"Support the team, not the regime" seems more pertinent than ever.
Having previously opined, in 2022, that the current board were unfairly vilified and it would be hard to argue that they’d done a bad job if you compared where were we were then with where we were when they took over, it would be nice to conclude that a European trophy had vindicated that position.But things at West Ham are never that plain-sailing, and those at the helm obviously bear responsibility for that. And my God, they don’t half fail to read the room at times. Brady’s tone-deaf missive from last week totally ignored the concessions row that they’ve ignited, and the subsequent backtrack doesn’t go nearly far enough.
Enough spleens have already been vented on the KUMB Forums so there’s no need to go into detail here. Suffice to say, on occasion board and management can be right to lock out the noise from fans, but I can’t for the life of me understand the logic behind this attack on family values – the extra revenue it brings in pales in comparison to broadcasting and sponsorship deals, while severely undermining our historical identity as a working-class, family club.
When we practically doubled our capacity, I naively envisaged more Kids for a Quid matches, not kids for 90 quid! It could be cynically argued that there’s little room for sentiment in the modern game – as I did when supporting the stadium move – however if we’re treating football purely as business then it could equally be argued that provoking your core fanbase into protests and boycotts is not good business sense.
All of which is a shame, because the season ahead ought to be a source of optimism rather than recrimination. After the Great Moyes Debate opened up a divide as big as Brexit, change was as necessary at the London Stadium as it was nationwide. However, as with the low electoral turnout, the petition signatories totalling roughly the equivalent of a League One attendance suggests we can’t muster much enthusiasm for the challenges that lie ahead. And the change fans had in mind certainly wasn’t to see the rich get richer.
Has the malaise around modern football really set deeper than in politics? Perhaps the horse has long since bolted and the apparent apathy from a large section of season-ticket holders is a result of our relocation and the influx of “tourists”. Perhaps it goes back even further – I have long been priced out of regular attendance and complained about a final trip to Upton Park costing £70!
Football has increasingly become a money-fixated sport, which infuriates me but doesn’t stop me caring, even if I’m enjoying it at arm’s length. As displaced as my own support might be, I’m still invested in the fan experience. The kids will attest to how worked up I can get about all things West Ham, though they’re now even less likely to witness this in a febrile match-day atmosphere!
Whether out of passion or protest, it’s important to make a noise. I was pleased to see the protests dying down in recent times because I believe complaints about the stadium itself are overstated. There are undoubtedly flaws, but the need for co-ordinated displays from the likes of the Ironworks Alliance says as much about modern football as it does the London Stadium architecture. I might not be a regular but I’ve been enough to know that the LS can rock just as much as Upton Park could resemble a morgue.
Whilst always willing to revise opinions, and having accepted that the London Stadium is not all it was cracked up to be, I still maintain the view that it is not intrinsically deficient when it comes to atmosphere. Roofs, banked terraces and proximity to pitch can all add up to an improved ambience, as can the on-pitch display, but the defining factor is supporter attitude.
This opinion was reinforced during the Euros, which was a bit of a borefest overall but didn’t lack for atmosphere. And while Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion is lauded as “a proper football ground”, the final took place in Berlin’s Olympiastadion, home of Hertha Berlin (though you wouldn’t know this from looking at it, and there are 25,000 seats routinely empty as its tenants languish in Bundesliga 2).
I’ve done a tour of both Berlin’s Olympic Stadium and London’s, and the latter is more obviously geared towards football than the former. Yet Berlin has a majesty that London lacks. Incongruously, much of its grandeur comes from a problematic history. Having been built for the 1936 Games that Hitler used to promote his Master Race ideology, there were calls to tear it down after Germany’s reunification. Instead, it was renovated but with its historical features largely retained, such as the open portion of one stand to expose the Bell Tower.
Whereas Berlin has embraced its history, it seems strange to me that London has all but disowned its Olympic legacy. Running track aside, there’s no indication in the make-up of the stadium that an Olympics ever took place there. The rebranding from Olympic to London Stadium seemed a historically illiterate decision designed to capitalise on tourist recognition. Still, I prefer this to the next step, when it will almost inevitably bear the name of some corporate giant.
Now, I know a hefty portion of supporters don’t give two hoots about Team GB – it’s all about West Ham, and fair enough – but I’d have liked the stadium to retain something of its Olympic origins if only because the summer of 2012 was the last time this island seemed to feel good about itself. The Three Lions unfortunately failed to bring a feelgood factor home from Berlin, though it’s hoped that new managers will bring greater entertainment to both the London Stadium and Wembley.
Speaking of which, as well as the distance between pitch and stands not being a source of consternation in Germany, watching classic Euro 96 clips served as a reminder that old Wembley was less intimate but not as lacking in atmosphere as the new Wembley. The chasm between goals and terraces was so great that ballboys fetching off-target shots probably covered as much distance in 90 minutes as Gazza back in the day. Maybe memory’s distorted by the accompanying promise of glory, but I don’t recall anyone complaining about Wembley’s sightlines.
So, the London Stadium… it ain’t perfect, but it’s home, for better or worse. The atmosphere can be great or it can be shit. This largely depends on fans. Fans who’ve been given plenty of reason to turn toxic down the years. It remains to be seen if the Lopetegui era heralds a new dawn, but it would be a crying shame if it began under a fug.
It was predicted the opening weekend fixture against Villa could've be played in front of a half-empty stadium, given the fact that prices were extortionate, it was being televised on a Saturday evening and took place in the school summer holidays. That's not quite how it transpired but if empty seats provide bad optics for the brand, then good - I’m with the thousands who can’t afford to go (I don’t pay for Sky either, but I’m not so principled that I won’t be watching through my dad’s mobile account).
Those who continue to attend, newcomers or legacy supporters, I implore you to make the noise of a capacity crowd and set the tone for a post-Moyes era that has the bowl rocking on a more regular basis and gets fully behind the playing and coaching staff. God knows they need our help, because the call to support the team, not the regime has rarely been louder.
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