West Ham United’s new home at the London Stadium has still failed to win over supporters despite the Hammers moving across London 18 months ago, with the venue suffering from a number of teething problems.
Fans still miss Upton Park and the latest reveal is likely to ruffle a few more feathers in East London, with The Telegraph revealing the Hammers specifically asked to play away from home on Boxing Day.
The Premier League side were said to be concerned on the congestion stress around Stratford Station if a league fixture was held alongside the Boxing Day sales, a request that was granted with an away trip to Bournemouth instead.
Last year, the Hammers played away from home against Swansea City, a whopping 230 mile trip for supporters, and it’s likely to be something that West Ham fans have to deal with for the foreseeable future as Boxing Day sales are crucial for the Stratford area.
However, the club said in a statement that Boxing Day matches will take place at the London Stadium in the future.
“It is not uncommon for emergency services or other stakeholders to make requests to the Premier League to avoid certain fixture dates, however these requests will not always be granted by the Premier League and we fully expect to play at London Stadium on Boxing Day in future seasons.”
