The day you become a supporter of West Ham United, is also the day you will receive a lifetime ticket to ride a big rollercoaster.
Highs and lows, twists and turns, excitement and nerves.
But just imagine riding this rollercoaster with a blindfold on – Well that’s kind of how I felt when I first started watching West Ham in the early hours of the morning here in Australia.
Roughly 17,000kms separates London from Sydney, or in my case, me from row EE seat number 60 in the Bobby Moore Lower.
Giving up your seat is always going to be a sacrifice. However the biggest challenge comes when you start to follow the Hammers on a weekly basis in a new country.
Most games kick off after midnight Australia time, so you have a couple of options. Soldier through with no sleep and attempt to last the duration, or get some sleep beforehand and set your alarm clock for just before kick-off.
The whole world hates alarm clocks. They usually wake you up when you don’t want to be woken.
But when that screeching bell wakes you up for a West Ham match, this changes. By the time you have turned your laptop on, spent ten minutes searching for the best possible stream, made a cup of tea and turned your pillow over, the game has started.
Lying in bed, watching West Ham can sound quite appealing and cosy. But when it’s 4.30am and you are trying your hardest to keep your eyes open in the 66th minute, as the match hangs on a knife-edge, it really isn’t that cosy at all.
And what makes it worse is you have nobody around you to vent your emotions too, as most sensible people are asleep. It’s only when, in the 80th minute, Kevin Nolan comes up with what looks like the winning goal that the whole occasion actually seems worthwhile.
You can now sleep a happy Hammer, but all you really want to do is go out and celebrate the win. When the team loses, the only consolation is that you can go to sleep and forget about the result instantly without having to sit in a traffic jam dwelling on it.
The Sydney Hammers supporters group provides the opportunity to feel a bit more at home when watching West Ham play in Australia.
It’s amazing what having a regular meeting point with fellow supporters can do to make following your team overseas that bit more enjoyable. An atmosphere is created and a togetherness formed. This is the next best thing after being in your seat at The Boleyn.
So when you are riding the rollercoaster and you are given the chance to ride it with the Sydney Hammers, who are just like you, the blindfold can be removed and you can see light again and enjoy the ride with a bit more comfort.
Come on you Irons!
In Ottawa I think we are spoiled with live EPL TV footy. We’re only 5 hours behind GMT. My Saturday mornings during the season are filled with the early game 745am, 3 games at 10am, and then the late game at 1230pm. Sunday morning is not unusual to get two and sometimes 3 lives games. Then we have the Monday and other mid-week live games. All other games are shown delayed later the same day.
There is a certain amount of angst associated with not being at the stadium. My wife says she can hear me shouting, swearing, cheering, and clapping at the TV during the games. She just doesn’t understand how someone can get so emotional about a game!
I do miss my pubs, beer, and footy, but let’s face it, getting to and from the Boleyn Ground was awful. Can’t wait for the move to Stratford!
COYI