Dear Santa; All the West Ham United Supporters’ Trust wants for Christmas is fairness for fans. We’ve been good boys and girls, even when the performance on the pitch hasn’t.
We’ve even behaved impeccably when the club’s management provoked us by all-but abolishing concession priced tickets. Please see if your elves can magic up the following wishes for us
A return of concessions: We need lower priced seats and season tickets for young and old across the main six bands of tickets. WHUST understands that there might need to be a change to the old system – which had no rhyme or reason to it. We put forward some ideas on that. Santa, if you can convince the West Ham top brass to share their ticketing data with us – like other clubs do with their fan groups – that would help us find a compromise.
A strong and independent regulator: C’mon Father Christmas, you promised us this last year. We prefer the new independent football regulator model that includes ticketing. We are also happy with some of the Lords’ proposed amendments to include non-exec roles on boards to ensure fan consultation. But ignore Lady Brady’s daft amendments aimed at not just watering down the power of the regulator but filibustering (delaying) the debate so it runs out of time.
A seat on the SAG: Newham council continues to refuse any football fan representation on its football safety advisory group (SAG). This is despite it having added managers from the ABBA show by Pudding Mill Lane and Sadlers Wells by Bridge 1.
Surely more than 55,000 Hammers fans who actually go into the ground need to be listened to? We’re the ones suddenly finding ourselves next to aggressive Arsenal fans sold tickets in the home end where low-paid and poorly-trained stewards are ill-prepared to respond. Could you add ‘better training of stewards’ to our wish list?
A fair and transparent ticketing regime: There needs to be a transparent link between matchday ticket prices and season ticket discounts. The Ticket Exchange must pay in real money (not club cash) and without the club taking its cut. And the closed shop for away tickets, bought by people never intending to travel that are then sold on Facebook, needs to be broken up so more fans can enjoy away games.
A safe standing area: Safe standing has been licensed since 2022 so, Santa, why are we still waiting?
A full-time, professional executive team: Lady Brady is just part-time, often too busy pontificating in her Sun column, on TV and in the Lords. She wrote recently in the Currant Bun: ‘It’s our duty to care for OAPs as we all get older’. But this was just after she had ditched concessions for seniors except in the highest, most inaccessible seats in the London Stadium.
We loved it when she said in the Lords: ‘Season ticket holders are the beating heart of football clubs. They are not just customers; they are custodians of the club’s heritage and identity. They represent generations of loyalty, support and community spirit.’ If only her motto was Deeds Not Words.
Sustainable (green) action: Disposable single-use cups are just the most visible sign of how out of touch the London Stadium is. Our children’s future needs more action now.
One law for all: You seem like a fair man, Santa, so we are asking for the abolition of harsher penalties for football fans when the same conviction elsewhere would be treated more leniently. We want all football-specific offences dropped and the scrapping of the lower standards of evidence for a conviction that leads to football banning orders. Royal Ascot has the highest incidents of offences but there are no special measures for race goers. Football fans are unfairly the focus of the police and courts.
Fair policing: The Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s annual report 2023 to 2024 came out in December. It says: ‘Forces continue to retain and use images of people who, while having been arrested, have never subsequently been charged or summonsed. The use of these custody images of unconvicted individuals may include for facial recognition purposes.’
We were promised by the Met that when facial recognition cameras were used at West Ham games, all images of the innocent would be deleted. That’s the law. It’s the coppers who are breaking it. It’s time they had their collars felt, Santa.
Restorative justice for all West Ham fans: While we’re at it, Santa, we’d like everyone to be given a chance to understand why their behaviour was unacceptable and to learn from their mistakes. Pride of Irons has worked with the club on this, but we want it to extend beyond homophobic abuse.
Greater tolerance: There are always a few who lack understanding and are abusive. We’d like fewer homophobic, racist and sexist incidents. Our Christmas message is to treat everyone as you would like your parents and your kids to be treated.
Decent beer at all games: As it is the season of good cheer, our last wish, Santa, is for a better selection of beers at the ground. Several WHUST board members (and the Blowing Bubbles team) enjoyed a pint of Proper Job or Ghost Ship last season.
We’ve been told by Delaware North: ‘We have made the difficult decision to discontinue the sale of real ale for this game and all future matches.’ The London Stadium must be the only sporting venue in the capital not selling Guinness either. Let’s hope this Christmas we can raise a glass of something nice.
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