Hammers United Protests | Who's Going?

[stubbo-admin]

So next Saturday is the first protest with a pre-game march.

Thought a thread to organise within the context of WHO, who's going, anyone that wanted to get slurps before and after etc might be worth doing.

I'll confirm the logistics of things and post them up as well.

COYI

[wils]

Corner sections are quite empty and big gaps behind th goal. Commentators are picking up on it. I am sure some have got their reasons for going, kids birthday treat, you mate plays left back. But too many wankers still turned up. Should old school picket the turnstiles next time: light a bonfire in a barrel and shout “scab” at those going in. 

[El Scorchio]

Yeah I reckon people will have moved to sit in the prime seats which also happen to be where the TV cameras point all the time. I'd like to see what the situation is like in all the stands.

No doubt they'll have tried to desperately fill the East stand as a priority as well

[Forest Gate Ugly]

Looks like plenty of scabs have moved forward. Shame on them 

[Keep dreaming]

Disappointing to see so few empty seats

[GBHammer63]

Hopefully the amount of empty seats is very noticeable, should give us a good yardstick as to how loathed the owners are or maybe how tolerated by our diluted support, either way if the media are drawing attention to the protest can only help. I emigrated 5 years ago so needless to say I’m not going, but still this protest means a lot to me, still watch every second of every game even though I thought id be a lot more unbothered. 
If it’s unnoticeable then perhaps the owners have won and the support has been successfully divided enough.
Home win in front of not much support will be brilliant.

[El Scorchio]

We've always had shit owners, most clubs outside the top 5-6 do. 

Protesting won't change a thing, most of the fans have just resold their tickets, so the seats won't even be empty. 

Sullivan won't sell unless someone make a massive offer, that's how it works. He's not worried about supporters not going, he has people closer to him he worries about more. 

Big shame and defeating the object of it if people have just relisted their seats. Amazed they can find someone to buy them TBH. I guess the board just offered whatever came in at super cheap and kids for a quid prices. Assume the match was sold out to activate ticket exchange anyway? OR did they make a 'special exception' for this one as I sort of can't believe this game would be sold out?

 

They opened ticket exchange nearly 2 weeks ago and it wasn't close to being sold out... Definitely a first. So obviously bothered... 

What sort of thick cսnt boycotts by reselling their ticket? 

Ha! I thought they might do. Every little trick in the book to try and minimise it. Also agree re: Thick (or greedy) cunts. 

[Lee Trundle]

I just had a quick look, and there doesn't appear to be a load of tickets available for tonight.

Unless a load have been listed and were already snapped up, of course.

[Council Scum]

David Hunt

He’s a lanky long streak of piss, but no threat to any decision Sullivan makes in regard to the club. 

Depends if you have money going through said club doesn't it 

[Far Cough UKunt]

Haven't missed a meaningful home game at the shithole this will be the first one.

IRONS!

[fraser]

We've always had shit owners, most clubs outside the top 5-6 do. 

Protesting won't change a thing, most of the fans have just resold their tickets, so the seats won't even be empty. 

Sullivan won't sell unless someone make a massive offer, that's how it works. He's not worried about supporters not going, he has people closer to him he worries about more. 

Big shame and defeating the object of it if people have just relisted their seats. Amazed they can find someone to buy them TBH. I guess the board just offered whatever came in at super cheap and kids for a quid prices. Assume the match was sold out to activate ticket exchange anyway? OR did they make a 'special exception' for this one as I sort of can't believe this game would be sold out?

 

 

They opened ticket exchange nearly 2 weeks ago and it wasn't close to being sold out... Definitely a first. So obviously bothered... 

What sort of thick cսnt boycotts by reselling their ticket? 

[Sir Alf]

While its true that other clubs have poor owners, many nowadays don’t. Bournemouth, Brighton, Palace, Sunderland come to mind but the reality is we are the outlier now with undoubtedly the worst owners in terms of the way they operate, communicate and treat the legacy fans. 

They set unrealistic expectations and made false promises about moving stadium and that is the biggest  reason for the unrest. But there are other huge reasons. Look at the operating model its Antiquated in the extreme as the only club in top flight football, across Europe, where the owner uses the club as a hobby for himself and his sons. Making player decisions outside of simply providing a budget. A veto on every football decision and now we have the owner as CEO and DOF too.  Its farcical in the modern age and summed up well in that phrase “analogue club in the digital age”.  

The whole operating model is reactive and short term which aligns to its financing which is akin to using “pay day loans”.  The recruitment / transfer policy ( if there is one ) has been a disaster and an example on how to waste 100s of millions. Its not just players but managers too we waste money on. Without a long term plan, switching managers without regard for their style of football etc

A training facility that is sub standard to many clubs that are supposed to be “smaller” than us.  

The stadium move though has what tipped everyonr over the edge. It is now, outside of Sullivan and Brady running the club, the biggest barrier to progress as we cannot generate the commercial revenues thru it to compete. Thats without mentioning the fact it is “not fit for purpose” and for many totally undermines the match day experience. Not just sight lines but travelling to and from the place too.  

The “cherry” or should I say “steaming turd” on the cake is the total disregard fir the industrial age roots and history of the club and the associated legacy fan base from UP.  It appears to have been a deliberate attempt by Brady,  at Sullivan’s behest, to sanitise the match day crowd or demographic. Motivation being greed / revenue but also to crush any resistance to change.  

The protests need to be loud and relentless.  At a minimum, Sullivan and Brady need to detach themselves from all football matters and the day to day running of the club. 

“No more BS” 


 

[El Scorchio]

We've always had shit owners, most clubs outside the top 5-6 do. 

Protesting won't change a thing, most of the fans have just resold their tickets, so the seats won't even be empty. 

Sullivan won't sell unless someone make a massive offer, that's how it works. He's not worried about supporters not going, he has people closer to him he worries about more. 

Big shame and defeating the object of it if people have just relisted their seats. Amazed they can find someone to buy them TBH. I guess the board just offered whatever came in at super cheap and kids for a quid prices. Assume the match was sold out to activate ticket exchange anyway? OR did they make a 'special exception' for this one as I sort of can't believe this game would be sold out?

[Pub Bigot]

David Hunt

He’s a lanky long streak of piss, but no threat to any decision Sullivan makes in regard to the club. 

[Mike Oxsaw]

To be quite honest, I suspect that Sullivan would be more worried about locks & hinges failing on the doors of some of the closets he's used down the years and the skeletons start tumbling out.

[Gank]

David Hunt

[Pub Bigot]

We've always had shit owners, most clubs outside the top 5-6 do. 

Protesting won't change a thing, most of the fans have just resold their tickets, so the seats won't even be empty. 

Sullivan won't sell unless someone make a massive offer, that's how it works. He's not worried about supporters not going, he has people closer to him he worries about more. 

Who does Sullivan worry about that’s closer to him? The other board members, his family, other? 

[Council Scum]

We've always had shit owners, most clubs outside the top 5-6 do. 

Protesting won't change a thing, most of the fans have just resold their tickets, so the seats won't even be empty. 

Sullivan won't sell unless someone make a massive offer, that's how it works. He's not worried about supporters not going, he has people closer to him he worries about more. 

[Massive Attack]

Bubbles 

Because he is us. Nuno and the Team are just going to have to suck this up and get on with it.

[oioi]

C&P from Nuno's piece on the WHUFC site:

What I’m doing is trying to improve, and realising that the home factor is really important. We want to change things, and help our home become a real fortress.Like I’ve said before, I think it’s up to us to get closer to the fans, and give them a reason to support and help us. I hope that all our fans join us and help us against Brentford, because it’s going to be a tough game.

So who are you supporting, Nuno & the players or a bloke called bubbles?

[Sir Alf]

I hope you are right Wils and I am wrong. Just that Sullivan, being a narcissistic type, has a very thick skin.

Totally agree that fans should try to stick together on this though. 

[wils]

The only way it has impact is if it is a long, sustained campaign. A handful of games and this season, as a whole, wont be enough.  Just got to keep it going even if results improve and Sullivan spends in Jan or the summer. Unfortunately, I suspect the momentum to be lost if results improve. But with this ownership I cam guarantee and most will probably agree, any improvement is always going to be temporary and bad times / “the circus” is never far away.   Sullivan and Brady simply have to walk away from the day to day running of the club and especially any footballimg decisions.  That is non negotiable.

Disagree with this take. If it even looks just 10 or 15% down on expected attendance it will have an effect. That might not hurt them financially from one game, but it's a warning shot and will affect their decision making from there on even if the results improve and the protests fade (they shouldn't). They will fear inflaming the situation. I wouldn't go as far as calling someone a cսnt for going, but to say I am 'disappointed' at those who do go would also be an understatement. We should stick together on this.

[violator]

Talksport’s Jeff Stelling and Gaby Abonlahor discussing this next 6.50am

No doubt Jim White would have already been paid to pour scorn on the protests on his show this morning.

[Massive Attack]

Yeah, calling them cunts is harsh although I do agree with the general jist of the post of keeping the heat on the Board and that the pampered players should be made well aware of the situation and remain professional regardless of outside noise and some distraction going on.

Some thing's are more important and ousting them is top of the list right now at the Club. The odd game disruption out of a 38 game season doesn't change a thing.

And if the Board didn't want any of this, then they should have thought a lot longer and harder about the decisions that they made... Reap what you sow, you lying Club destroying, money grabbing wankers.

[fraser]

We need to let the players know that it's not about them and that we're there even though we're not in the ground. Don't know how we do that though 

They are not kids, and they even have mobile phones with internet available...
of course they know what's going on.
Keep the pressure on the owners even if it mean reduced support to the team. Collateral damage is not avoidable.
Non protesters are cunts!

I'm not going tonight, I've read Bill Gardner who never misses a match isn't going. Centreforce won't be doing their pre match at the Bat and Ball either. But living in a different country calling fans who are going cunts when you don't know their situations says more about you. 

[Forest Gate Ugly]

Talksport “analysis” half arsed and focussed mainly on the stadium. Jeff S- who knows what it’s like to have a terrible owner at Hartlepool- did pin the discontent on abject player recruitment. Brady and Sullivan criticised in passing but main thrust was ‘now is not the time for a boycott’- Gaby S says it will affect the players and won’t change anything. Still feel it’s a big positive it’s in the national media and right to go ahead with it.