Through the years we have all seen the Hammers go through troubled times. Let’s face it, even in our glory years of Hurst, Moore and Peters, we have never been much better than a mid table top flight team, capable of a good Cup run every now and again. We can also remember many seasons playing in the second tier. I know we must be biased, but seriously, West Ham must have the most loyal and passionate fans in English football? Our club is steeped in tradition and it’s fan base comes from an area in England that is renown for its “gallows humour”. Perhaps that makes us all the more capable of following a side that endures so many ups and downs? Our “Bubbles” song is one of the oldest continuous songs sung on football terraces and we have been playing in Claret and Blue ever since 1899. I will get back to that last remark later in the piece. In the past we had the best academy in football and we played, or tried to play, with a style that was enjoyable to watch. If other clubs fans were to have a “second team” that they liked, there was a good chance it was West Ham. In the main, West Ham fans are traditionalists and even other clubs fans see the values we hold.
These next few months will be absolutely huge for this club. The positive signs are that many of our injured players are now back or due back in the next game or two. The big two of Andy Carroll and Winston Reid will hopefully be the catalyst to changing fortunes? Another positive for us is the fact there are so many other poor teams in the Premier League this season. I certainly can’t remember a year where there were so many? There are seven or eight teams at the moment that in many seasons past, on current form, would already be near relegated.
The negatives are that our team at present, is showing the least amount of fight for the cause, compared to our rivals. The season started with an injury to our “go to man”, some really dodgy refereeing decisions going against us, and some poor finishing. We were keeping our heads above water mainly due to a good looking defence that was pretty tight. Since the injury to Winston Reid everything just seems to have snowballed against the team, and we now see a West Ham side that is completely drained of confidence and a manager who’s tactics are only sustainable to some fans if they are producing results. With the awful football being played and the poor results combined there is a fan surge started that wants the manager and the owners gone. If Sam’s style is also a losing style and he is here next season, the owners will have trouble selling a season ticket for a quid!
And then of course, just a few seasons away, the fans are being told we are moving to the Olympic Stadium. Some are happy that we will be playing in a wonderfully modern stadium with the expectations that we will be in the shop window for huge investment in the club. If we ever want to be a winning club we need a big stadium and rich owners. On the flip side there are the fans concerns that the pitch at the Olympic Stadium is too far away from many of the seats, the viewing will be diminished and the atmosphere sterile. Many just do not want to move away from Upton Park. It has been the spiritual home of our club for over 100 years. Whether we like it or not, even if we are relegated this season, the OS will be our new home. The club has enticed fans with “illusions” of what the new stadium will look like – and most will show a sea of Claret and Blue everywhere! The colours we are famous for since 1899. But now it has come to light that the seats will actually be Black and White? It is too expensive to change the existing seats. This illusion of everything claret and blue, is the blending in of claret and blue branding around the stadium and the supporters all wearing team colours. One thing is for sure, going to watch West Ham in a few seasons time is going to be very different to what we are used to, whatever division we are in. It makes you wonder though. What traditions and values will we have to hold onto in future generations?