Do West Ham attract Asian fans?

[Pride Of Birmingham]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7912357.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7065780.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bradford/hi ... 026607.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Villa fan in peace.

Birmingham is a city with a high ethnic minority population with around 20% of people in the city being Asian.

Villa are located in Aston which is an inner-city mostly Asian part of Birmingham.

If you go to Villa Park on a matchday you will see that most of the local residents are Asian.

But once you go inside the stadium, you see next to no Asians - the vast majority are white.

I think I read a few years ago that Villa Park was 98% white, and this is in a city that is only around 65% white.

This is also the case with Blues being located in an inner-city mostly Asian part of Brum but most of their fans are white fans who come from the outlying suburbs.

This is obviously a problem with other clubs such as Bradford City and Luton Town as mentioned in the above BBC articles.

Is this also a problem for West Ham? Because East London has a large Asian population.

In my experience, most British Asians (in Birmingham) are gloryhunters who support Man U or Liverpool and ignore the local clubs.

When you watch a Liverpool match at Anfield, whenever the camera pans over the crowd you see quite a few Asian faces and this is in a city which is only 3% Asian.

The clubs are obviously trying to do something about it but I worry that they may be fighting a losing battle...

[Philosophical Dan]

I've never met an Asian West Ham fan. Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea etc. but never us.

[919er]

Very few asians.

[Sweeney Bod]

I see a lot of Asians over the Boleyn, and there were many at Wembley. However not as many as there possibly should be. Sadly at West Ham, we are seen as the visiting horde rather than the local team.

West Ham have tried to attract them, and I have never seen hostility at West Ham against Asian support.

However, in my job, I am starting to notice a demographic change, and predict Upton Park will be a white, Eastern European area within 5 years.

[Bobby Orangeboom]

In my experience, most British Asians (in Birmingham) are gloryhunters who support Man U or Liverpool and ignore the local clubs.

When you watch a Liverpool match at Anfield, whenever the camera pans over the crowd you see quite a few Asian faces and this is in a city which is only 3% Asian...

I would say a big % of the Liverpool Asians are " Football Tourists " firstly, they are VERY popular in Asia and i know that lots of Airlines etc team up with the Club to do packages weekly ( bi weekly ) to Anfield from many Asian Countries, same with the Reds of Manchester and Chelsea too.

My personal view on this is that the majority of Asian people in East London and probably Brum don't seem to feel any affiliation with the Club for various reasons, which then doesn't give them the same feeling where the Club(s) are concerned, unlike people who have had generations of their family supporting the Club(s), hence there is only a tiny % of Asian people that attend games.

So based on that, you can then see why many Asian people support " winning teams " as opposed to their local team.

[cockney farmer]

2 sat behind me on Sat , a Yummy Mum with a charming litle fella about 8 yrs old , both went nuts when we scored.

[Hammers Dad]

Seen a few around, there was a couple a few games back with their son (I presume).
To be honest, I really couldn't give a sh*t. If they support West Ham, they are West Ham, if they don't, they're not. The colour of their skin has no bearing on matters at all. It's cr*p like this (the articles, not you) that gives the moaning minnies more ammunition to sling at "racist" West Ham (or whatever club they dislike this week)

[Gummi]

I see a lot of Asians over the Boleyn, and there were many at Wembley. However not as many as there possibly should be. Sadly at West Ham, we are seen as the visiting horde rather than the local team.

West Ham have tried to attract them, and I have never seen hostility at West Ham against Asian support.

However, in my job, I am starting to notice a demographic change, and predict Upton Park will be a white, Eastern European area within 5 years.

I always thought West Ham supporters are those Englismen of working class whereas Arsenal is a higher class, Tottenham chavs and idiots, Chelsea plastics and so on.

[MrHammer73]

Well I am Asian and an proud Hammer. Most of my cousins and my brothers are too and we live in East London.

Once the Hammers get into your blood, you cannot take it out.

[Sweeney Bod]

Seen a few around, there was a couple a few games back with their son (I presume).
To be honest, I really couldn't give a sh*t. If they support West Ham, they are West Ham, if they don't, they're not. The colour of their skin has no bearing on matters at all. It's cr*p like this (the articles, not you) that gives the moaning minnies more ammunition to sling at "racist" West Ham (or whatever club they dislike this week)

If the press don't do it, our vice chairwoman will.

That has just reminded me. The Apprentice is on in 45 minutes, I need some bananas to chuck at the telly.

[BARKING IRON]

Totally agree with the post above why does it matter ? people know were the ground is and on what days the team is playing, all these articles do is stir up more racial tension. Too not sound too controversial I think it is up to the aforementioned ethnic group to mix with the majority

[Doc H Ball]

After one kids for a quid game I saw loads of locals of all different races going home to houses around the ground. One of the real benefits of cheap ticketing.

Far more mixed than it was and the more the merrier!

[WHU_Del]

I've personally met one (also a member on here), and follow one more on Twitter.
Others on Twitter may be Asian but as not everyone has a pic on their account, you can't tell.

[RichieRiv]

Yes, in front of me for 4 seasons, until he moved down with his mates into the West Lower. And he didn't smell!

[Mike420]

Maybe a generalisation, but most asian fans I know are glory supporters. Perhaps that's just my experience and not the real case. I do think the asian population is one West Ham should try to target to draw more local fans. Perhaps get involved with local asian radio stations and advertise more in the local asian community.

On the topic of glory supporters I will never know how a born and bred londoner can support anyone from outside London. I'd have a little more respect if they picked the best team in London, but to support Man U or Liverpool erm f*ck off...

[Gummi]

Maybe a generalisation, but most asian fans I know are glory supporters. Perhaps that's just my experience and not the real case. I do think the asian population is one West Ham should try to target to draw more local fans. Perhaps get involved with local asian radio stations and advertise more in the local asian community.

On the topic of glory supporters I will never know how a born and bred londoner can support anyone from outside London. I'd have a little more respect if they picked the best team in London, but to support Man U or Liverpool erm f*ck off...

It's damn stupid but some people don't give so much sh*t about football like you and me. I'd imagine most Londoners who support somebody outside the city itself just check the scores and maybe go to see a game once a year or so.

[Frankies Boots]

2 sat behind me on Sat , a Yummy Mum with a charming litle fella about 8 yrs old , both went nuts when we scored.

Was you in block 142 CF?

[Denbighammer]

Strange to see this posted after Wembley but I noticed a lot more Asians than I've ever seen at football, certainly one of our matches. There was a lad and two kids behind me in the queue (entrance L) and the same again behind me (block 544). There were about 4 or 5 in a group of lads about 15 rows down from me I noticed when I went to the bogs.

I think it will become more popular amongst ethnic communities as the overt racism that used to dog the game disappears further and new generations become interested in 'indigenous' activities like going to the match.

[cockney hammer]

there was a few in the run this season one was very fit

[hawkins_hammer]

I see Asian fans at every home game.