Today for many marks the end of a great romance, a love affair of history, comradeship, allegiance and pride, an affair of the heart and the mind, the mistress and the wife combined. After tonight the smell of the burgers, the mad traffic, the crowded pubs and off licences keen to oil the wheels of fans making their way to the Old Lady that is the Boleyn Ground, continuously and annoyingly referred to as Upton Park by lazy journalists and commentators, will be no more. That's it, all the memories, all the sights and sounds of thunderous nights under the lights will forever be consigned to the past, to some it is a regrettable change that they cannot fully comprehend yet, to others leaving the Boleyn is the price of progress. Tonight will be steeped in emotion and history, which is as it should be, there will be 'ceremonies' and stuff! All the old players who are still able will attend the match against Manchester Utd, a match which has seen tickets changing hands for crazy money (over £1,000), although the demand may have died down a bit following last weekend's humiliating loss to Swansea! The problem with 'planning' surprises is that they tend to not be as exciting or as desirable for those watching as they are for those who did all the planning, pray to your god that the Hammers hierarchy don't carry out their 'threat' to have a giant hologram of 'Sir' Bobby stroll across the pitch he once graced, it would have the dear chap turning over in his grave.
Any doubts most fans have about moving to the Olympic Stadium will evaporate once the new season is under way, fans sitting in tonight's traffic jams or trying to squeeze through the match day one way system at Upton Park tube, will reminisce about how great it was, but they will be extremely happy that their journey to and from the new stadium will be so much easier, and also that it will be possible to have a family day out in the pleasant surroundings of the Olympic Park.
Bye Bye Boleyn, and thanks for the great memories, but time stands for no man. - Ed
Comments
Emotions are gonna be very
Emotions are gonna be very high today, never thought this day would ever come ..... West Ham ain't just a club its a family,Football will lose one of the most English and atmospheric grounds of all time,do us proud for the grand finale boys COYI
moore 6 legend ..
Agree .. It's a Big Big night tonight for us .. Albeit personally I wish were staying put .. But hopefully it will be a case of onwards and Upwards for our Club only time will tell on that one .. As far as tonight goes I hope Slav starts with Sakho instead of Carroll and we also have Antonio playing in his favoured position of which should have happened against Swansea .. Oh and we Pass a hell of a lot better around the half way line than we did against them in the Cup ! .. Having said that I still like the idea of a Sakho and Valencia up front pairing from a potential Pace point of view !
Yeah Hope tonks starts and we
Yeah Hope tonks starts and we go for the jugular tonight steve COYI
Defence needs to keep calm
Defence needs to keep calm and disciplined. Play the match not the occasion.
Very true words red
Very true words red
I cant really find the words
I cant really find the words today. Sitting here in my 1975 Wembley home shirt just waiting for kick off. Been going to The Boleyn since 1978 and supporting the irons since 1968 and I'm just a baby compared to most. Second only to my family in importance to my life WHUFC......
The pavements are wet
Currently with rain water, but later with tears.
A Daily Mirror journalist attempted to write a piece on the old girl today. Got the tone right but he conveyed it horribly. Some one else wrote too, correctly, that most stadia these days are like Triggers broom. It is the same place, but not recognisable from the 60's/70's/80's etc. New stands, seats, change in fanbase. Football is nothing like what is was 30 years ago.
I still recall (and have bored many with the tale) of my first sight of Upton Park.
March 1983.
7 years old.
Holding Dad and Grandad's hand.
Seeing the huge site emerge from my left as we walked down from the station. Staring up at the West Stand and seeing thousands look back out, smoking, eating, drinking, swearing, laughing. I was hooked.
And so 33 years later, having taken my 2 boys to their last games a few weeks back I ready myself for tonight.
I'm not going.
Not sure I could stomach it even if I could.
I'll be watching on with my boys. Secretly wiping the tears away.
I'm very much a forward thinking person. But I'm very emotional and never forget the past.
Pitch invasions for the Bond Scheme, last day on the North Bank, last day on the South Bank, being lifted off my feet by crowd surges, laughing as a ball knocked someone out, being scared as rival fans fought in Green Street.
I've met more friends than I care to recall at this ground (and away). And universally (opposition fans too) there is one thing they all agree.
Upton Park under the lights. Nothing like it.
How a run down dirty corner of London can be transformed into a glowing coliseum of passion, noise, madness.
I think one game made my hair stand up on my neck in the 00' and that was the play off semi final victory against Ipswich. The 80's and 90's had too many to mention.
Fewer latterly. I think that's just football these day. That and the pricing. Many ordinary folk couldn't/cant afford it. That's why the OS has £54,000 ST's. Set the price right, they will come. Everyone knows our fanbase is massive. Just never had the trophies to show it off. That could, could, change now. We'll see.
One nice thing has been the silence from the "you'll never fill that place!". Oh, we can...
So the gates will be closed for the last time tonight. Cameras and phones will be flashing left right and centre. Media will all try to think of another shot no-one else got. Bubbles will be sung around 499 times.
In the middle there is a game! Sods law Utd do us! its bound to happen!
But irrespective of Europe, this game is about far more for me.
I don't think the loss of the Boleyn will truly sink in for a while yet.
I wont miss the area or the station, not even the pubs.
But that hallowed piece of turf and noise that hooked a 7 year old will never change.
The OS is a wonderful opportunity blah blah. It will be lovely. But it will never be the Boleyn,
That's what we need to remember tonight.
Enjoy the game Nev, et al. And remember, I'm not crying its just something in my eye...
God bless you old girl.
COYI.
Having watched some of the
Having watched some of the documentaries on the ground and about the club recently it's strikes me about how sterile football and the game has become. We are next it seems. Part of what we are about is down to the fact the ground is jammed in tightly amongst small shops, close to homes on top of them. A real blast from the past it is. Old film showing people watching from the roof of the stands! Hanging out of the window of the flats in the corner. The fact the players used to train in the car park at times, supporters right down the neck of the players during games. Smart arse comments from the fans that cuts the tension in one swipe. The area being real life. In a lot of ways it reminds me of the spirit of the British during 39-45 no one is gonna run over us without them knowing about it! Our club reflects that scruffy rascal from the sixties with the snotty nose who spends his days playing on the building suite trying to pull a fast one on the local gents and often getting away with it.
heart stuck in throat
could burst anytime
COYI
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFPAtSyA-0X/
last saturday
I said my last goodbyes on Saturday, standing in a queue for 3/4 hr at nathans, grown geezers coming out with a tear in there eyes.
a couple of pints in a cram packed Boleyn pub. It was just a shame of the result. that was made up in meeting up ( selfie ) with two of my boyhood hero's in the car park Sir Trevor and Ron Boyce ( who's looking good ) In a way I'm sort of glad I'm not there tonight not 'cos of the miles traveling from the midlands and getting up the next day at 5 after coming home in the early hours, I'll put my hand up and say it would of been too much emotion tonight..I've been to a rugby game at the OS and all I can say is it's a new page in our history book and a new era....God bless The Boleyn..
Count me out Nev
If anything, last night convinced me that we should not be leaving The Boleyn. The atmosphere last night was electric. I haven't renewed my ST for next season and sincerely have no regrets. Will look forward to tuning in to the Sky or BT Channels from the warmth of a pub or the settee as we play out our future games at a Meccano Stadium