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My West Ham Story

I Was Starting to Wonder What the Attraction of West Ham Was...

Guest Post by Hammers Claudia

I am German, but the opposite of Hamburg Hammer: I was working in Hamburg and this English guy turned up. My West Ham relationship started with another kind of relationship. One of our early dates in 2005 was in an Irish bar in Hamburg where he romantically took me because West Ham were playing Ipswich in some sort of playoff. Apparently West Ham went on to get promoted.

Went with BF to Vienna for weekend break in May 2006 and sat once again in an Irish bar to watch the FA cup final – BF stormed out at the end without realising he had a tab and we were chased down the road by an irate barman. I was starting to wonder what the attraction of West Ham was?

A few years went by and I eventually moved to the UK for good in late 2009. That was a great season, every Saturday night watching boyfriend sulking round the place. After relegation I foolishly suggested that perhaps life in Championship where losing one game a month was better than winning one game every 2 months? Didn’t help his mood.

During Championship season I bought boyfriend tickets for Nottingham Forest at Upton Park for his birthday. Arrived at Upton Park tube and the moment I left the station I think that was the moment that I realised why people support West Ham – a sea of claret and blue marching down Green Street stirred my heart. Once we got to the ground it was confirmed – all thoughts of following a ‘winning’ club like Chelsea (which I admit I toyed with – was offered corporate hospitality at Stamford Bridge but never went as look on BF face when I told him suggested that this was not going to be good for future relationship) was forgotten. I was not to become the next ‘plastic fan’, the West Ham atmosphere pulled me in and saved me.

Sat in the pub watching West Ham beat Hull on the last day of the season but to no avail as Coventry lost to Southampton. I was away in Germany for first leg v Cardiff but BF sent regular texts. 2nd leg we watched in a pub in Wimbledon (where we live) and was a great result but surrounded by Chelsea ‘plastics’ so atmosphere not good.

If I needed any more West Ham heroin to secure the addiction then that came when we watched the playoff final in the Wentworth in Mile End. That was one of the best days of my life! After the game the juke box played Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and we danced the night away with some of the most genuine people I have met.

I don’t go regularly – no season ticket – but we went several times in that first season up. I now know the words to bubbles and more importantly understand what support is all about. As a German I like winning but understand that with West Ham it is not the same as World Cup domination – if only! BF says its character building. The feeling in my heart when singing bubbles at Upton Park is something I cant explain to anyone.

Worst experience? Fulham, 1st Jan 2014. Got soaked walking from station and watched the most hopeless, gutless performance I have ever seen from West Ham.

So, as we enter the second season of my Academy membership I have high hopes (even after watching us lose to totscum on day 1 along with BF’s brother who is spuds fan). I have learnt that it is not all about winning, it is all about emotion, support, heartbreak, elation, frustration, loyalty, fraternity and being part of something special.
Winning would be good though!

Hammers Claudia

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