RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline

[wils]

I received a very sad message about Alex, the founder of WHO. I didn't know him personally but I am aware of who he is and that he deserves a tribute from us all. Perhaps it's fitting for those who were around when he was contributing here to share memories under this post.

RIP Alex and thank you for creating this site.

Hi there,

I’m not sure how many people who were around in the early days are still
using this forum, but I wanted to share this news in case it’s relevant to
a few. Alex Van de Weyer, who founded this site back in the day, died
unexpectedly last month. He was only 52 and was found at home; he died of
natural causes. He was my partner for many years, and we have a daughter
together.

I think it was in the late 1990s that Alex decided to teach himself PHP
coding to create a West Ham forum. He launched WestHamOnline.com. He wrote
weekly match reports, while I contacted opposition fans with a
questionnaire to create match previews. I remember a column by “Billy
Blagg,” player injury updates, transfer rumours, and fan votes. One
December I even made advent calendar picture posts. There was Steve Potts
in his bedroom full of West Ham merch, plus plenty of other silliness! Alex
V spent huge amounts of time working to make the site a success, coding any
features he thought it needed. His posts were always full of wit and strong
opinions.

Alex was a football stats nerd, and even contacted the club to point out
that Crysencio Summerville could be classed as a home-grown player when
they hadn’t spotted it. This was apparently due to a complex detail
involving birth dates and Covid-era season rules. He was proud of that
spot, and maybe it made a small difference to the club.

Alex later gave up his season ticket and moved out of London, but he still
followed the team with passion. He posted about club strategy on social
media and stayed involved that way. My daughter believes the last message
he read from her was about West Ham being ahead in a recent match. That
feels fitting.

Alex V will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

[threesixty]

That’s sad news. Probably been on here more than any other site in my life! And it’s down to him. 

I doth my cap..
RIP Alex. 
 

[ray winstone]

I'm gobsmacked, had some interesting interactions with him over the years and followed him on Twitter/X. 

RIP Alex

[Chinkey Weasel]

RIP Alex V. Sad news indeed.

[Eustace]

Rip Alex V
You created a community

[charleyfarley]

Such sad news and only 52 years of age. RIP Alex

I have asked Wils to get me some funeral details so we can get a wreath sent from WHO

[cholo]

RIP Alex, sad news. Condolences to all that knew and loved him. 

[soylent_green]

RIP Alex V

[Manor Hammer]

RIP Alex, never knew him personally but one year he made me a moderator on the original site. Always seemed to be fair and logical with any decisions he made.

A sad loss.

[Swiss.]

RIP Alex V 

[honky cat]

RIP - Alex.
Thank you for creating this site, for which, back in the day, was hilarious. I used to spend more time on here than actually doing any work.

I can’t remember when I signed up, but the day of 9/11, mobile phones weren’t working, news sites had all crashed, WHO was the only site I could get any updates. Seem to recall a poster from Washington DC giving us updates.


 

 

 

Yes i did the same on 9/11
RIP Alex V, im a long time reader of WHO if only a recent poster. Amid the chaos he would pop up and post something quite coherent and normal.
I think we all need a way to express our thoughts and conventional social media doesnt do it for me. So cheers alex for providing a home for west ham black sheep people.
Sympathies to family and friends x 

[violator]

Like many others I've been on here for yonks and Alex was pretty active at the time.
RIP hammer ⚒

[Council Scum]

As one of the original posters and also doping match reports I met Alex V a few times and he used to come to a few WHO drinks in the early days. Harmless bloke with a love for West Ham

52 is no age. 

[Russ of the BML]

Jesus, this is sad news. Remember Alex V very well. Been a member on here since mid 90's I believe and so have been well aware of Alex's contributions, but wasn't aware he was the founder and creator of the site. 

So sad, only couple of years older than me so a real eye opener. 

Heartfelt condolences and sending thoughts to his family and friends. RIP Alex. And thank you. 

[Texas Iron]

Thanks for many years of interesting membership of WHO…

My number was 10221…so it goes way back

R I P Alex…

Sad to see the Decline of our club under Barrow  Boy Amateurs…


My first game was 1957…standing under the main stand behind the. Old Band…

Thanks for the memories and banter on WHO

[Sydney_Iron]

Oops just realized he passed last month so would have missed that total surrender and biggest pile of shit this season ( which is saying something) at Wolves.

Hopefully his last game was one of our better ones, although I’m struggling to think we had one, such has been the shit served up

 

[Sydney_Iron]

Sad news.  Despite founding this site he was treated abysmally by many of the members, so much so, he left.  It was a great shame, though a victory for the trolls.

Thanks, Alex, this site has been a staple of mine for more years than I can remember. 

R.I.P.

Pretty sure I remember he stopped the match report due to the constant abuse and criticism, remember at the time many of us expressed our feelings and cunted those who trolled him, think he went back to doing them but the abuse just got worse so he stopped, real shame tbh, he was good at them and for us expats especially

Actually feeling pretty shit about this today, didn’t know Alex but as WHO,s creator feel in some way I do, gutted for his family and hope the WHO fund will send a wreath and give both our thanks and sorrow at his passing.

As someone else said, what a shit start to the year for us, if 2025 wasn’t bad enough, we have this sad news and a relegation on current form with fuck all to look forward to, a real shame also that Wolves away was perhaps Alex’s last game.

[Alfs]

Sad news.  Despite founding this site he was treated abysmally by many of the members, so much so, he left.  It was a great shame, though a victory for the trolls.

Thanks, Alex, this site has been a staple of mine for more years than I can remember. 

R.I.P.

[Lenny Annex]

Like many on here, I've been a very regular reader of these pages since the early 2000's. I rarely post, but I would like to pass on my gratitude to Alex V's family - what he created has entertained, infuriated and informed. And he was always a decent & interesting poster too. Thank you Alex. 
​​

[the coming of gary]

Sad to hear this -

He brought a bit of pleasure to people who never met him ;
a bit like the bloke who invented the crossword

RIP
.

[Any Old Iron]

Very sorry to hear this sad news.  I remember Alex V very well since the first few months of his creation.  He was an ever present on the site for years then just disappeared without trace.  Of course many others have dropped off but for the founder to leave so abrutly was a surprise.  I’m guessing he got sick of the abuse that came his way.  
For those who weren’t here 25 years ago it might hard to imagine just how vitriolic things would get.  Alex was one of the very few who rose above it. 
RIP Alex V, and thank you.

[Mad Dog]

Greenie.  "Hammer in philly" wasnt it?

Remember that day well

[AKA ERNIE]

RIP Alex
created the greatest west ham forum, used to be fucking hillarious on here.
became a member in 2003 and loved it for yrs

[greenie1]

RIP - Alex.
Thank you for creating this site, for which, back in the day, was hilarious. I used to spend more time on here than actually doing any work.

I can’t remember when I signed up, but the day of 9/11, mobile phones weren’t working, news sites had all crashed, WHO was the only site I could get any updates. Seem to recall a poster from Washington DC giving us updates.
 

[Vexed]

Fucking hell. I'm actually surprised how hard this has hit and I'd never met the bloke. West Ham to the core, absolute stat nerd, shit news. Condolences to his family. 

[simons]

Very sad news, and no age. 

Sure I was introduced to him back in the day at one of the WHO drinks, that I think maybe Ged was at. 

RIP