Upton Park v Olympic Stadium - Interested to see what our views/opinions are now?

Forums:

General discussion

We have all shared our opinions over the past few years about the move from Upton Park to the Olympic Stadium, most were initially not in favour due to our history and the fact of having an old school traditional ground. A ground that still can generate an excellent atmosphere and a ground nestled within housing estates with pie and mash shops, old school cafes, supporters club, noisy pubs etc. The new ground looks spectacular and is obviously very large, compared to the Boleyn, but many worry about the lack of atmosphere and the views. Travel for many will improve because of the links into Stratford but I have to admit I'm disappointed that the club haven't tried to replicate the traditional type shops, pubs and the supporters club in the area. It must be that business in the shopping centre is going to be hit on matchday's enough, without having a total blackout due to trouble in pubs and bars in between the ground and the shopping centre? That's my guess anyway so the fans are more likely to go to bars on the other side of Stratford station or drink locally before making their way to the ground.

Looking at the past few seasons and the difference in the quality of the players coming in, it's obvious that the potential of the new stadium and the fact that our Co-Chairmen have put up the money to support this has taken us to another level. The likes of Payet, Lanzini, Ogbonna, Kouyate, Song, Moses etc etc deciding to join our club supports the fact, as previously we were touted amongst decent names but so often we never had a chance or we got them at the end of their careers. Signing Andy Carroll and paying his type of salary was probably the start of the statement that we made to the market place, regardless of the injuries and what has happened since to him personally.

So given the following facts, has your opinion now changed/been influenced for the move?
1) looking at the type of football we are now playing compared to seasons past over the last 5-10 years 2) seeing the difference in quality of the players coming into the club 3) the difference in demand for tickets for home and away games and for the new stadium 4) the results on the pitch 5) the fact that this has all been influenced by our move to the Olympic Stadium 6) if we want to progress we have to get bigger as a club

I dont understand the question(s)

But it is early.....
One thing I've always felt, is that I hate drinking close to the ground. I think every pub near the ground is awful. Rubbish beer, rubbish service and average atmosphere truncated by wannabes standing on chairs with mobile phones.
I drink near home, and travel to the ground at he last minute, and away as soon as possible. Have done for 25 years.
Not sure if the OS will provide anything better on the social front, but seats that accommodate grown adults is what I'm looking too most, toilets that can house more than 50 blokes at once would be helpful too.

I'm shocked, given your intelligence

My question is obvious. or not?, if you were previously against the move do you feel differently now given the leverage and obvious pulling power we now have as a club?

Drinking near the ground

I will only drink in the Supporters Club but only if we get there early doors, the pubs are a nightmare in my opinion. I think the club should have worked to replicate the Supporters Club for the long term members, if I won the Euro Millions I would pay to have one built. Most people will drink locally where they live before going to the game.

Great post ANTKB!

One of the things i was wondering was exactly the same-why not a supporters club or bar in the vicinity of the O.S??cos imo you need to have bar/bars or pub/pubs for the normal fan nearby...a poncey wine bar in westfield will just not suffice!!;) at upton park me & my 2 always just have a drink in the east stand concourse before the game...does us,no thrills,but wouldnt it be great if there was a proper old boozer full of hammers...havnt been back to stratford for years so i dont even know if any of the old pubs are still there??

The Guide to Stratford Pubs

I found this guide of boozers in stratford dave,when the Olympic games was on.. http://thelondonpubcrawlco.com/blog/2012/07/21/the-guide-to-stratford-pu...

Top man!

Cheers stan,glad the cart & horses is still there!!still a few proper old pubs left then,sure those will be full come match day.Just read the puddings was demolished in 2013,didnt even know it had gone!

Yeah,and the swan as gone

Yeah,and the swan as gone mate,i wouldn't hardly recognize the place now,i tell you what dave,what about a pie & mash shop in stratford I cant find any local mate! sorry colin I see you mentioned the pie & mash shops mate! so there you have it SUGO a hammer fans area,supporters club,couple of f cooke pie & mash shops, tubby isaacs and osborne brothers and the rib man;)

We dont want much eh mate!!

Remember the swan from years ago too.blimey a few memories of the list above,nice 1 stan..

Looking at that futuristic

Looking at that futuristic coffee shop,we have at the OS dave,i think the grub above I mentioned will come in pill form lol

*

Apologies

One of my previous responses was a bit OTT, just checked and it was 00:46 one night so obviously I was pished off about something and had a glass/bottle in my hand :(

The most poignant moment will be the last at Upton Park

The nostalgia is in full swing now, and I love it. I think everyone is loving it. And there may be a few times when the new house seems cold and sterile. People will even come out of the toilets that can house 50 blokes and say, "Damn I miss the old ones where ya pissed on each others' shoes". Well, all except Dazza. It's like when you get a new car. And you don't realise how much better it is than the old one because you miss the old one. But if you ever had to go back ... Bless the Old Boleyn, she served West Ham well. But celebrate the Olympic Stadium, it's going to be the place where new dreams fade and die. And this from someone in Australia. SHEESH!

Season tickets bought and

Season tickets bought and looking forward to next season. I will still go to another game or two as an Academy Member this season as I did last Saturday against Sunderland when it was freezing cold.
The atmosphere was great at the Boleyn on Saturday as it is most match days since Slaven Bilic became manager and we will all miss it next season.
However as gamesmakers at the 2012 Olympics my better half and I witnessed the roar of the stadium as our athletes competed and when you witness 55,000 as we will possibly 60,000 if SUGO have their way I'm sure most will be amazed at the volume that can be created in what is an amphitheatre with the roof almost enclosing the stadium and as a bonus it will not be as cold in the winter :-)
Westfield also has good pubs and restaurants/cafe's etc and despite the rumours of being closed on match days and bans for anyone in a football replica shirt, that remains to be seen as I'm sure the lure of cash coming in will far outway the media's negative hype!

Good post Bondsy!

Agree i thought the atmosphere was superb saturday,it was like the old days again!!Good to hear that about the O.S too mate...
One thing i wont miss is the bloody queue waiting to get on upton park station after the game!!

Problem is...

the time it takes to get on the platform to go home will probably be similar, given that we will have double the amount of people and hardly anyone will drive to the OS mate.

Yep!

Good point mate...hopefully though with stratford being a lot bigger station,a lot more platforms & good links to all destinations,it will be quicker..but hey we will wait & see!

G'day Bondsy!

Here's hoping you and Mrs Bondsy and Bondsy Jr have something to celebrate today! I'll miss the match due to work, although I will try to sneak a peek whenever possible. I always look for the old mates from the Slug and Lettuce when the camera pans the crowd at the Boleyn, but it usually moves too fast. COYI!

Just as long as it doesn't go

Just as long as it doesn't go tits up ,
Im dreading the bulldozers turning up though

I don't see how we can

I don't see how we can compare the two yet. At the moment it's nostalgia against speculation and trepidation. I guess once there's been around 7 or 8 full on match days at the OS then appropriate constructive or deconstructive comments will be aired. Like H65 the only comment I can make is the one about the bloody queue at UP Tube especially in the p1ssing rain.........

Sad day indeed

I'm old school West Ham ( since Sept '66 after the WC ), the Boleyn ( as I always called it ) has had it day, yes we can look back and remember the classic muddy boggy games televised in b/w,Also the atmosphere that the old girl ( Boleyn ) generated will still be with us till the day we die.

sorry if I've drag on..

Boleyn demolision

All I hope for is that it isn't a Spud driving the bulldozer, That would be very wrong indeed. It should be in a contract somewhere that the knocking down of our ground is done with total respect. I was there watching as a huge ball swung from a crane, smashed into the old Wembley. The Boleyn will be a thousand times worse. I will miss avoiding the dog shite on my way back to Plaistow tube station...