What is it about this club, in a tumultuous season?
During a particularly turbulent period of our history, that can’t be described as pleasant in any way - and despite the fact it’s taken nine months to notch a home win, while the environment we play in is less than palatable - just a slight absence leaves me yearning for more.We’re run by manipulative and deceitful people. Our home ground is a shambles. The future, uncertain. The modern game, over-exposed and over-sanitised. Yet football - or more importantly, my club - still have an inexplicable hold on me and many others.
It’s part of the problem. Supporting a football club isn’t rational. Those running clubs are aware of that. If you’re lucky, you’ll get owners who share a modicum of appreciation for their fanbase. Sadly, in true West Ham style, we fell into the hands of the complete antithesis of that.
To them, we're "customers". Only customers can take their loyalty elsewhere. Football supporters can’t.
A football club evokes loyalty, passion and tribalism. It instils a common bond; an unbreakable affinity that lasts a lifetime. And when you’re a truly a special club, like we are, that connection not only lies within us and those who spend their hard earned putting in the miles, but by an almost disproportionate amount of the players who represented us.
In recent years I’ve been fortunate to attend a string of player events, where former stars of claret and blue regale the audience with takes of the past, answer questions and offer opinion on the state of our club.
Naturally the well known legends - Bonds,. Brooking, Parkes etc. - wax lyrical about their time in east London. But often it’s players with smaller parts to play in our history who reinforce the more unique, intimate and special aura that surrounds us.
The common link between them all is the Boleyn Ground, it was a special place to play. The loyalty, knowledge, humour and passion of the support set us apart. The acknowledgment that if they gave 100% on the pitch, then they would receive it back from us, helped make even brief stays memorable and put a bit of claret and blue in their hearts forever.
Perhaps it’s this loyalty, this passion which led the present custodians of the club to believe they could exploit our devotion. But they’re wrong and they may have alienated many already.
They may think they’ll triumph. But their short term vision of chasing tourist cash, rather than satisfying the loyalty of us raised on pie and mash, will not prevail. While fortunes temporarily turn on the pitch, the hearts and minds of those against the board remain resilient.
Marches, sit ins and boycotts have sent a clear message.
West Ham is actually a special Football Club. The mismanagement of the Sullivan era may have bruised us, but will never break us. Former players, current and lapsed supporters will forever fight for the cause.
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