Guest Post by Nigel Kahn
As a kid coming to games I spent a lot of time standing in front of the old West Stand on the concourse. I can still picture it now, the sliding doors at the bottom of the exit stairs and the turnstiles to the left of those doors, to the right was a small ticket collection box or Dick’s office as I knew it. Dick was the man that handed out the complimentary tickets and the press entrance passes, I know this as I used to sit in there waiting for my Uncle to collect me to take me to the game. It was handy for me as well as Dick would call me over to get my programme signed by players dropping off family tickets or those collecting not in that day’s team.
Why am I recalling this, I hear you ask? Ok I don’t, but I will tell you anyway. On the wall outside Dick’s office was screwed a train plaque taken from the steam train named West Ham United built in 1937. It worked the railway yards around the East End of London out into East Anglia before being scrapped in 1960 in Stratford railway depot just a stone’s throw away from the Olympic Stadium. According to Steve Marsh’s great website “They fly so High” the plaque remained on the West Stand wall until its demolition when it was removed, re-stored back to the engine’s green colour scheme and then hung in the board-room of the new West Stand where it stayed until at some point being put into storage until now. It is included in the auction the club are holding to sell off Boleyn ground artefacts no longer required as the club moves.
So for a starting price of £5,000 a piece of West Ham social history is available to buy. Is it right that the plaque be sold and do the current owners really have the right to sell it, along with other items that form part of our heritage?
In buying the club in 2010 the two Daves inherited a lot of memorabilia that after the demise of the club’s own museum was put into a storage unit, where, I believe it sits today until its sold. But in buying the club did they buy the right to sell off some of these items? They may own the club but the club’s history should not bought and sold as a commodity. In buying the club they become the guardians of that history, tasked with keeping it alive and commemorating it in the right way, not selling it to the highest bidder.
I understand they cant take everything from the Boleyn ground with them and see the sense in selling the signs from around the ground as well as pictures and programme stalls, turnstiles goal posts etc etc but also in this auction are included the 3 remaining Lyall gates from the front of the concourse, presents given to the club by opposition teams to commemorate games played and also trophies the club have won from Junior level upwards. Even the Bobby Moore trophy, first played for in the memorial game and then awarded to the Young Hammer player of the year up until 2009 has been listed to be sold off.
So fellow Hammers fans, I ask this question. Is it right the club sell these items, or should they be kept as a collection until such time a suitable area is found to display them? That may be once our current owners have left, but no one can predict the future. Once all the items are sold they will never be able to be seen together again. David Gold saw fit to buy the original F.A Cup trophy that he proudly displays in his open house days so why would he treat West Ham’s history this way?
If these items are to be removed from the sale and saved, time is of the essence. If enough fans can come together to point out the clubs error of its way you never know what could happen.
On a lighter note, on Friday 1st of July I am organising a Charity Golf day on behalf of the National Autistic Society in Thurrock to raise funds for the great work they do. It is a charity that is close to my heart as my 13 year old Son is on the spectrum and my wife puts in hours after hours of voluntary time to help run the Thurrock branch. Only recently they have just enabled 10 local kids have four golf lessons with the Belhus Woods golf pro Shaun Westfall, which they all loved.
The branch has to self fund to enable them to continue to offer support, not just to the children but also to the parents as well. They do this through support groups, parent workshops, Lego group plus much more.
Feel free to check out their Website They will welcome any offers of support, donations or fund raising.
For just £25 at the golf day you will be fed on arrival, bacon roll and refreshments, then in groups of 4 play the 18 hole course at Belhus Park during which there will be additional competitions such as, Longest Drive, nearest the Pin on par 3 hole and possible even more. Once back in the bar a hot lunch will be served before finishing with prize giving and Raffle, so any raffle donations will be welcome.
There was talk by BSB of having a WHTID golf day, well it could be combined with this day and if enough users of this site sign up I will even arrange a WHTID golf trophy to be presented on the day for the best golfer off this site.
Feel free to contact me to book your place on the day.