It is once again the latest debate in the unending saga of the Olympic Stadium. It was West Ham’s, no its not, oh but it should be. We have had more official statements from West Ham United than goals Carlton Cole has scored on the move to the Olympic Stadium. Now this argument has cropped up, should we share the Olympic Stadium with Leyton Orient, who are geographically the closest team to the Olympic Park?
It is in no doubt that the 2012 Olympics was a tremendous success, not just for the marvelous efforts of Team GB, but for the state of the British nations. To have the events unfold in our great home city brought great pride to the people of London. It is almost a ‘where were you moment’ when that Saturday came as Mo Farah and Jess Ennis, Britain’s pin up stars of the track crossed the line. It is with no surprise that the club want to make sure that the legacy of the games will be carried over, and the trio of David Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady recently stated that no other bidder in the world could rival the opportunity that West Ham United FC offer the city of London.
I personally believe that the move would be great for the club, and I think that we could easily turn ourselves into a club of the stature that we as fans believe that we belong. I’m not saying that just because we move stadium would become the biggest team in the country, or we would conquer the world, but we are a Premier League team, and for us to move forward, we have to have some aspirations of some sort. Look at Manchester City as a great example; they were a mid tableside at best at Maine Road. They moved to the City of Manchester Stadium and they were able to attract the investors to take them to the title. Does anyone think that the Billionaire owners would go to watch football and a decrepit and ageing stadium, that only had a capacity of 35,000? They now fill a 60,000-seated stadium.
I think that with most West Ham fans that the massive stumbling block to the move is the running track, and even though I would back the move to Stratford, I worry for the fact that we might be watching West Ham from 50 yards away at times. No West Ham fan want that at all, I couldn’t think of a valid reason of how this would benefit the club. Though if the club put retractable seating in, that would move supporters closer to the pitch, with the running track still intact, it could work.
Though, my honest opinion on the move is the fact that we may have to go. I worry for the club if we don’t move. The club financially isn’t in the best of shape, and we can only be grateful to Gold and Sullivan for the way that they saved the club. Let’s not forget that when they took the club over, the previous regime nearly ran the club into the ground. I wouldn’t dare saying a word against the owners because they saved the club from that peril, but why? They may be Eastenders and they obviously love the club, but why would a couple of men risk the fortune that they have amassed over the years on just the love of their club. In my humble view they saw the golden carrot that was dangled in front of them, which was the Olympic Stadium. The pair has been funding at times the club on their own back pockets. The summer signings all came out of the back pocket of Gold and Sullivan, which you have to admire the tenacity and adoration they have for the club. Though I believe that they are doing this because they are basing the capitol for these deals on the hope that they will receive the tenancy for the Olympic Stadium and the profit that the move would bring.
Though the question is, how do we deal with the Moral dilemma of Leyton Orient? It would be criminal if we moved onto their patch and as Barry Herne has made it clear, this could cripple Leyton Orient. This questions the morality of Messer Gold and Sullivan, how can the club release the drive that we are ‘Moore than a football club’? How can the owners base part of this on helping the clubs around us, for example letting clubs use Rush Green as a training ground and then go and cripple the most local club we have, only a mere four miles from the Boleyn Ground? I believe that it would be wrong of us to cripple such a historic club that has as much right to be in the Olympic Stadium as we do.
Whether we see Leyton Orient as a small club that will forever be in our shadow is irrelevant. The club needs to handle this situation very delicately, the last problem that the club needs is to answer question to potentially kill a fellow football club. West Ham United have already told the press that they would not want to ground share with Leyton Orient as it could harm the prospects of the club and the prospects of the bid. The club released in a recent statement “West Ham United has not held talks with Leyton Orient in respect of ground sharing and nor is it our intention to do so,” the statement read. “We do not wish to comment on recent statements made by Barry Hearn not least because we can’t keep up with his ever-changing position. “They continue, however, to provide us with a constant source of amusement.’
I can understand why many West Ham fans would read this and feel that this 17-year-old boy has just neglected every single piece of history and achievement that the club has gained from Upton Park. You may feel, how can West Ham United leave a ground where Moore played at, and called home? Upton Park is home to some of favorite my memories as a young lad. My first memory of football is walking into the chicken run and feeling the strong scent of Meat Pie and Ale in my nostrils, I’ve been a season ticket holder for 10 years now, and still I am as animated a fan as I was seeing Paolo Di Canio beat the Ipswich defense and slot home.
West Ham United seem pretty adamant that they will not share the Olympic Stadium with Leyton Orient, if they are granted tenancy. Though, Roberto Mancini once said that former Hammers favorite, Carlos Tevez wouldn’t play for Manchester City again under his leadership. That story ended with Martin Tyler screaming Aguero. It seems that Football can change drastically in just a matter of Months, Days or Hours, though the future of two teams that are steeped in rich heritage in the heart of the East-End of London, should not be one that is quickly decided with some haste.
Moved onto their patch? Are you serious? Its in the borough of Newham, you know, where West Ham are based.
It won’t affect Orient at all, supporters support their own club and thats how it is, no matter what division they are in.
Barry Heran is an oddball and even he doesn’t know what he wants (other than money from somewhere). I feel sorry for Orient fans having to put up with the rubbish he comes out with.
Well, here we are again and again! There are only so many times you can put the facts and figures in the Olympic mix and come up with west ham as the answer! Yet some people seem hell bent on ignoring these facts. A year ago we were the only creditable bid and a year on we still are. In fact if anything our hand has only been strengthened! Previously as sole owner the onus for converted the ground for football fell largely on us. But a year on as a perspective tenant that onus falls back on the government and Olympics team, as why should west ham foot the bill if they are not the owners. This coupled with the fact that despite all the protesting there is not a creditable alternative to the hammers bid. Only a football club can make the stadium work and not only do west ham have the best football bid they also have the best bid full stop! Knowledge of this allows the irons board to play hard bll for the best deal for west ham. This is why boris has been bought in to try and bully the club into accepting a less favourable deal. This is what all the dragging heals is about. It is simply disgraceful! For the sake of the legacy and more importantly the sake of decentcy west hams bid should be accepted as soon as possible so the whole sorry episode can be concluded with as much dignity as possible.
Lets forget the Olympic stadium. We’ve been mucked about too much, let orient have it that will be financially viable!!! Or let it rot and in 5 years they’ll be asking ‘why didn’t they let west ham have it’. Sod the legacy committee and BJ they can sort it out when it’s a disastrous white elephant. As for us, we can find a new site or develop the east stand.
As an Orient fan, I find it cras for any Hammer to suggest that it would not adversely affect us. As Gold and Sullivan have clearly stated, they will give away free tickets to try and fill the stadium. So, if you we’re a youth, in receipt of one of those tickets, where are you going to go, for free, or pay £10+ to see Orient. Only a complete ignoramus would not be able to understand that argument.
And pray, why is it such a hardship to share the ground? After all, as is clearly stated in this article, WHU are not the owners, so surely the landlord decides? I see this as positioning by Gold and his buddies to try and keep the cake all for themselves. I think this article is one of the few I have read from a WHU perspective that actually talks some sense. Where it will all end up, I am not sure, but my guess is that Boris wants you guys in, but if he casts us adrift, with the aid if Gold and his cohorts, then I think it will end up in court again, as we will not go down without a massive fight.
There is a good reason why no-one can share the new stadium – all bids have been submitted and not one of them was to share the stadium. ie West Ham put a bid in for THEM, Orient put a bid in for THEM.
Why should West Ham pay £10m a year rent and Orient pay £50,000? they’d be using the same facilities.
Leyton Orient, London Orient, Orient or whoever Hearn wants to call you can’t even fill their current ground as it stands and will NEVER amount to a club of any size regardless of the proximity of West Ham United to their ground (which happens to be in OUR borough!). Ground sharing is OUT in my opinion and would prevent the useful use of the facilities for the community and cause possible clashes of fixtures!
NO…..not a chance of sharing with a club owned by a maniac!
Techno trousers you make a valid point however being a west ham fan i am growing tiredly frustrated with Hearn he complained he did not want west ham to move closer to the o’s as he felt they will overpower and take all their fans however ground sharing and being on top of each other surely the same will occur. in nottingham Notts county have never complained and their stadium is just across the river from nottingham forest, if the o’s and hearn were not interseted in the money aspect why have they not contacted west ham about taking over the boleyn ground, the excuse of losing fans by Hearn is exactly that an excuse where i greedy psychopath wants money and more money!!
Good reply jonsauze, and I too am getting fed up with it. Lets be clear – there is greed and ambition on both sides. The difference is, is that our desire is merely not to be put out of business. Gold and Sullivans ambition is to reduce the debts, and includes the destruction of our club.
I am sick to death of the whole thing, and I don;t even know if I would want Orient to share the OS. What I do know, is that I do not want us to be trampled over by WHU, and for them to put us out of business.
What gets me is that there has never been any real animosity between our sets of fans. Indeed, many years ago, many Hammers fans went to see The O’s and vice versa, but these days it seems that some supporters have nothing but antipathy and hatred for us. We’re not big enough for you guys to dislike, and we are never going to be real challengers to you lot. Now if you were talking Millwall, I could understand it. So why not have some level of fair play and compassion for the small guy too, and give them a chance as well.
TT
I don’t think anyone dislikes Orient fans. It’s just your Chairmen – who changes his opinion with the wind. I think most agree that point. The groundshare idea was something Brady said we might consider a long, long time ago. Hearn said no interest. It never got to the table because of him. Funnily enough after all his ploys, WHU owners are not interested (nor can they be as the bid is submitted).
There is a fact here. The OS is going to be a massive failure if it doesn’t get regular use. It will be tricky for WHU to make a go of a 60k stadium. It would be ridiculous for Orient to play there. That could really be destructive for them.
Techno Trousers. You find it crass that Hammers might suggest that us in the OS wouldn’t affect Brisbane Road gates? I know a few O’s season ticketholders and they find it downright insulting that Hearn suggests that it will. Supporters that follow the lower league clubs are not as fickle as many of the glory idiots interested only in prem league. It’s just not comparable.
Barry Hearn has changed his mind so many times. First he was after another arena at the park getting handed across to the O’s. At that time, a groundshare was out of the question for him. Now he is in his last-chance saloon and trying to derail the process again. What a joke, Orient playing in a 60k empty cavernous arena. That’s much more likely to scare away their faithful than us playing nearby.
I should add that if Hearn believes his blarney, a groundshare scheme would not work at all and kill his club. After all if he really thinks £10 a ticket for Hammers would kill O’s gates at Brisbane Road, why would these turncoat supporters (he tars his own fans as) bother going to the OS this Saturday to watch Orient if they can go next Saturday and watch us for a tenner? His argument is totally flawed and all can see it.
I’ve just checked out Brisbane Road gate prices: http://www.leytonorient.com/tickets/ticket-prices/
£20-£40 entry – shouldn’t Hearn’s logic already apply with the discounts often given at the Boleyn? That’s my point about the lower leagues – the owners charge relatively higher prices because the supporters are die hard. You should respect your fans more.
Crapton Orient have been going down hill since Hearn took over.They wouldn’t be able to afford half the rent for the OS.
I see the ‘considered’ replies are up to their usual standard. Basically, most WHU fans cannot give a t0ss about anyone else, as long as they are OK. Lets see how you would feel if Chelsea suddenly showed an interest, and you were the ‘small’ club.
If i remember rightly didnt the spurs put in for it along with u and that didnt bother us. Yea i do feel for u orient fans seeing a better club move right next to u, but if hearn had an ambition then like west ham winning promotion orient would of tried thesame
Techno trousers what are you on about “lets see how you would like it…” you sound like you are 6 years of age and if you are 6 or not then im sorry but if Chelsea showed an interest people would laugh at them for showing their obvious greed and forgetting their own roots. Their own fans wouldn’t even want this. SO sorry but your talking Nonsense.
Did you not hear about Tottenham’s comical bid. Lol i laugh at that to this day but we all know that bid was only submitted to scupper West Hams chances of getting it and the fact that we would be a far more enticing club then Spurs for less money unlike them glory hunters who have been spending money for years trying to just compete .
COYI
Chelsea/Tottenham move to Newham lol do me a favor!!
So if those 2 teams submitted bids should they grounds share with leyton Orient aswell all three of them ground sharing…..lol
you see how ridiculous all you HATERS sound now !
Not worthy of a response……..
Orients ‘core’ support has always been through generations of families continuing to go to Brisbane Road and will continue to be. Why do Orient think that West Ham moving into the OS will have any effect on this or are even the most ardent of supporters turning their back on the club? If you were a new or floating supporter looking to watch a game, who would you choose between the 2 clubs? Exactly. Barry the sham should invest a few more quid into his club and try and make them a bit more of an attractive prospect, then he may have a more credible argument. The guy’s a comedian.
ive got a terrible feeling this stadium decision will be another f up from the government. im almost resigned to the fact.
Unfortunately Orient have got a legal case and a business case. This is what makes it so tricky. They need to be buttered up, either with a pay off, legal compensation or with a nice prize. Perhaps the prize could be sharing the stadium?
The problem with them sharing the stadium however is that they suddenly become a very attractive takeover target. None of the west ham massive debts. A new stadium with all the same potential. And within a few seasons (after a bit of investment) they could find themselves in the premier league as well. And potentially with brighter prospects than west ham themselves.
Hearn will make a killing if they win the right to share.
My first choice conclusion to it all is that West Ham turn Upton Park into a first class stadium by building up the East Stand, the corners, and reintroducing terraces in some sections. And stick 2 fingers up to the lot of them. Who cares about vip boxes? Or state of the art toilets? Or eating facilities? i dont.
My second choice is sole ownership of the Olympic stadium with retractable seats. Or renting, if it must be.
My distant third is a sharing rental agreement with Orient. Sharing can work because Rome and Lazio do it. But it’s a massive present to Orient and much less appealing to us.
My forth choice is to stay where we are, in the stadium as it is, and stick 2 fingers up to the lot of them. … and i wouldnt be too upset if that happened to be honest.
Another delay to allow time for a better bid to come in from somewhere. I wish the Hammers would leave this place to rot rather than ,yet again, being treated like the girl who only gets consideration when the pub landlord calls time.
Sharing is not an option. West Ham’s bid to be sole tenant complies with the stadium’s multi-use criteria. It wouldn’t be available for other events if 2 teams were playing on it 4 days out of 7.
The issue of the running track is completely bogus. How many football fans know exactly how far their seat is away from the centre spot or penalty spot. A few more metres won’t make a scrap of difference.
“The issue of the running track is completely bogus. How many football fans know exactly how far their seat is away from the centre spot or penalty spot. A few more metres won’t make a scrap of difference.”
Shocked that anyone would think that! Have you looked at the superimpose of the current OS seating plan over the Boleyn? If you were on the current front seats at the halfway line, you’d be sitting on Priory Road (ie behind the entire East Stand). Did you sit behind goal at the old Wembley? The view was woeful (compounded by the shallow seating gradient, much like the OS). It makes a massive difference and I’m surprised anyone who goes to watch footie would not understand that.
This stadium is not an option if there is no retractable seating. We can not compromise on that.
I don’t understand this “West Ham will take our fans away from us” argument. It’s nonsense. You don’t support a football club because they have cheaper seats. Leyton Orient fans, like West Ham fans, support their club through emotional attachments and family traditions. That won’t change just because a club down the road may have cheaper seats. In fact, it’s an insult to true football fans to even suggest that.
As for intruding on Leyton Orient’s manner, what are you talking about? The borough of Newham is West Ham’s area. It’s fuck all to do with Leyton Orient.
People will grow up and continue to support West Ham and Leyton Orient, regardless of the stadium they play in, the league they play in, the size of the club. As I said before, the football club you grow up to support is in your blood and no offer of cheap tickets will change that. Hearn’s just trying to use this as an excuse to squeeze a bit of compensation out of someone.
If West Ham pulled out of the bid the OS would be fucked. No other bid can offer what we’re offering.
Im sorry what a rubbish article . West ham is in the London Borough of Newham. Leyton O is not.
No disrespect to the O’s but what did the London Borough of Waltham Forest(which is where they are located) have to do with the Olympic Stadium .
The olympic Stadium is based in the same London Borough as West Ham .. Which is again i say for clarification Based in Newham.
Lazy Journalism jumping on the HATE West Ham band wagon.
Dont be scared of WestHam becoming a Bigger club with bigger ambitions and im sure realistic ones .
Either way no one can take away the excitment and buzz of our new look club and what this will genearate . Dont hate Westham for being in the borough of Newham.
We dont have a god given right to it no one does but common sense springs to mind and if the Olympic park has to go to a football team then its west ham who are the obvious choice and not option i may add there are no other options Westham is only established club in Newham .And established or not they are the only club in Newham!
Fortunes always hidding ..well now it look like the fortunes and the future is right here for and right now for all westham fans. A new chapter and this is what scares the HATERS . I feel sorry for you. With our famous tradition and 1966 heros people want to begrudge Westham the keys to the olympic park . Im sure i didnt here this outcry and obvious fast when Manchester City got their keys. No one was bothered apart from Man Utd and rightly so The same way if Everton were to expand there ground Liverpool will be looking over therir shoulder thinking Hmmm we better watch out!!
Well yes if Westham do get the keys you HATERS better watch out . And if and When we do get those Keys you will hate it even more when your own team has to come to our new ground and get played of the park because Mr Dicanio will be im sure at the Helm its going to be looking very Rosey mate . So you better pray for your own sake that another comical disruption of Westhams Bid happens again. First Tottenham and now Leyton Orient. Give it a rest .
Go and create your own bit of luck or fortune, leave us to ours . Our beloved club is a great one with alot mre tradition and history with this country then even some who dominate the top four on a regular basis . Again no disrespect to those said four clubs i like them all really but you dont here any of them moaning about us moving, even though they will all be looking with intent at the situation as there could be a new challenger in their top four mini league, much like how they keeping a tight watch on Everton at the moment due to their current league form.
Its all fair competition and i salute those teams for their NON interference with what obviously doesnt concern them only on a competeing basis.
So Leyton Orient please follow suit and shuttuppa your Face(in my best Mr Dicanio accent )
This whole situation is non of your concern!
zip it and do one son!
COYI
Phew Rant offically over !! LOL
If we are talking about right then it can only be West Ham, it is our borough and we have presented the Legacy Committee with the only viable bid that will ensure the legacy promised is delivered. If we harbour any ambition of fulfilling our potential as a club then we have to move from UP unfortunately. The logistics of getting to UP, the facilities and the ground itself are just not conducive to our desire to swim with the big boys. There will be no real investment whilst we remain at UP and we need both the OS and investment to move us forwards. I do not see us bringing about the death knell of Leyton Orient, if you are a real fan you will always be.
Probably see you lot in court then. At least some of the posters here and the article itself had a considered and fair view. Most did not however, as I expected.
Bye
TT