On the West Ham Way podcast, we often reflect on days gone by and, in particular, our time at Upton Park and how that compares to the London Stadium, especially as far as the match day experience consists of. It is a conversation that never truly grows tired because the move shifted the very foundations of our ritual. Actually, my commute to the stadium now is probably easier than it was at Upton Park. I usually drive to Westfield Car Park B and walk from there. It is clinical and efficient, yet it lacks the grit and soul of the old E13 streets. During the latter years at Upton Park, resident parking schemes had meant we used to park a long way away and walk through the back streets of East Ham, through a park, and to our season tickets in the East Stand. That walk was a rite of passage, a slow build-up of nerves and adrenaline as the floodlights peered over the terraced housing. I rarely had the trip from the station to the stadium because my dad would drive. Whilst the walk was longer, it was much more enjoyable. You would see the same faces each week and have a discussion regarding the forthcoming match. You would walk past the programme sellers. They were the gatekeepers of our Saturday afternoons. All independent sellers who had been doing it for years and blessed with East End charm. You would walk past the fanzine sellers calling out “On a Mission, only a pound” and past the memorabilia sellers too. The air would be thick with the smell of fried onions and anticipation.
Cheap Burgers, Matchday Programmes, and Pre-Social Media Excitement
That’s something I really miss; the old independent traders, hot dogs as well. Burger vans where you could get a burger for £3 as opposed to the obscene prices at the London Stadium. There was an honesty to those prices and those people. I miss the old days of buying a programme to get your exclusive West Ham information and news in the days before social media. It sounds ridiculously ironic for someone who has made their “name” via bringing news early on social media saying this, but that is now the way of the world. The digital age has streamlined our access but perhaps diluted our shared mystery. I miss the excitement of the person on the tannoy reading out the team sheet, and whilst you had a rough idea what that team would be, you never knew until they officially announced it. Nowadays, because of the position I am in, I usually know it a good day or so before the match, which takes away that excitement and anticipation from the stadium announcement. There was a unique roar that followed a surprise inclusion back then.
The Missing Pub Culture at the London Stadium
Going to football was much more of a social event before social media as people met up to talk about the game rather than post about it to millions of followers. The debate happened face-to-face, fueled by passion rather than likes. That meeting your mates in the pub before the game whether it be at The Boleyn, The Queens, The Black Lion or any other watering hole was a huge part of the football culture which I think has seriously evaporated from most people’s experience at the London Stadium. The geography of Stratford makes that organic congregating much harder to achieve.
Reclaiming the Matchday Ritual: The West Ham Way Pre-Match Events
This is partially why myself and Dave Walker created the concept of The West Ham Way PreMatch event. We wanted to bridge the gap between the old traditions and our new reality. This gives West Ham fans the opportunity to meet en masse, in a West Ham-themed establishment with music, shirts, flags and kits and ex players of the club. It’s about reclaiming that sense of belonging that felt lost in the move. We are very proud that our events have been going strong for almost 10 years now since we left Upton Park. Consistency is key in a world of constant change. They are currently hosted at the Colour Factory which is right next to Hackney Wick station and a five-minute walk from the stadium. It provides that essential hub for the claret and blue faithful. Mad dog Martin Allen is our host and as you can imagine he is hilarious with it. Our most recent event before the Bournemouth game saw him host James Collins and Anton Ferdinand and it really was an amazing event. The stories told on that stage are the kind you won’t hear anywhere else. The feedback we have received has been brilliant. We have a raffle and an auction of quality West Ham items and we offer drinks at just £5 making it the best priced bar in Stratford which The Colour Factory honour for us after the game too. In an era of modern football costs, we fight to keep things affordable for the real fans. If you are a West Ham Patreon, not only do you get all the content we provide but also you get tickets to the events at a discounted rate and we put the recording from the events for all to see who can’t physically be there. It’s a community built on a shared history and a hopeful future. We look forward to more of you signing up here: patreon.com/thewesthamway
Be the first to comment