all the rest of it. That really does make me laugh. Why would anyone want a chairman’s autograph.’
    Err because they asked them to sign it..

    • ha ha exactly. Parksey try not to take sides with the gutter press. You killed your theory with your last fer sentences.
      Of course the real problem is in the squad, with the manager, and on the pitch. The stadium is just an easy scapegoat.

  2. Ninety-nine percent of fans probably didnt want too leave but we have…end of.Everytime a bleeding ex player moans about it it just opens wounds up wider and the social media over the tops he speaks of start going into one again.
    Nothing will ever get better all the time the old players stoke the fires.

  3. Yes sad barsterds 😉 Should have put a confirmation of carvalho purchase for 40 mill neatly folded and got it signed ! 😂

    • The signature hunters that is 😉 like it or lump it !! Parksy is old school like me and others .
      Can’t see anything wrong with his views, no body has to agree with them , were all gutter press ain’t we ! Its called free speech ! 😁

  4. Free speech Laz?
    Not that i personally have a need to disagree with you but anyone who has different views than you normally get shot down in flames,called bordettes or bearded ladies.Whats happened to their freedom of speech then lmao

    • Grow up ffs, you bearded lady , boardettite , 😂😂 the world isn’t one dimensional , there’s humour and there’s dull , 😉

  5. One of the Boys of 86 needs to be heard. Talks a bit of common . Sully and co are realising that Coes Running Track is definitely a gift horse that has smacked them right between the lies

  6. Spot on Parkesy – but unsurprisingly the Hammerettes round here won’t agree. They may be West Ham, but they ain’t our kind of West Ham. Mugs.

  7. If acting like a pig is your type of West ham fan then im glad im not one like you Raystewart.I have being going to West Ham with my grandfathers,my father and now with my children and trust me none of them would want to be your type of West Ham fan either.
    Youre type are the ones who stir trouble and believe themselves to be ‘REAL FANS’.Well not in my book im afraid.

  8. If we were winning no one would be complaining, the fact is we haven’t got many good memories at the new Stadium unless you include the Chelsea and Tottenham matches, we all have our opinions on that, bottom line UP in the last 25 years has been a dump, we have an opportunity now to be a bigger club, there are plenty of stadiums with running tracks around them we played on many in the preseason (possibly by design). The players need to get a hold of this situation and fast, whatever I may think of Bilic there is not much he can do unless he has a personality transplant and reads the riot act, it is now down to the players to show they are worth there wages and deliver for themselves the manager or the fans whatever gets them motivated.

    • Yes but it was our dump 32 , now we get on with it !! But parksy has a valid point , until us old school pass on there’s gonna be the same arguments arising again and again ! The shyte hitting the fan at present is related in many forms from what parks is trying to say , but we can only look forward no matter what goes on like we always have, 😁

      • With the price we pay in rent Laz we are better off as a tennant, of all the complaints I have heard most of them are ridiculous like the popcorn, sweets etc, the proximity to the pitch is the only one that to me anyway makes any sense, the reality is even with Tottenham when they move the atmosphere will be different, if you knock a house down and build a new house it will feel different when you step inside it, for me that is normal I understand why for others it isn’t and they don’t like it, that is normal also, what winds me up is what people hope to gain by constantly sniping about it. A decision was made for the future of the club we can dislike it or like it but it is hard to argue that long term it will not bear fruit with these owners or others.

  9. 😂😂😂😂 talk about kettle and pot !! That’s hilarious with the comments u directed at me up top 😂😂😂 lofekin loud , do u have any idea how you sound 😉

  10. Nice one tippex man ? Totally agree mate , should have left it there a while though 😂😂

  11. What you having a seizer about now Laz? 😂
    Pot & kettling away to yourself 😁😁

  12. Top Man Parksey but don’t think this helps, might I surmise you lost your ‘tour guide’ status?

  13. The only ‘our type of west ham fan’ i care about are the ones who will be in the ground Monday night.I dont give a shyt about old breed,new breed or inter breed.
    What a load of up your own ass that is.Like anyone cares who they are stood or sat next to in the ground monday night.West Ham end of story.
    ‘Oh no sorry guv cant sit next to you,youre not our type of fan.I mean i know we both support The Irons but your not one of us like what Parksey is’
    What an absolute load of 😂😂

    • Exactly !! The game goes on regardless of preference , I’ll be there , you’ll be there , supping 🍻, it is what it is , no one is going to change anything ffs!! Monday night is all what counts as it did the first game in the new fish bowl, ! Its what it is so get on with it 😁

  14. We moan cos we aren’t winning! Nope, it’s why we aren’t winning that’s the issue, and whilst I’ll park (see what I did there) the ground move, we’ve every right to kick off at the boards role in why we aren’t winning, and Slav’s of course, (still say he shouldn’t have been hung out to dry in the way he was – sack or back him). Parksy has a right to an opinion, as everyone does, and it doesn’t make him a different type of fan if it’s not one we share. So we will all support the team but reserve the right to tell the board what we think of them for creating an environment where winning ain’t coming easy to us? And it doesn’t get any better if reports of Lanzini’s demise are true!

  15. Parkesy doesn’t feel “this is West Ham anymore”…..he chooses to remain tied to the past

  16. Didn’t really intend to take too much notice : I’m on holiday , but the comments out of the blue by Parkesy are well out of order . He is a cult figure at West Ham but that doesn’t make him right . WE ARE STILL WEST HAM UNITED like it or not . The fans are not enjoying the present situation and they have no reason to at the moment . We moved house because of many factors . One being we needed a bigger Home for the number of fans we have . Another problem was development ; not much room in Green Street or surrounding area to build stuff . We don’t all agree with moving to the old Olympic Stadium but that’s where we are and that has to be Home now . It’s up to Us as Fans & Supporters to make it work .
    We didn’t exactly fill our cupboard with Glory at Upton Park . We had our moments and enjoyed them ,,,, but now , we must create our moments at the LS , end of . If we don’t embrace it we are doomed . It’s early doors to be calling it a failure . It’s up to the club and Fans to make it work . I believe we will . Not immediately but , we will ., eventually .
    Do we need a change of Manager ?? , yes most certainly . Do the Davids need to sell ??
    Who can say , It’s too early . Has the transfer window worked for us ?? Yes . It is now down to the Players and Manager to deliver . As Supporters and Fans we deserve it .
    Thanks for the memories, Parkesy . But those days are well and truly behind us .
    Still on Holiday ffs .

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