| Tell me you learn to love it? 19:17 - May 1 with 998 views | LTLWHU |
Firstly - I come in peace. I'm a West Ham fan who regularly drives up the A12, casting an envious glance at your football stadium. I'm on a mission to find out how you feel about it, 10 years on.
Your ground looks awesome. For those of you unaware, many of us are less than thrilled at being in an athletics stadium, miles away from the football.
Your ground does share some of the attributes of ours, in as much as it is 'out of town', and 'easy to get to' - for away fans, anyway. We are finding the move hard, for many 'on the pitch' reasons, but also many more 'off the pitch' - particularly, we had our pubs, our clubs, our burger vans, our food stalls, souvenir stalls, shops.... in short - our community.
Now, we have a twenty minute walk to the station, with no access to the shopping centre.
How do you feel 10 years on? Is it 'home'? Do you like the park & ride? How have you come to terms with it?
Many thanks,
LTL |  | | |  |
| Tell me you learn to love it? on 20:17 - May 1 with 988 views | Fruitbat |
Its actually a very difficult question and has to be looked at two ways.
On the one hand the place had to be built. Layer Road was knackered, set in a residential area and had so many restrictions on its use that prevented the club from exploiting other income streams.
But........ I'd been watching football there for over 30 years. It was home. I'd watched from every part of it, seen us play Manchester United, beat Ipswich, drop into the Conference,, get out of the Conference, get into the Championship, STAY in the Championship.....you get the picture. When we left I took a picture of the seats me and my dad sat in when I first had a season ticket as a kid, its on his mantlepiece.
WHCS, or whatever it'll be called next season with the new sponsors, doesn't feel the same. It probably didn't help that we moved off the back of relegation, or that the season ticket pricing for the first season was completely botched, or that we've been largely mediocre since we got there, or that it still feels like its in the middle of nowhere although stuff is starting to be built round it.
Do you learn to love it? Maybe one day, but certainly not yet. |  | | |
| Tell me you learn to love it? on 20:24 - May 1 with 984 views | LTLWHU |
| Tell me you learn to love it? on 20:17 - May 1 by Fruitbat |
Its actually a very difficult question and has to be looked at two ways.
On the one hand the place had to be built. Layer Road was knackered, set in a residential area and had so many restrictions on its use that prevented the club from exploiting other income streams.
But........ I'd been watching football there for over 30 years. It was home. I'd watched from every part of it, seen us play Manchester United, beat Ipswich, drop into the Conference,, get out of the Conference, get into the Championship, STAY in the Championship.....you get the picture. When we left I took a picture of the seats me and my dad sat in when I first had a season ticket as a kid, its on his mantlepiece.
WHCS, or whatever it'll be called next season with the new sponsors, doesn't feel the same. It probably didn't help that we moved off the back of relegation, or that the season ticket pricing for the first season was completely botched, or that we've been largely mediocre since we got there, or that it still feels like its in the middle of nowhere although stuff is starting to be built round it.
Do you learn to love it? Maybe one day, but certainly not yet. |
Thanks Fruitbat... I get it...
The Upton Park i went to in the 80's wasn't the same ground I went to 3 years ago... but I went with my Grandad... and they were the very best of times. I was hoping that 10 years made a difference... that you built new memories... forged new traditions... but maybe not. Maybe 10 years isn't enough. Maybe you need cup victories... local derbies.
Thanks again for your answer. | | | |
| Tell me you learn to love it? on 21:02 - May 1 with 977 views | Leadbelly |
As Fruitbat said, it had to happen. I was involved in a campaign to get it built and was one of several Us fans who spoke at the council meeting that finally approved the development. I was fully committed to the new ground. Do I love it? No. Will I ever love it? Doubtful. I am, however, still certain it was the right thing to do.
The new ground was a fantastic opportunity to grow and strengthen the club whilst making it an integral part of the community, as the name suggests it should be. I'm afraid that hasn't happened and I'm sceptical that it ever will. | |
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| Tell me you learn to love it? on 22:26 - May 1 with 962 views | TheHappyGooner |
I’m a Derby fan and Mr Happy of this site - let’s face it - it ain’t the same and never will be - I have had some great moments at Pride Park but the Baseball Ground was electric and will
never ever be matched . As for West Ham - they need to shift the seats closer or pull it down. I can go there for free - the London stadium - but don’t bother - I found it boring. I live in Tottenham and that stadium is in the right place - right amongst it lol- as it should be . I loved Layer Road and all the Old grounds - be thankful you had the memories - but West Ham is simply dead in the water and I sometimes go to Millwall (forgive me) because it’s the closest I can get to the old days (obviously nothing like the old Den). [Post edited 1 May 2018 22:31]
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| Tell me you learn to love it? on 09:56 - May 2 with 919 views | bwildered |
Still no legacy or feel good factor, this will continue at least until on the pitch the club can have a successful promotion campaign .
Surprisingly we have only dropped one level of football since our move to the new stadium, but a quick return has not been forthcoming, with the product on display mostly uninspiring or unadventurous .
At present the whole package can only be judged by success on the pitch, I rest my case . [Post edited 2 May 2018 17:36]
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| Tell me you learn to love it? on 14:33 - May 2 with 895 views | LTLWHU |
Thank you for your responses. We are eight years behind you, but I fear heading on the same journey. The opinions here can all be found on any West Ham site - which is a shame - I was hoping that time would make you all love it by now.
Football. Bloody Hell.
This time last season I was adamant that I wouldn't renew. This year, I definitely won't renew. I guess next year I certainly won't renew... yet somehow come August, I'll still be there...complaining... :) | | | |
| Tell me you learn to love it? on 18:01 - May 2 with 875 views | bwildered |
Wether next week or season, we all live in hope LTL . | |
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