BY Nick Hardinges
Our latest blogger is a tender 21 years old – short on Hammers glory but BIG on love for a club that’s “been in his blood since Day One”
Here in his first article he tells how – as just a young man – he’s getting used to that feeling of “fortune always hiding.”
Nick’s views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of ClaretandHugh
When writing a report on our beloved West Ham’s current plight, it’s difficult not to go over the same old ground. How many times have we heard calls for “BFS Out!!”? How many times have we despaired that the ‘West Ham Way’ is dying? How many times have we hoped that our youth would be given greater opportunities? They’re more regular than an Adrian penalty save!
I, like many others on here it seems, cannot wait for this season to be over. It’s petering out all too familiarly. I’m only 21 and already I’m all too well acquainted with the overwhelming sense of disappointment in a West Ham season. But in the past, that disappointment was something that made me proud to be a West Ham fan. I think that part of it defines who we are.
Perhaps surprisingly, I do remember the relegation of 2003. The abysmal 2011 is definitely still very fresh in the mind. However, despite these tragedies I have always held my head up high as a Hammer, even in the face of taunts from my glory supporting Man U friends and a fool of a Gooner (who needs enemies when you have friends like that hey?).
I’ve always been confident that the good times would shortly be round the corner. We had fighters in those squads who would give their all for the shirt (2003: Di Canio, Repka, Sinclair; 2011: Parker, Green, Cole [disagreement here is welcome, but in their own separate ways they were each a hero in the claret and blue at some point]). It pains me to say, but today I do not see those fighters.
There is always Mark Noble, and James Collins always puts everything on the line for the club, but rarely do these two change a game. As much as I love the fishing fanatic, Noble rarely makes that incisive pass that splits open a defence and Collins too often delivers a (sometimes spectacular, i.e. City away) gaffe which leads to trouble.
For a while, I thought Song, Downing and a few others might earn a heroic status for us this season. But like Kevin Nolan in every game this season, their fight has all but disappeared. I think we can hold our hands up and admit that we were in dreamland in December when we were hoping for Europe. In true West Ham fashion, the fortune has hidden once again.
Today, the disappointment feels different. I feel no pride in our current displays. And I firmly believe that the buck stops at the man at the helm. Players are prima donnas these days and they need inspiring. If Allardyce can’t inspire us (sometimes fickle) fans who pay good money to watch, then how can he inspire players guaranteed to be earning up to £80,000 a week?
So where does this leave us? Well I’d like to finish on a few high notes. We have a manager who, as many of us hope and believe, is seemingly on his way out.
We have a proven PL goal scorer for next season in Sakho. We have a keeper who is number one in all but his shirt number.
There is a relatively youthful core in the side (Sakho, Valencia, Kouyate, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell), plus we have promises of additions from the owners.
A new stadium is on the horizon, along with cheaper tickets (eventually). And finally, we are still a Premier League club – for what it’s worth (a LOT of money actually).
Oh, and apparently we have David Cameron’s backing. Well that is us damned then!!
hope they get rid of sam or we are going have more crap football stupid subs he is no manager
Well done son!
Nicely written, I can feel your passion for the Irons through your words.
However, I must take exception to cult status Repka, he was a head case who was never a CB, between him, Breen and Dailly, we became a laughing stock, sent Roeder to the A&E
With their calamity cock ups!
We’ve seen it all before with these respect the point types of manager, Roeder, Curbs and that bloke in charge now.
These managers have including uncle Festa ( Grant) have sucked all the life out of what was once a very vociferous and intimidating home support. how I long to here the Boleyn faithful really roar again, I mean all four sides in unison singing ” bubbles loud and proud”.
The last time I can recollect that type of volume was 2003/4 Play off semi at the Boleyn versus Ipswich just before kick off, want proof? Youtube it, makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. that’s what can happen when we the fans are United in a belief that playing to win, is the way forward!
Well done with sticking with the club after relegation at the age of 9,
You have the same views as 80% of the club and have put your self out there to be hated by the BFS lovers,
Hope you don’t go through relegation in the rest of your long life,
Thankfully more and more Sam lovers (at least those who post on forums) are starting to see the light and want to get rid now. The whole momentum and mood would automatically change (for the better in my view) once a new manager comes in and the doom and gloom of the last few months under Allardyce is finally lifted.
Again, the doom and gloom is not about our league position, most fans would have gladly taken our position at the start of the season.
What positives could Allardyce have going for him in the end of season talks ?
I achieved league safety and finished one place higher than last season which is tremendous progress despite being unlucky with injuries and having all the referees against us all the time ?
I’m sure he’ll have plenty of excuses at the ready. Will those still wash with Sullivan though ? Again ?
Top read Nick,good lad.We have no pride in our performance because we have nothing to be proud of atm.Just inept lacklustre performances,fuelled by the dinosaurs boring set up of the team & sleeping pill tactics.What is there to get excited about.Bring on the end of the season & the demise of Allardyce.Maybe then performance on the pitch will give not only the fans but the players some pride back as well,because many of them cant enjoy playing the dinosaur way.Im sure they have far more to offer than they are being allowed to show.Not that Amalifitano & Nene ever get the chance to show what they have.Yesterday was a joke.One sub used,cole,but leave these two on the bench when you still had two available substitutions to make.Allardyce is a total jerk,cant wait to be rid of him.
totally agree Nick, you’re growing well… 😉
Nice work. Spot on with everything.
Regular reader but first post. This was a good read and prompted me to write that I’ve just sold on my seats for the Burnley game and will do the same for Everton unless SA goes before then – season ticket holder for years but this is just too much, cannot wait for him to go. I can’t believe my seats went on Trader within 24hrs! In line with the majority just get rid PLEASE! COYI
Back in the sixties and seventies, it was 70%,relegation battles.but when they went down they were back up first time. We used to say they we’re,nt good enough for division one but to good for division two
But we carried on playing great football Tony which was the point under Ron and John
Correct if its choosing good football and relegation and then return with good football I will sign on the dotted line now and most of the majority would as well,
sorry Tony it took us 3 attempts to come up when we got relegated in 78 we had a class team then also 3 trips to Wembley FA Cup 1980 Charity Shield then League Cup final lost to Liverpool in replay at Villa Park 1-2. But we played great football who remembers the heady heights of going to some duff grounds ie Grimsby Shrewsbury Cambridge Luton Wrexham the old Vetch ground Swansea the list is endless but the boleyn ground was a Palace compared to alot of grounds I travelled to away but were great days forever in my memory