Comments on: My West Ham: Pete May

By: Stuart Goodacre

Stuart Goodacre — Sat, 23 May 2009 15:40:24 +0000

Although I’m a Lincoln City supporter, I got dragged along by a Hammer mate to watch some West Ham away matches in the late 80s/early 90s and that’s where I first read Fortunes Always Hiding. The funniest fanzine I’ve ever read so thanks to Peter May and others for putting it together. I loved Northbank Norman and the special memorial edition when the King of Norway died – genius.

Thanks again.
Stuart

By: Hook End Hammer

Hook End Hammer — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:02:07 +0000

Hippo in the Cistern

Looks a bit “Right on ” for me

The hilarious true-life tale of one man’s journey from self-confessed planet-killing lad to eco-friendly, green-crusader Dad set against the backdrop of Cool Britannia, Blair’s Britain and the rise of the green movement. Back in the nineties, Loaded journalist, Pete May was your normal twenty-something male: a football mad, beer guzzling, Dr Who watching lad’s lad, quite happy surrounding himself with countless pizza boxes, beer cans and other environmentally unfriendly consumer items. Recycling to Pete was a debate about whether he should turn his socks inside out and reuse them. Then one day, out of nowhere, along came eco bunny Nicola — a greener than green environmental activist. Could two people so different really fall for each other? Would Pete ever change his ways and sign up to the green lifestyle of composting loos, freezing cold houses, multiple jumper wearing, chicken rearing, recycling, cycling, energy saving and general self-sufficiency? This is the charming and funny true-life tale of one man’s struggle to grapple with the good life, go green and get the girl.

By: Painter

Painter — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:00:12 +0000

could never leave julian dicks out in a million years – a true west ham hero, and a good player as well! scored a lot of goals, dicksey.
so hard to make judgements on the greats – i think i would have put ray stewart at right back and bonzo at centre-half (martin and billic were great too tho!)

i thought ‘fortunes always hiding’ was the best fanzine we’ve ever had – loads of fun and jokes and satire, there tends to be too much political stuff in the new ones. i was sad to read the last issue, set against the atmosphere of impending doom that was the bond scheme – front page started with a picture of a chimp in a whu kit saying ‘you wont make a monkey out of me! – and finished with [fah is finnishing...] ‘because west ham are just not funny anymore’ – it felt like the end of an era and it probably was.

i think i preferred standing in the south bank with the rain coming through the corrugated sheet roof, fans roaring songs with passion and the players like kevin keen, martin allen and dicksey running theyre balls off for us to this over-hyped, status anxious bullshit of today. at least we were shit…er…with style then. i think we were proud to be west ham then, and not really bothered how bad we were.

or maybe i’m just silly nostalgic (probly the only west ham fan anywhere to be nostalgic for the 90′s). best game ever? – beating cambridge 2-0 at upton park to get promoted on final day, the place was bouncing!

By: clack

clack — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:12:50 +0000

Is it ‘Hippo in the cistern’ a West Ham book?

I’m guesing from the title it isn’t? Unless it focuses on Neil Ruddock and the 99/2000 season.

By: WHU Kim

WHU Kim — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:55:33 +0000

I’m reading Hammers in the Heart at the moment, brings back a lot of memories so thanks for that Pete!

By: JackHammer

JackHammer — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:08:56 +0000

I really enjoyed Pete May’ s books and will do my best to get hold of ” there a hippo in my cistern” which I hope is about west ham as well?, well done Pete keep it going.

By: phil

phil — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:56:41 +0000

I was in the North bank at that Blackpool game and seem to remember a young lad making his debut on the right wing who played a blinder. No one new who he was because the announcer could not be heard over the crowd noise. Turns out it was Johnny Ayris who could have had a great carear if not crippled by a terrible foul by Chopper Harris against Chelsea.

By: Simon goddard

Simon goddard — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:54:29 +0000

Home game v Blackpool on 30 Oct 70 was obviously a good starting point for Hammers fans – that was my first game too although, sadly, apart from McDowell’s debut the thing I remember most is the stunning goal that Tony Green scored for the visitors. My wife and I now have season tickets in the main stand since the club gave up the North Bank (who remembers the balconies?) for visiting fans and moved the Chicken Run half a mile from the pitch. Only two things I don’t agree with – wouldn’t put a player (Peters) in a best starting XI that I’d never seen in the flesh (he’d gone before the Blackpool game) and the comment about the lack of heroes. I personally know that the memory of LBM will follow me to the grave and beyond!! Top article.