Blind Hammer Gives his take on the Atmosphere at West Ham’s New Home
There has been a lot of talk about the “soulless” nature of the so called “Athletics Bowl” at the London Stadium. Even last Friday, just hours before the fateful game against Tottenham, the Guardian ran an article saying how West Ham were now playing under the handicap of a Stadium with no atmosphere.
Now I have a take on the Stadium which is different from the vast majority. Although I have attended all season I have of course never seen it. This means I relate to the Stadium by sound alone. This has also meant for me personally that comments about poor atmosphere at the London Stadium have been puzzling. There are three main reasons why I was perplexed.
The first is that memories are, I think, rosier than reality in relation to atmosphere at Upton Park. Comparisons were being made with high profile matches last season, a season in which we produced the most thrilling football in many young fans’ living memory. Last season was not a fair reflection of the atmosphere we generate when we are not playing well. Last season when losing 1-4 to Swansea there was pretty much a funeral silence.
Even under the famous lights of the Boleyn things did not always go well in generating atmosphere. One of the quietest games I have ever experienced was a dreadful 0-0 draw against Bristol City on a Tuesday night in our Championship days. This experience on the night was compounded by the fact that my commentary headset did not initially work, but, even when given a replacement for the second half all I really heard the commentator say was “oh dear, oh dear oh dear oh dear”.
The clue is that we were playing Bristol City. Some of our worst atmospheres have come when we have not performed well against sides we are expected to beat. This was as true at Upton Park as at the London Stadium. We generate amazing atmospheres when we overcome sides where there is not expectancy that we will overcome them. This has also been as true at the London Stadium as at Upton Park; hence the joyful scenes last Friday and in our win in the League Cup against Chelsea.
The second reason I am confused by the negative comments on atmosphere is that actually the atmosphere at the London Stadium seems remarkably similar in most respects to what I experienced at Upton Park, given similar football and similar results. I have a variety of guides who accompany me to matches. My sighted guide who used to take me to Upton Park is convinced that the London Stadium is not as good and frankly hates the move. Another friend who actually regularly attends Chelsea matches at Stamford Bridge commented after the 2-2 draw against West Brom that the atmosphere at the LS was far better than that which would have been at Stamford Bridge for an equivalent match. He also by the way thought the view was far superior to that at Stamford Bridge. I wonder if negative feelings about the move are distorting the reality of the London Stadium experience.
The third and most important reason I have an issue with the negative atmosphere comments is that of course the atmosphere at a different stadium will be different. So what are the differences between Upton Park and the London Stadium? The first is that the London Stadium has a different voice to that at Upton Park. It is deeper, more resonant sound. Bubbles sung at Upton Park have a higher timbre for me.
What are the other differences? There are a lot of silences when we are not playing well at the London Stadium. To my ears there is little difference between these silences and the silences we endured at Upton Parkin similar circumstances.
However when the Stadium, when it does come to life, is to my ears, undeniably louder than at Upton Park. The person who accompanied me on Friday, actually a Sheffield Wednesday supporter, described it as one of the loudest matches he had ever attended. If we think about it this must be true. 57,000 supporters in full voice will always outshout 34,000 supporters in full voice.
The Stadium structure actually sounds in general louder to me. I often hear a loud stamping noise which is, Apparently, the result of supporters stamping on the so called “retractable” lower tier seating.
However I loved the atmosphere at Upton Park, and I loved the atmosphere on Friday night at the London Stadium. In the end Friday night proved to me at least that the atmosphere at the London Stadium is entirely what we want it to be. If we want to make it a cauldron which opposition players fear and wilt under we can make it so. If we want to give our own players feel inspired we can make it so. Fonte, a newcomer to our traditions, described the Goosebumps he felt last Friday. We have the power to imbue the emotion of both our own and opposition players if we can unite and remain positive. We should be West Ham United and produce the atmosphere we deserve.
COYI
David Griffith