We need to talk about...our home support

[Come On You Irons]

Absolutely embarrassing atmosphere in the bowl again last night and me and my boy were completely surrounded by tourists.

A mass exodus at around 75 minutes when we were winning by a single goal in a big game against a relegation rival.

No singing apart from the boring 'irons' Tourette's shouting the odd 'Come on you irons' at corners.

It's truly embarrassing what has happened to our once proud fanbase.

[Takashi Miike]

I don't like them, but there's always been early leavers. It's nothing new

[BRANDED]

I think the word people are looking for here is 'Americanisation'.

which was predicted as how things would go at the outset of the introduction of all-seater grounds.

 

 

I took a decision three years ago to watch as little football on TV and online as possible. I wanted to only get the live experience and my response to it. 

It's clear to me that my experiences seem really different from other people. In fact I see people looking at their phones during a match. 

Additionally. There is this massive corporatisation attempt by the club that some people obviously quite like. I dont and try and avoid it. I dont eat or drink in the ground, except a cup of tea last night as it was a bit chilly. I have beers in any one of several places I like near the ground and grab something to eat from a variety of good places. The bubbles, the flame machines and fireworks are just a bit pony. 

As I said in another post. When the younger lads are in the atmosphere picks up a lot.

[,]

What I find embarrassing is people criticising attenders when we are at a situation where we have never had as many people at home games as we do now. Over the years I have attended home games from the times when three quarters of the ground was standing only right through the evolution to where we are now and my experience is that we have regularly had empty spaces and early leavers, especially for midweek games.

The reality is that we have never had a regular fan base of sixty thousand people and it’s churlish to criticise those that were there last night because at least they turned up.

I bet that if we played every game at 3pm on a Saturday we’d be better attended. Sadly top football sold its soul to the devil thirty or more years ago so we have these Monday night games to contend with on cold damp December evenings.

[Mad Ferret]

Last time I took my girl I hate to say it but I was embarrassed with the atmosphere after all the stories I have told her about the good 'ol days and how much she will love it. 


 

I agree with nearly all you wrote. With a couple of exceptions. One is that I have taken my son on a school night and I still wouldn't stoop to leaving early to get him home. We are either going or we aren't. If you need to get away early just don't go.

On the other hand, one the last games I went to at Upton Park was the cup game against Wolves. It was also shit as last night was. No atmosphere and people (although not as bad as last night) were leaving early.

Upton Park could be flat for weeks on end while we watched mediocre football. We don't do ourselves any favours mis-remembering Upton Park as some heaving fortress of cockneys all singing and chanting from Kick-off to the final whistle. Mostly it wasn't like that then. The good nights were unforgettable, but we have by definition forgotten the forgettable nights.

I remember the penultimate game at the Boleyn. We played Swansea, and honestly it was one of the worst atmospheres I can ever remember. So it does make me laugh how people harp on about the Boleyn like it was some hostile fortress.

Also makes me laugh when people say you can't get an atmosphere going at the LS, when that has been disproven many times.

It's all about circumstance, I guess.

[wils]

Last time I took my girl I hate to say it but I was embarrassed with the atmosphere after all the stories I have told her about the good 'ol days and how much she will love it. 

 

I agree with nearly all you wrote. With a couple of exceptions. One is that I have taken my son on a school night and I still wouldn't stoop to leaving early to get him home. We are either going or we aren't. If you need to get away early just don't go.

On the other hand, one the last games I went to at Upton Park was the cup game against Wolves. It was also shit as last night was. No atmosphere and people (although not as bad as last night) were leaving early.

Upton Park could be flat for weeks on end while we watched mediocre football. We don't do ourselves any favours mis-remembering Upton Park as some heaving fortress of cockneys all singing and chanting from Kick-off to the final whistle. Mostly it wasn't like that then. The good nights were unforgettable, but we have by definition forgotten the forgettable nights.

[BRANDED]

Oh. And we never once looked like doing anything but winning the game.

[BRANDED]

OK, I'm in the lower Sir Trav next to the Away supporters. It was good all night. Constant fucking with the Wolves supporters who were the worst we've had this season. Lots of lads in giving it. Slightly less moaning old cunts. Plenty of noise. people leave to get to a train.

[Russ of the BML]

The leaving early stuff I get. It's Monday night, cold and wet and people have to make sure they get connections to get home otherwise you don't get in until midnight and then up for work. People who have taken kids know the kids have to get up for school. I get it. We all get it. 

But, it did look bad on TV. We are 2-1 up with 10 to go and all you can see is empty seats dotted about. Not a good look for the club, regardless of what I said above. 

The atmosphere is now, quite frankly, shocking. A far cry from Seville and Lyon at home in the UEFA cup. Yes, totally different circumstances I know, but that was the bar set. It can be done, under the right circumstances and with the right supporters in the ground. Many season ticket holders I know never went last night for a variety of reasons, work next day, not being entertained, not happy with Lope / Sullivan - And I know for a fact that many people I know who weren't going, only went to support Antonio and so, in a perverse way. had he not had his accident, then the atmosphere would have been worse than it was. 

It needs to be addressed by the supporters and the club. For example, where have the the flags gone before the games? Why don't we have flags put on the seats? Why do the club not provide huge banners? If its on TV, why was there not flames and fireworks? Fuck me, even have official song starters. 

As for the supporters, well, I suppose it comes down to do the fans support regardless or do they need to be entertained? It's the right balance. Lots of apathy around the club at the moment as everyone is on another come down after Moyes because the club made a ricket in employing Lope. All were hoping for a new positive and modern direction but we got Moyes MKII. So it is hard for the support right now. 

Alot of the older generation of support now just go out of habit. They have seen enough all their lives to have most of the excitement and enjoyment of supporting slowly drained out of them. The younger support have come into a new generation of football where lots of what was exciting and used to go on is now persecuted (rightly or wrongly). Plus, what are the new generation seeing? It's not exactly ambitious and inspiring is it? Last time I took my girl I hate to say it but I was embarrassed with the atmosphere after all the stories I have told her about the good 'ol days and how much she will love it. 

And as for the stadium. Well, it is what it is but it ain't a football stadium. 

I think we are entering a perfect storm for West Ham as far as the support / club goes. Makes me anxious how the future lies. 

[WHU(Exeter)]

I think the word people are looking for here is 'Americanisation'.

which was predicted as how things would go at the outset of the introduction of all-seater grounds.

[Gary Strodders shank]

It's been going that way for a while now but I think its.just football on general.

​​​​​​People are to preoccupied with their phones and chatting to their mates than actually getting into the game.

It's not just the tourists but the new breed of fans most of whom have only watched us at the bowl and don't really get the West ham ethos that we were brought up on
​​​
Popcorn and half and half scarves are all part of this new matchday experience now and I detest it.

Oh and the club tells us we are all customers now and not supporters.








 

[wils]

I agree. The-fucking-off-before-the-end crowd should just stay at home. If you're that preoccupied about getting a more convenient train home that you will miss the match just don't bother going.

It's not just a West Ham problem though I see it at all premier League games now, no matter who is playing and no matter what the score is. My theory is its age. The younger fans can't afford it and the older ones that can are too bothered about comfort.

[Pub Bigot]

The club actively work against the support, so it’s difficult for people to create a racket. I mean they put up a barrier to stop fans throwing sweets at each other, which hasn’t helped the atmosphere. 

It’s bad enough the ground is shit, worse that it’s full of tourists or away fans. 

 

[Mad Ferret]

It looked bad yesterday (on TV).

Something needs to be done about the leaving early problem.

There was hardly anyone left in the ground by the time the final whistle went.

Embarrassing.