westhamfans.org

West Ham United season ticket holders have finally been given the 'options' with regards to what can happen to their remaining tickets for matches that they will be unable to attend. We say options but actually the first option has been taken for fans, by the club! ST holders will by now have received an e-mail setting out the club's refund policy, and it isn't quite as straight forward as fans have been led to believe. Here is an example, the details of which are a confusing to say the least and most definitely ambiguous.

Contrary to reports in some of the tabloids, the Barclays Premier League have NOT yet decided to use generic sound from FIFA console games for 'live' broadcasts, the option is under consideration but there are other options being explored. The idea of 'piped' crowd noise doesn't really appeal to the majority of stakeholders, however one idea doing the rounds is for teams to have their songs played during the games.

Now that the Barclays Premier League's much touted 'Project Restart' has been agreed, the situation has more questions than answers when it comes to the practicality of hosting games and the further far reaching consequences of playing them behind closed doors.

Even before the unique situation the Barclays Premier League finds itself in, Hammers manager David Moyes had been quoted as saying it was his intention to bring the average age of his squad down 'substantially', and for that purpose the search begins at home. Lacking the funds that were lavished on his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini, Moyes has either to look out for 'bargains' or promote from within, the latter being the preferred option.

Who'd have 'thunk' it, the much maligned London Stadium may well become the visual template for behind closed door matches being played to complete the 2019-2020 Barclays Premier League season, with a requisite for venues to be away from densely populated areas but with ample provision for public access. Brighton – Amex Stadium. Southampton – St Mary's Stadium. Leicester – King Power Stadium. Aston Villa – Villa Park. Manchester United – Old Trafford.

The long term financial implications for the Barclays Premier League due to the Covid-19 pandemic are almost impossible to assess, because as yet no one knows when or even if an innoculation against this dreadful disease will be available, without which there will be NO supporters at football matches for some considerable time, many months, possibly years!

There’s been a lot of speculation over the last year or so about Declan Rice moving on to pastures new, and those rumours have gathered pace in the last couple of weeks in the tabloids and on social media. £70m is the fee being touted. Is it enough? And if he does go, where does that leave West Ham and their midfield?

Until the season was temporarily curtailed, most Barclays Premier League teams had or previously were afflicted by substantial injury lists, the hustle and bustle and frenetic nature of the 'best football league in the World' means players pick up far more injuries than their European and Continental counterparts.

In the light of the current and future crisis that will impact so heavily on people's lives, The Barclays Premiership clubs are preparing themselves for 'life after doomsday'. No club big or small, whether owned by a sovereign state or a rich Oligarch or who ever, will be immune from the impact and fallout from the Covid-19 Pandemic, some could 'go to the wall' unless they seriously reduce their expenditure, so what news is coming out of West Ham United?

The contentious issue as to whether the Barclays Premier League should be continued, null and voided or decided on a 'Duckworth Lewis' type sliding scale, looks set to rumble on with Government directives still vague as to when or if it is safe and practical for 'project re-start' to actually happen. Baroness Brady did the Irons no favours by prematurely stating that the season should be declared null and void, and although her opinion was shared by many other club directors, she did put West Ham United on the spot because of the club's self interest in avoiding relegation.