The reason I’ve taken the time to log in to KUMB today and write this is because I wanted a moment to mourn what has happened to this historic club.
I had long been a season ticket holder from 2001 up until our very last game at the Boleyn in 2016. When attending my first games at the Boleyn, I quickly familiarised West Ham as a lot more than what was just on the pitch. It was a community, a family, a small talk topic.The Boleyn Ground, with its gritty surroundings, hostile atmosphere and eager crowds, was a place where memories were embedded into all who stepped foot there. Visiting managers and players often spoke about how tough of a place it was to visit. On its day it was a fortress and could give a terrible West Ham side a real benefit.
After each game, It wasn’t so much the result on the pitch that mattered, it was the soul of the supporters, the fiery passion in which we discussed the game. The next game couldn’t come round soon enough. Even when we were down near the bottom, the next time a big team came to down they would be deafened by 'I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles'. We were proud to be shit.
The walk down Green Street, taking in the smells of the shoddy burger stalls or popping into Ken's Cafe and then venturing off to find a copy of a programme or OLAS. Then came that 'in awe' moment when you entered the ground and had the feeling of ‘this is home’.
This club died when David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady took over in 2010. When the move to the Olympic Stadium was announced, we were told it would bring stability, growth and a chance to compete with the biggest of clubs.
What we were never told was that the club we loved would be sold out. The club, stripped of its character, became a shallow, corporate shell - and West Ham's identity lost in the process.
We traded a piece of history for a soulless bowl and what we got in return was the vague promise of better days that never seemed to materialise. You can say we won the Conference League, but have we managed to build on that?
The board promised progress, a new era of success and the chance to compete at the highest level. But since 2010, it’s become painfully clear that their vision was never about the club, its rich history or the passionate supporters who have stood by it through thick and thin.
No - I believe the board's vision was always about self interest and building their own empire, with little regard for what West Ham truly represents.
West Ham is now only West Ham in name. From the moment you leave the ground, you’re treated like human cattle, herded through crowds by stop and go signs as stewards direct you with little regard for the fans' comfort or experience.
Instead of walking through a traditional match day atmosphere such as St James Park, Goodison, Craven Cottage, Villa Park, Selhurst Park or even White Hart Lane for Christ's sake, we shuffle aimlessly through the sterile corridors of Westfield Shopping Centre, surrounded by high end stores and distractions that couldn’t feel further from the experience of matchday.
At The Boleyn, everything was straightforward. The walk to the ground was part of the ritual, the buzz in the air, and the anticipation building as you neared the Boleyn, just as it appeared around the corner.
But now, it feels like you’re just another number in a corporate machine, far removed from the club’s roots. You could walk to Plaistow or East Ham if Upton Park was too busy and I never had any issues leaving the ground.
Eight years since the move and The London Stadium remains, without a doubt, a completely soulless project. More akin to a corporate music arena than a football ground. From the moment you step inside, it’s very clear that it was never designed with the fans or the game in mind. The atmosphere is sterile and hollow, as if everything about it has been stripped of what makes football so enjoyable.
Empty white seats, scraps in the stands, tourists, terrible stewarding, far from the action, ugly on the eyes, expensive food, huge gaps and a whole heap of issues when it rains. The ground looks like a porta-ground - just like our training cabins at Rush Green.
In truth, this place was never meant to be a football stadium and should be torn down to the ground so that the soul of West Ham may return to a ground and area that truly reflects its proud traditions. Either that or those at the top get driven out, but I know what’s more likely.
I feel so apathetic towards the club I used to love. Why are we putting up with this?
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