Guest post by Steve
It’s now nearly a week since my best night at the New Upton Park. I never thought I’d be able to say that, but it may not be the bricks and mortar from the old place but the heart and spirit had certainly transferred over on Friday. It was a night long to live in the memory and despite what happens Sunday it will stay with us across the Summer. Now it’s starting to be our home and now we all know what we are capable of in the new place.
Now it’s fair to say for me that this game had me nervous from the moment I woke on Friday. I put on the lucky socks (the ones with the crossed hammers on the front) and my only polo with the new badge (plus some other clothes obviously).On the way to the station I put on the usual bets, more in blind faith than anything else but there’s always hope, just like my dreams.
I got to London for 4pm, a bit early but today was different. I had been twice before, both Saturday afternoons,,and being the sort who likes different real ales I had ventured in via Hackney Wick so I could go to the Crate brewery pub. On both occasions it was very good too and the right side of the ground to where I want to be. However as I am a single traveller and so I felt this way was unwise considering they would be coming the same way. So via Stratford it was then, but ,thanks to this site and a call to the Met , it was stated that the pubs would be closing early. This was clearly no good for me! So I needed a pub en route.I decided that the Wetherspoons at Liverpool Street might be ok. I got that wrong. From just walking past it, a Spurs song came up and the large throng of young men was enough for me to decide another pub would be smart. It only ever looked like it was going off and even the large Police presence gave me no confidence .I walked across the road to a Nicholson’s pub where I got mugged four and a half quid for a pint (although it was good).I killed time in here but when armed Police walk through the pub you start to realise just how much London has changed. It was still too early to go to the ground so I crossed the road and went in the Young’s pub. It was a long dark pub with a smattering of claret and blue but it was still in the air.I ordered two halves of different London ales and got robbed of £4.80 ! No wonder people don’t drink in London, I can easily get the £3 pint back home! I stood at the back of the bar and it got a little more busy and a gang of likely lads stood around me .I was just starting to wonder what was next when this bloke took his big coat off to reveal his no.6 1975 top and it became apparent they were Hammers. I offered this bloke somewhere to put his coat and it turned out that this bloke Mickey and his group were from down the road from Rugby, my hometown, in Northampton and Villages! Small world!
So I left to go back to Liverpool Street and it was getting a lot more busy and there were considerably more coppers about. Still I was away and soon enough getting off at Stratford. Now as this was my first time from this side I didn’t have a clue, I followed right and up the outside of the buildings up past the David Blackmore and his assorted beauties flogging the Blowing Bubbles. It was cold by now and I couldn’t even see the ground. I walked past the Cow that was certainly open and it looked like I could have walked through Westfield so I was not happy. As you carry on walking, and over the river the Stadium breaks out in all its glory. The big screen glorifying hero’s past and present. It was bloody cold so I got straight into the ground.
I’m in a posh bit so I was able to lounge around for a bit. Then it was announced that King Arthur was in the room with Pedro. The girl interviewed him with mundane questions but when asked what we should do against Spurs tonight his reply of ‘kill them’ brought the place down. Well said Arthur. I ventured down to my front row seat next to their dugout and various kids were hopeful of autographs. Then out of nowhere Teddy Sheringham comes over and happily has photos taken and signs autographs. He was there a while and made sure everyone got what they wanted. Top bloke .Funny, Andy Townsend was close by and no one even noticed him! Our boys were then coming off the pitch and all the kids shout across and the various gestures come back to say sorry. Except for one , the last one. Step forward future legend Declan Rice. He wouldn’t have been known to most of the kids, but they asked and he signed them all.I knew who he was and he was superb. He signed and had pictures taken and then ran off down the tunnel. A brilliant effort from a young man on the way up.
Now the games been covered and the barrier incident swept under the carpet by Brady and others, which for a few very worrying minutes looked bad. Credit to Fonte who acted with some urgency to get support. Now clearly I was near their Manager, who never really looked comfortable all night but you also get a good look at Bilic who physically and mentally is always on the go. The atmosphere is getting there and with a bit of moving around we will have banks of noise from all round the ground next season. Now I know a few like a flutter and so like a few others was I relieved to see Fletcher’s, icing on the cake shot, go just wide of the post at the death. 105/1 for a Manny 1-0 was perfect! And I know I wasn’t alone!
At the end of the game the players came past slowly enjoying the praise. Ginger Pele was stripped down again, Cresswell had a massive smile and to be fair Mark Noble just drifted past on his cloud nine. Perfection.
Coming out of the ground the supporters singing the Party song and other anti Spurs songs were hilarious. It’s a long old haul back to the International station and clearly something has to be done and it’s so unprofessional to have hordes of kids stuck in a jam. There is limited stewarding by the station but despite the cold everyone was pretty warm from the glow inside so it wasn’t too bad. At least at the station itself it was quite well organised. I must say the young girl on platform had a voice like a foghorn ( and I can talk) and eventually to shut her up a throng of lads just out sang her every time to tried to make an announcement. Funny but quite apt. The train to Ashford (!) was uneventful as all the Spurs fans had sulked off early and there were none to be seen.
So an eventful night with nothing to worry about in the end. Just us stopping Spurs, again, only this time is was a Lanzini not a lasagne.