In 2025, there is only going to be one Premier League Boxing Day fixture: Manchester United v Newcastle United. This is due to UEFA. The Premier League states that the reason for this is owing to the expansion of European club competitions. The League went on to say that next season there will be more Premier League matches on Boxing Day as this falls on a Saturday.
A Boxing Day fixture is a long-standing tradition in English football and one that football fans do cherish. It is sad to see that this tradition will not be honoured this year.
The Magic of the Festive Schedule
Why do fans love Boxing Day football? In my opinion, it’s because it is a tradition. With football ever-changing, it is important to continue traditions that have shaped English football. Who will ever forget the famous Christmas Day truce on the Western Front in 1914 when soldiers from both sides played out a football match in the middle of No Man’s Land?
Even in the horrors of war, football created a sense of unity. I think that’s exactly what it does with families up and down the country – it brings families together over the Christmas period and generally speaking, regardless of how the season is going for your own club, there is a more relaxed, festive atmosphere at football grounds.
History Lessons: From 8-2 Defeats to Life-Long Loyalty
In my book: The West Ham United Journey: Father & Son: Our Most Memorable Games, my dad recalls the 8-2 defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day 1963 hearing others say that West Ham would most likely be thrashed again two days later in the return fixture.
West Ham went on to win 3-1. West Ham became a big part of his life after this. Even after an awful result, that Boxing Day fixture somehow hooked my dad into supporting West Ham United Football Club. I followed suit, in later life, supporting West Ham and have had some experiences of Boxing Day fixtures throughout the years.
The game day routine when West Ham played at Upton Park would generally begin with finding the easiest route on the trains, which would be either driving to Hornchurch or Barking then traveling to Upton Park. The routine for the London Stadium would have been travelling to Stratford Station with the long walk down to the Stadium. In both places, we would generally find our seats and sip a nice warm cup of tea.
Christmas Crackers: Di Canio, Sinclair, and 4-0 Wins
One of the most memorable Boxing Day games that I attended was against Derby County at Upton Park in 2001. A 4-0 win for the Hammers on the day. West Ham started well; the first goal scored by Sebastien Schemmel.
The game was made easier when Benito Carbone was dismissed on 53 minutes. Di Canio scored the second before Trevor Sinclair scored the spectacular, swivelling scissor-kick from a similar position where Di Canio had scored his famous volley against Wimbledon. Jermaine Defoe sealed the 4-0 win. West Ham went on to finish 7th at the end of the 2001-2002 season. I will add that the year before we had beaten Charlton Athletic 5-0 on Boxing Day at home, so we were being spoiled with Christmas crackers in this period.
The London Stadium Era and the Changing Face of December 26th
Once West ham moved to the London Stadium it became apparent that we would not be watching the Hammers play at home on Boxing Day very often. Westfield shopping on Boxing Day being the priority. If I am correct, West Ham have only played at the London Stadium once on Boxing Day against Southampton in a 3-2 defeat in 2021.
I was there, as I couldn’t miss such a rare occasion. It was 2-2 by the 64th minute, Said Benrahma equalising shortly after James Ward-Prowse scored a penalty for the Saints. Jan Bednarek’s goal on the 70th minute secured all three points for the Saints. We had only won one game out of seven league games. Things still looked promising however as we were still in sixth place. Although I was disappointed that we lost, West Ham were having a successful season and ended up finishing in 7th place; qualifying for the Europa Conference League and winning it in June 2023.
Local Pride: Keeping the Flame Alive
Boxing Day games can be so unpredictable. I think this is largely due to the volume of games around the festive period and the changing of personnel in starting line-ups or player fatigue. But I would rather see Boxing Day games than not. What would be the ideal fixture for West Ham on Boxing Day?
I think a London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur and we could hopefully sing after a win: “It’s happened again, it’s happened again…Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again.”
West Ham rarely play at home on Boxing Day but I still love the tradition. In years gone by I have watched Leyton Orient play Dagenham & Redbridge on Boxing Day and then watched the reverse fixture on New Year’s Day. This year, I have obtained a ticket at Dagenham & Redbridge who will be hosting Hornchurch. As a local Hornchurch resident, I’ll be sitting in the away end for the first time ever at the Daggers Ground (apart from West Ham pre-season friendlies over the years). Hornchurch are currently top – am I being a glory hunter? In all seriousness, I’m just looking forward to watching two of my local teams play a game of football on Boxing Day, keeping this tradition alive.
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