The West Ham Chronicles – Part One

My journey as a West Ham United fan begins in a Junior School playground in the autumn of 1985.  I was 7 years old living in Leigh on Sea, with no local club to support, Southend United?  Nah not having that!  Therefore, I had the choice of many a club to support and perhaps at the age I was and with Liverpool winning everything in sight I could have followed the ‘sheep’ and became a plastic scouser.

To my credit, I did not go down that path and following a game of football in the playground, with the token small tennis ball which all kids used in the 1980’s my friend picked me for his side and told me that I could play up front as Tony Cottee.  From that moment the up and down journey of being a supporter of West Ham United began.

Things were good at first, West Ham regularly won games, scored goals and had a flamboyant blonde striker who would become my first West Ham hero.  We finished 3^rd, top club in London and next season I was sure that we would win the league, no problem!  I should have known better, my Dad, who was raised in East Ham and Barking should have sat me down and warned me that this is West Ham, don’t dare to dream!  I can still pinpoint the first time that West Ham let me down; Spurs 5 West Ham 0, in early 1987, there was mutiny on the playground as claret and blue turned to white, suddenly West Ham were deemed not very good and some of my friends showed weakness and turned to the dark side, I still do not trust them to this day!  I stayed loyal, what could I do?!  I had the full replica kit (home & away), Frank McAvennie did not play for the dark side and as far as I was concerned West Ham would regain the heights of a few months earlier.

Funnily enough it as it this point where I first went to the Boleyn Ground with my Dad.  Less funny was that we lost 2-0 to Norwich, however, I loved everything about the day and my addictive, love-hate relationship with West Ham United really began.

So here I am now, June 2013 and we have just finished mid-table in our first season back in the Premier League.  Things are strangely calm, we have a manager who, while splits opinion, is doing the job which is being asked of him, the owners are West Ham through and through and we are moving to a new stadium which should take us to the next level.  The only way is up surely?!   Yeah righto, this is West Ham United if it can go wrong then it will go wrong horribly wrong.

So what defines for me being a Hammer?  There is a number of things and in all honesty it is hard to define or explain.  However, I shall attempt to rhyme some reasoning to it all and share with you some of my thoughts and memories;

The Boleyn Ground

Prior to the stadium becoming all seater, I simply loved everything about the ground.  The way supporters were on top of the players, the incredible atmosphere, the general feel and smell of the old place.  Granted, it was not in the greatest condition, but this was not ever the point, it was intimidating for the away team and for me as a youngster, just such an exciting place to be.  Once I was old enough to go to games on my own I used to stand on the North Bank, sometimes I could not see a great deal, but to be honest I did not really care, it cost very little to get in, I and my mates could stand where we want and feel free to jump around without a care in the world.  As we got older we promoted ourselves to the Chicken Run, now this truly was great times, so many characters that we nicknamed such as Jesus, Brit-pop Man, The Bear and Both and Tarbuck!! These names will, I imagine, mean nothing to you, but I am sure you can identify with my way of thinking!

The ground is now not recognisable from those days and to be honest no longer holds the affection that I once held for it.  However, on certain games (Ipswich in the play-off semi in 2004) it can give you that special feeling.  I have had a season ticket in the Bobby Lower for last couple of seasons and you still get the characters but I feel it is now time to move on as the old ground is now feeling rather tired.  Sadly I don’t think the Olympic Stadium will ever give me that feeling that the Boleyn did and when we move a part of my West Ham United will fade into history.

The 1992-1993 Season

Why you may ask?!  We had just been relegated of the back of the disastrous Bond season, the club was at all-time low, fans in uproar and our squad was in all honesty not very good.   Did I care?  No, this was the first season that my parents let me go on my own to the football and I was going to take advantage!  My mates and I had our spot on the North Bank and following a shaky start the team was looking good.  Trevor Morley and Clive Allen were banging the goals in left, right and centre, Julian Dicks was exceptional, except when he was getting sent off every other week!  The games were entertaining and it all came to any exciting conclusion on the last day where it came down to us or Portsmouth as to who would go up with Newcastle.  Cambridge United at home was our fixture and on paper an easy win.  In typical West Ham fashion we made it difficult until the anti-hero David Speedie put us in front, Julian then ran halfway up the pitch squared it to Clive Allen, 2-0 and we were back in the big time.

This season while certainly not the best in terms of football played and in what continued to be a turbulent time in the clubs history, crowds were well down as the fans continued to show their disgust to the board with regards the Bond scheme, will remain in my eyes a special time.  I was hooked and a season ticket was purchased the next season without hesitation.

Julian Dicks

My ultimate West Ham hero, he had everything you looked for in a footballer, skill, passion, determination, aggression and loyalty.

Julian played for us during some pretty torrid times, that being two relegations, however, he remained a joy to watch.  He could score goals, was deadly from the penalty spot and liked a tackle (that is putting mildly) and most importantly considering he was a left back he could defend.  As mentioned above  in season 92-93 he was amazing, despite the red cards and when we sold him to Liverpool soon after I was devastated.  In the short-term it was a great deal for the club, however, we were lumbered with Lee Chapman for a period of time!  When he returned I was elated, so excited to see the main man back and until injury struck he remained our best player and more often than not rather embarrassingly our main goal threat.

I believe that we have not ever replaced him at left back since his retirement in 1999, remember Scott Minto? (Shudders!)

Julian is coaching now and given his obvious passion for West Ham it is disappointing a role has not been found for him at the club, surely he has something to offer?

Tottenham Hotspur 

Now don’t get me wrong, horrible mob this lot but they have given me some of my best and worst memories.

Season 93/94, we play them away towards end of season, we are safe, they are not, unbelievably we win 4-1 and to this day this remains my greatest away day with the Hammers.  I still remember the goal scorers; Rag Doll Morley got two, Mike Marsh with one and Steve “Steptoe” Jones, scored the other goal despite the worst first touch ever.  Another fond memory was Matthew Rush calling Sol Campbell a rude name, for all the West Ham fans to hear!  Think “See you next Tuesday” and you will get my drift!  A few weeks later we went to Highbury and turned Arsenal over 2-0!  Granted they had their second string out as they had a cup final coming up, but did I give a monkeys!?

Season 96/97, we are in trouble at the bottom, Harry Redknapp is in last chance saloon, following the failure of his foreign buying policy.  He has splashed the cash on John Hartson and Paul Kitson to get us out of trouble.  Spurs visit us on a cold, windy February evening and this game had the lot, we end up winning 4-3, Julian is amazing in one of last games before his knee gives up again, while Hartson and Kitson bang the goals in.  The win gives the team the confidence for rest of the season and in the end we comfortably stay up.

Season 06/07, West Ham are rock bottom, relegation looks a formality, Alan Curbishley will not pick our best player, namely one South American who would end up costing the club millions.  Spurs are in town and must fancy their chances.  We lose the game 4-3 in heart-breaking fashion, however it is the turning point in what had been a depressing season.  Tevez scores and is up and running, the team find some self-belief from the despair and we go on an incredible run which sees us secure safety at Old Trafford on the last day of the season.  I could not make this game, so watched it down the local pub, a mix of Hammers and Spurs fans, despite the cruel defeat, it was the Hammers in the pubs singing into the night as the Spurs boys just watched on, smugness on their faces but deep down wishing they had such passion and pride for their football club.