By Sean Whetstone – Associate Editor Claret and Hugh
As a lifelong supporter of West Ham and a season ticket holder of many years I want what is best for my club.
When I joined ClaretandHugh three years ago I wanted to help Hugh bring the very best and latest West Ham news to the supporters with full transparency on many issues facing West Ham fans including the move to the former Olympic Stadium.
In recent days we have come in for a far amount of criticism, first for the Slaven Bilic poll then for the Carroll and Randolph story.
Hugh and I work closely as a team and run all stories past each other in our daily editorial meetings.
Sometimes we are accused of being too pro club or even a mouthpiece for the owners. Other times we are accused of not being proper fans or ‘grasses’ and worse for running articles that put the club or their players in a bad light like the Carroll and Randolph story.
Are we paid by the club? Absolutely not Have we got an agenda on certain issues? No
Although in many ways Hugh and I are opposites in our lives outside of football we are completely united and passionate in wanting to bring fans a balanced, non biased, transparent view of all things West Ham and that’s what we hope we give you!
We are not a blog, we are not a fan site, we are a West Ham news website for loyal supporters like you.
Since the day Hugh birthed this site and from the moment he asked me to join him as associate editor he has described it as ‘The Hammers Daily Newspaper.’ We have strived to ensure it’s just that!
I will get off my soap box now to get back to what we are best at, our next West Ham news story.
I think both of you do an excellent job reporting the news, the only negative thing I have reported is that sometimes the same story is reported many different but similar ways, as a reader and fan of the site I personally can find this annoys me particularly when it is addressing a negative view of anything to do with our club, I said so as constructive criticism not for any other reason and I am big fans of the massive amount of work both you and Hugh do to keep all of us notified of all things West Ham, keep up the good work, long live C&H !!!
I personally think this is an excellent site, first on my tick list for news and stories, I used to follow WHTID and still enjoy some of the articles but dear lord some of the posters leave me speechless, keep up the good work chaps along with the posters on here, everyone seems a little bit more levelled.
You cant say that about WHTID,they are REAL, LOYAL SUPPORTERS of West Ham.It is the self proclaimed Oasis of Sensible Debate lmao
I come to this site for my WHUFC news not the official website. I feel I get an unbiased view here rather than what the club might want me to hear. But nothing wrong with opinion either.
Filed under WHU i have five sites i visit.They are the official site,c&h,whtid,whu606 and kumb.
I don’t have an agenda with whtid like some people on here have and i think some of the articles are interesting but they have to many comments.I can’t be bothered to scroll through hundreds of comments, anyway c&h is still my default site and keep up the great work sean and hugh.
It always makes me laugh when i read comments like yours about an agenda against WHTID..well maybe if you had used this site 2 years ago & during the BFS era when they have called us users illiterate,ignorant pigs,rabid dogs amongst other derogatory terms then you might understand our dislike of them.They called us all these terms because we wanted him out but now its ok for them to call Brady amongst other every name going.They are hypocrites!
Fair point rick
As i said i only read the articles not their comments.
Sean / Hugh you’ve created a site for fans not a site for mass hysteria or debate or run by a select committee who govern who who can stay and who can go. You carry on what your doing if it ain’t broke there’s no need to fix it.
There is nothing wrong with voicing opinions and generating debate. That’s why in part we all log on. But not an agenda, and perhaps the Slave poll suggested there was an agenda. Plenty of other stories run over the last few days provided folk with the opportunity to vent their views on Slavs performance to date so, for me anyway, the poll crossed over from opinion and debate into agenda and we didn’t need that. But that aside, keep bringing us the news and keep bringing us a platform to respond.
You seem to be struggling with this sites identity then because personally I don’t visit this site for the regurgitated news bites. I come here for the opinion. I enjoy the opinion whether it is a news story heavily slanted with personal opinion or Whether it’s an opinion piece by someone else with their own spin on it. Whether it’s the opinions expressed by the hammers chat lads video blogs and they don’t always agree with each other or whether it’s the message forum on here where people don’t always agree with each other. It’s the opinions that make this site interesting and worth visiting. Yes we can sometimes get annoyed with other people’s views and opinions but if we all agreed with everything each other said. If there were no conspiracy theories, no opinions. Then the world would be a very boring place.
I agree totally – there’s nothing wrong with having an agenda or an opinion – that’s what drives debate. Ten years of running a fanzine taught me to adopt a thick skin but never shy away from provoking discussion – by humour, criticism or just just being an obnoxious tw4t.
Its not just a news site though is it Sean. People can search West Ham news now for that or go to the official website. This website is the place for news and opinion. Otherwise why does it carry opinion pieces and opinion polls?
Claret and Hugh is far better than the others that are available. (I gave up on those ages ago)……However Hugh and Sean can do a lot better as the content and style of the stories too often resemble the bull**** sensationalism of a cheap tabloid (or Talksport radio). They have a responsibility to report it straight and accurately. I wish they would.
I think Hugh and Sean are doing a great job, I don’t always agree with the views or stance but that’s what opinion is all about – keep up the good work!
The idea of Hugh ‘birthing’ the site makes thr mind boggle!
Indeed keep up the good work fellas.You are correct Sean you cant please all the people all of the time.Its the nature of the beast.
Agree with Baddow,Hammerschat is very good as well,well done on that to you lads & Gonzo & his boys.
I’ve always enjoyed it good or bad news,pretty balanced in news and fan base,which makes for good reading,adding hammers chat great idea.keep it up boys.COYI
You keep going Sean,dont let the knockers grind you both down.It is a quality site which im glad i found.
So are the lads on here no matter what rubbish gets written about them.They have been nothing but friendly since i joined.Obviously if you have an agenda they will give you some but if you come here as another fan they have been nothing other than welcoming.
People normally reply to you aswell 😉
Well that is a plus when people actually reply to you on sites essex.We cant have you feeling like you belong in Covenrty 😀
You can’t please all the people all of the time
Haha you aint never going to win on this one boys.Write something that doesnt call the OS a sh#thole & you are in the boards pocket,write something negative about Bilic or the players & you are against the club.Its a no win situation.At least on this place you aint go users who can ban people,only two of you can.Not a whole fecking posse haha 😀
It could be worse you could run a site were the punters have an unhealthy obsession with Karren Brady 😛
Yeah you could read grown men waffling on about branding,corporate west ham & how MY club has had its heart & soul ripped out 24/7.Yawn,Zzzzz.
I dont ever click on that bloody site on my app anymore,only by mistake.If i wanted negativity all the time i only have to listen to my wife for more than ten minutes hehe
I have an unhealthy obsession with Karren Brady as well. But I need to keep it quiet or she’s likely to apply for a restraining order.
Crack on Sean.Its only the sh1t stirrers who come here to knock you both.And the odd Old Soak on another site 🙂