Daily WHUFC News - 6th August 2016

Hammers settle into magnificent new Rush Green base
WHUFC.com

First team move into newly refurbished Rush Green site Manager Slaven Bilic delighted with facilities for his team Training ground move caps off historic week for the Club

Alongside the historic move into the new Stadium and the progression into the play-off stage in the UEFA Europa League, the West Ham players have this week also enjoyed the benefits of moving into a brand new training ground. Slaven Bilic, his backroom team and the first-team squad have made the short switch from Chadwell Heath to Rush Green, which was previously used by the Club's Academy and the players are already reaping the benefits. The Hammers Board made it a priority to improve facilities across all areas and spent millions of pounds to ensure the players have the best facilities possible in the build-up to games. The major refurb has been taking place during the summer and the players are now able to train on four brand new pitches and have top class facilities throughout the complex.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic says the new facilities at Rush Green are exactly what his team needs. He explained: "Rush Green is exactly what me and my staff wanted. We were delighted to start at our new world class home with a great victory in Europe on Thursday and now we have training facilities that go hand in hand with the Stadium. "The Club has done what we wanted so I have to thank the Chairmen and the Board. "We wanted to make a very good, cosy training ground that the players would enjoy to go to a couple of hours before training and stay there two or three hours afterwards. Somewhere they can bring their kids sometimes. "I'm really happy with the job they have done."

West Ham United's Head of Medical and Sports Science Stijn Vandebroucke has no doubts the new training ground will help to get the best out of the players. He said: "The whole training ground has been designed for the players and designed to be compact so that we keep the spirit which is so important at West Ham United. This is our identity. "The dressing room is much bigger and we have great recovery for the players where they have a sauna and plunge pool. "We have a big gym and a fantastic treatment room where all the players needs are catered for. "We have also heavily invested in the quality of our pitches where we already have four to choose from and several more in the coming months."

Head Groundsman Dougie Robertson is also thrilled with the changes that have taken place over the summer and feels the players will only increase their performance at their new training base. Robertson said: "The changes are huge. The facilities that are now available really brings us into the big league and that is where the Club wants to be. The Club has done a fantastic job getting the players what they require and hopefully they can do the same in the league. "We are incredibly fortunate that we will have different kind of pitches for the players to train on. "We will have the old traditional fibre sand, the Desso pitches which we had at Upton Park and now the new Stadium and a new product called AirFibr which we are trialling in the rehab area and a specialist product which is proven to be softer for players coming back from injury."

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Hammers coach ready for Chelsea clash
WHUFC.com

Development Squad coach Liam Manning says the side's fixture against Chelsea will be tough The Friday match is the U23s' final pre-season clash before their league campaign kicks-off Manning also highlighted the side's aims for the season

The Development Squad have a tough task on their hands in their final pre-season clash against Chelsea on Friday, according to coach Liam Manning. The young Hammers side face Stoke City in their first league match of the season next Saturday but first take on the Blues in their last preparation fixture. And Manning, who oversees the side alongside Academy Manager Terry Westley, is looking forward to the test Chelsea will offer. He said: "They have been massively successful in the last few years across all development ages really, so it's going to be great for us to go and test ourselves against one of the top teams in the country. "They're probably the best around at the moment in England. We want to go out there and play well, but we also want to maximise minutes for some of the players given that we start our season the week after. "We want to get some 90 minutes for the players but we also want to show that we have players on their level of football. That's ultimately the aim, but of course we're expecting a tough game."

Ahead of the league campaign, Manning was also keen to highlight his aims for the season and what the Academy would consider a successful year. "We obviously won the U21 Premier League Cup last season, so that taste of silverware could drive the players to strive for more this season. Everything we do, we do to our own style and philosophy but ultimately that's because we want to win games and produce players. "A good season for us is to get our lads appearances in the first team That's always the ultimate goal and the number one aim. "That's what an Academy is for, and to improve upon the quality that we already have. The biggest thing is getting another player in the team."

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Hammers to face Astra Giurgiu in play-off round
WHUFC.com

West Ham United will face Astra Giurgiu of Romania in the UEFA Europa League play-off round. After beginning life at London Stadium with a 3-0 victory over NK Domzale - a result that gave Slaven Bilic's men a 4-2 aggregate success in the third qualifying round - Friday's draw pitted the Hammers against a team who they faced in Europa League qualifiying last term. The draw provisionally gives the Hammers a trip to the southern Romanian city of Giurgiu for the first leg, with the return game at London Stadium taking place a week later. With a two-legged tie standing between West Ham and a place in the Europa League group stages, they will be looking to join Manchester United and Southampton in representing England in the competition proper. The Hammers are no strangers to taking on Astra Girugiu, having been knocked out by the Romanian side in Europa League qualifying last term. Astra went on to win their domestic league, but were defeated in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round by FC Kobenhavn, placing them in the Europa League play-off round. The play-off round tie will be played on August 18 and 25. Full fixture and ticketing details will follow shortly.

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Nordtveit - It was a special night
WHUFC.com

Nordtveit is ready to make big impact this season The Norway international was honoured to be part of such a historic night Nordtveit spent five-years in the Bundesliga

Havard Nordtveit felt honoured to be part of a historic night at the new Stadium and hopes to enjoy many magical moments with West Ham United this season. Nordtveit became the first signing of the summer following his move from Borussia Monchengladbach and has enjoyed settling into his new surroundings. The Norway international relished the chance to make his first appearance at London Stadium on Thursday night and played his part in a convincing 3-0 win over NK Domzale in the UEFA Europa League. Nordtveit says he will never forget the atmosphere that greeted the players when they first walked out onto the pitch and is looking forward to playing in front of a capacity crowd on a regular basis. Nordtveit said: "It was a special night, not only for me but for the whole team, with 'Bubbles' being played when you walk out. There's always something special and the crowd were fantastic so we're looking forward to more of those games. "We just had to focus on playing our game and enjoying the game. We knew that we had better qualities than the others and I think that we showed that in part of the game and it's nice to just go further into the play-offs. "Of course there's always some nerves but I think we were all quite sure that we had the quality to beat them at home. You always want to make a good start and this was a good start at the new Stadium."

Nordtveit says he has enjoyed being back in London and hopes to cement his place in the team ahead of the opening Premier League game against Chelsea. He added: "Coming from Germany to England I'm still trying to adapt to the football a little bit but so far, so good. "I'm really happy to be a part of the Hammers and looking forward to playing many more games.
"I had five-and-a-half good years in Germany and now I've played in the Bundesliga I know how that league is. I want to try to get as many games as possible in the Premier League and also the other cups and everything here with West Ham."

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Stat's a Fact
WHUFC.com

Cheikhou Kouyate's new attacking role could see the athletic African become a regular goalscorer for the Hammers. A look back through Cheikhou Kouyate's career history suggests the Senegal midfielder has never been particularly proficient in front of goal. The 26-year-old had never netted twice in the same match before marking West Ham United's first match at London Stadium - and the 321st club appearance of his career - by doing just that.
With Norway international Havard Nordtveit providing a disciplined shield in front of the back four, breaking up opposition attacks and setting the Hammers on their way with short, intelligent passes to his more creative teammates. One of the beneficiaries of Nordtveit's presence was Kouyate, who made the most of his more-advanced position on the pitch to terrorise the NK Domzale defence. With his long strides, strength and desire, as well as his under-rated technical ability, the No8 can cause problems in many different ways. On Thursday, it was his presence in the penalty area that enabled him to pounce for both of his first-half goals. The first saw Kouyate race into the box and maintain his position on the edge of the six-yard box, from where he expertly flicked Sam Byram's low cross past goalkeeper Axel Maraval. Seventeen minutes later, the Dakar-born star was again just a few yards from Maraval's goal when Andy Carroll steered Michail Antonio's deep cross into his path, and Kouyate again needed just one touch to prod the ball past the Frenchman.
In all, Kouyate had three shots, all of them on target, and scored two goals. When you consider that West Ham produced six shots on target as a team, the former Anderlecht man's contribution becomes all the more important. The popular midfielder scored just nine goals in 246 appearances in Belgian football, including six in 206 for the all-conquering Anderlecht.
However, the signs were there last season that Kouyate could hit the net more often if given the chance further up the field, when he scored five in 42 games for the Hammers. Now it seems that Slaven Bilic wants to give his 'great engine and determination and quality' a chance to flourish in attacking areas, and West Ham look set to benefit. If Kouyate gets into the opposition penalty area regularly, he will get chances. He is quicker than he looks, strong, anticipates opportunities to get to the ball before others and can finish with his feet and his head. In short, we can expect more goals and more 'Lions of Teranga' - the Senegal national team's nickname - celebrations! Fans putting the final touches to their fantasy football teams for the coming Premier League campaign could find a sneaky bargain in the shape of West Ham's newly-prolific No8!

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The Insider
WHUFC.com

It has been a memorable 24 hours for the West Ham United following the historic first game to be played at the new Stadium and the convincing victory in the Europa League which saw the Hammers qualify for the play-off round.

There looks to be more good news for Slaven Bilic as my sources have told me that the Club are set to make a substantial signing within the next 72 hours.

The Club have been linked with a number of top forwards throughout the summer and they now look set to finally land one of their targets.

Reports in the media have also suggested that the Club were close to securing a loan move for Inter Milan defender Davide Santon.

But it is my understanding that the move has fallen through and the Club are now looking at other targets.

With Aaron Cresswell ruled out for three to four months, the Club were not prepared to take any risks over signing another left back and hope for more news on another defender in the next few days.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Ham United

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Joint-Chairman - We have unfinished business
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Joint-Chairman David Sullivan says the Club have unfinished business against Astra Giurgiu in the UEFA Europa League.

The Hammers were drawn to face the Romanian side once again in the play-off round after securing a 4-2 aggregate win over NK Domzale.

Slaven Bilic and his players are no strangers to facing Astra Giurgiu after they played them in the qualifying stage last season.

Goals from Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate looked to have put the Hammers in pole position to win the first leg, but the Romanian side scored two late goals to come away with a 2-2 draw.

That proved crucial as they recorded a 2-1 win in the second leg against a young Hammers side as Slaven Bilic rested a number of key players ahead of the opening Premier League game of the season against Arsenal, just three days later.

But Mr Sullivan is confident that the Hammers will have enough quality to beat them this time around and hopes the fans will turn up in their numbers once again as the Club once again plan reduced ticket prices for the home leg on August 25.

Mr Sullivan said: "We have unfinished business with them.

"They are the champions of Romania last season, so it won't be an easy game.

"It's not ideal as there is a lot of travelling and the away leg is before the vital home game against Bournemouth.

"We will price the games cheaply with kids from £7.50 and adults from £10."

Tickets will go on sale to Bondholders and Season Ticket holders from 9am on Saturday 6 August.

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From the Newsroom
WHUFC.com

Mirror Online sports editor and West Ham United Season Ticket Holder Matty Lawless reflects on a successful first night and looks ahead to stern tests to come...

Well, how about that for a house warming party?

West Ham put in a performance befitting of our magnificent new home on Thursday, giving 54,000 fans a glorious taste of things to come here.

If this really is the future, then sign me up for more of it. European football must become a permanent fixture – fans want it and so do the players.

It was good to see Slaven Bilic's side thrive in the atmosphere. It could have been easy to have froze. But they set tone early from the outset and shone.

If any rival Premier League managers were watching, they won't relish the prospect of facing Slaven Bilic's side here if that's what they'll have to contend with.

Let's be honest though, if you were walking out through that tunnel you would probably feel compelled to put in a performance worthy of giving the place justice. It's world class.

But with the greatest respect to NB Domzale, we can now look forward to seeing West Ham come up against some genuine world class opposition, starting with our Play-off round clash with Romanian champions Astra Giurgiu.

Sunday afternoon presents the truest test of whether Bilic's men are ready to handle the great expectations now set upon them – in more than one way.

There was talk that Sunday's game would be against Barcelona. But in Juventus, West Ham couldn't have asked for a better team to face ahead of next the Premier League curtain-raiser at Chelsea.

Yes, Sunday is all about the official opening ceremony of the stadium. Yet the focus has to be on Stamford Bridge a week next Monday. And for that, playing Juventus are absolutely the ideal preparation for Chelsea away.

As opening games come, it's far from desirable. When I saw it in June, I must confess I felt slightly queasy. For me, there's a real nervousness.

Why? Antonio Conte.

The Italian is a man on a mission. He is a winner. He is relentless in the pursuit of success. And he arrives in England with the expectation of restoring the Blues into a formidable force.

After last season's dire title defence, Chelsea know the can ill-afford another season without Champions League football. Make no mistake, that won't happen again this season.

They have strengthened in key areas, so it's no surprise to see many pundits backing Chelsea to launch a title charge.

Michy Batshuayi and N'Golo Kante are quality signings. Keeping hold of Eden Hazard was the real masterstroke. Expect him the rediscover his magic this term, especially if he plays in a central role.

Chelsea now have serious strength in depth – and Conte will provide tactical discipline and install a competitive hunger.

Hand me a draw now and I'd take it. Perhaps that's a bit of the "old West Ham" coming out in me.

A win over Juve – a team Conte truly fashioned into unstoppable Italian champions – would underline why there are so many reasons to feel positive as part of the "new West Ham".

Last season, I correctly predicted the Hammers would beat Arsenal 2-0 on the opening day of the season at the Emirates. The rest, as we all know, is history. So, I'll stick my neck on the line and say 2-0 again... with Dimitri Payet returning with a masterclass.

Enjoy the game on Sunday – with the likes of Gonzalo Higuain and Gigi Buffon in town, we are surely all in for a real treat!

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily the opinions held by West Ham United.

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Tickets start at £10 for Europa play-off clash
WHUFC.com

West Ham United are delighted to confirm that adult tickets for the UEFA Europa League play-off round home leg against Astra Giurgiu will start at just £10.

After a record-breaking 53,914 Hammers fans flocked to London Stadium to watch Slaven Bilic's men ease past Slovenian side NK Domzale in the third qualifying round, adults will again be able to purchase tickets in bands four and five for £10.

Tickets for under-16s are priced at just £7.50 in bands one to five, as the Hammers show their continued commitment to affordable family football.

Tickets go on sale to Season Ticket Holders from 9am on Saturday 6 August, with their priority lasting until Friday 12 August. Full pricing and sale dates as follows.

Band Adult U21/O65 U16
1966 £30 £30 £30
Band 1 £20 £20 £7.50
Band 2 £15 £15 £7.50
Band 3 £15 £15 £7.50
Band 4 £10 £10 £7.50
Band 5 £10 £10 £7.50
Tickets go on sale from:

Season Ticket Holders 9am, Saturday 6 August
Claret Members Friday 12 August
General Sale Monday 15 August

Supporters will be able purchase tickets online by clicking here, over the telephone on 0871 529 1966* or in person from the London Stadium Ticket Office.

Hospitality packages for the visit of Astra Giurgiu are also available and supporters can enjoy a night of exciting European action at London Stadium for just £149+VAT person.

Please call 0871 091 1811* to book your hospitality package.

*Calls are charged at 13p/min plus your phone provider's access charge.

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5/8/16 - EARLY MORNING NEWS ROUND-UP
BY BRIAN KNOX ON 5 AUGUST 2016 AT 10:39AM TheWestHamWay.co.uk

Carlos Bacca U-turn? -

According to a report from Calciomercato this morning AC Milan are making a push for Carlos Bacca to accept the offer on the table to join West Ham. An agreement has been in place with the Serie A Giants for some weeks now and they have become frustrated because they can't do any transfer business themselves until Bacca moves on. They report that Bacca has been reconsidering his decision since West Ham progressed into the Playoff Round of the Europa League with their convincing win last night against NK Domzale.

Bilic wants to add at least 5 players to the squad? -

As per an interview after the win last night Slaven confirmed that he believes his squad is too small at present to cope with a busy schedule of 5 games in August, with 2 Europa League Playoff games and 3 Premier League games against, Chelsea, Bournemouth and Manchester City. The Manager stated that he hopes to add a minimum of 5 players prior to the Premier League opener at Stamford Bridge Monday week.

Bilic shocked at Sakho's failed medical -

The Manager stated last night that he was very surprised that the Senegalese striker's proposed move to WBA was cancelled after the player reportedly failed a medical. Slaven added "I don't know any details. I'm a bit surprised with that," "He's our player, contracted for us and could be a great player. That's all I can say about it. I am a bit sorry for him and a bit surprised that he didn't pass the medical."

Ayew deal hits snag? -

According to Ghanaweb.com, Andre Ayew's move to the Hammers could be in jeopardy after Diafra Sakho's proposed move to WBA was cancelled. The website believes that Andre's proposed move to West Ham hinges on the potential sale of Sakho. We should know very soon if this story has any legs considering reports that Llorente is set to move to Swansea in the very near future after the Welsh side reportedly agreed terms with Sevilla and the player.

Hammers to learn next Europa League Opponents -

The Hammers will learn who their next opponents will be in the Europa League Playoff Round at 12-00 midday today. Possible teams they could face include

7 Qäbälä (AZE)
8 Slavia Praha (CZE)
9 Brøndby (DEN)
10 Grasshoppers (SUI)
11 Astra Giurgiu* (ROU)
12 Partizani Tirana* (ALB)

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West Ham face Astra in Europa League play-off
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 5th August 2016
By: Staff Writer

There's revenge on the cards for West Ham after they drew Astra Giurgiu, again, in the next stage of the Europa League.

The Romanian side put West Ham out of the competition last season at the third qualifying round stage and Slaven Bilic's side will no doubt be keen to gain revenge for that particular defeat.

The full draw was as follows; all ties to be played on 18 and 25 August:

Pots 1&2

Astana (KAZ) v Bate (BLR)
AEK Lamaca (CYP) v Liverec (CZE)
Dinamo Tibilisi (GEO) v PAOK (GRE)
Arouca (POR) v Olympiacos (GRE)
Austria Wien (AUS) v Rosenborg (NOR)
Midtjylland (DEN) v Osmanlıspor (TUR)
Beitar Jerusalem (ISR) v St-Étienne (FRA)
Trenčín (SVK) v Rapid Wien (AUT)
Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) v Genk (BEL)
Vojvodina(SRB) v AZ (NED)

Pots 3&4

Maribor (SVN) v Qäbälä (AZE)
Gent (BEL) v Shkëndija (MKD)
Slavia Praha (CZE) v Anderlecht (BEL)
İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR) v Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Astra (ROU) v West Ham Utd (ENG)
Sønderjyske (DEN) v Sparta Praha (CZE)
Brøndby (DEN) v Panathinaikos (GRE)
Göteborg (SWE) v Qarabağ (AZE)
Slavia Praha (CZE) v Anderlecht (BEL)
Fenerbahçe(TUR) v Grasshoppers (SUI)
Krasnodar (RUS) v Partizani (ALB)
Sassuolo (ITA) v Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
M Tel-Aviv (ISR) v Hajduk Split (CRO)

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Corden to launch new series of KUMB Podcast!
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 5th August 2016
By: Staff Writer

The KUMB Podcast returns next week for it's fifth series - and the star guest for Episode 1 is a belter.

West Ham fan and The Late, Late Show host James Corden will be launching the new series of the Podcast when he steps into the hotseat next week alongside regular host Chris Scull and his former sidekick, James Longman.

And Corden, the star of the hilarious 'Carpool' videos who admits to being a keen fan of the KUMB Forum will have plenty to say about his beloved Hammers, despite living some 5,500 miles away from the club's home in California!

The KUMB Podcast began with Series 1 back in 2012, when guests such as Tony Cottee, Tony Gale and David Gold appeared.

Series 2, which ran from August 2013 through May 2014 saw people such as Billy Bonds, Ludo Miklosko, Julian Dicks and Frank McAvennie pass through our Soho studio whilst Series 3 - which covered the 2014/15 season - featured the likes of Teddy Sheringham, Trevor SInclair and Jack Collison.

In Series 4, which ran throughout the 2015/16 campaign, we kicked of with Russell Brand before welcoming guests such as David, Dave and Jack Sullivan, Danny Dyer, Mark 'Lawro' Lawrenson and Ian Pearce to our studio.

To listen to any of the above Podcasts, or any from the first four series, visit the Podcast home page (or click on the link in the main menu above).

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Irons fan makes Betway Cup 'Man of the Match' trophy
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 5th August 2016
By: Staff Writer

Russ Williams was raised in east London and learned the trade of metalwork at his dad's firm in Stratford.

The lifelong West Ham United supporter, then, was the perfect person to design and create the Betway Cup's Man of the Match trophy - a fixture which celebrates the club's exciting future, but also its esteemed history.

And like the all-blue commemorative strip that Slaven Bilic's players will wear against Juventus on Sunday, the trophy is inspired by the Thames Ironworks and company owner Arnold Hills.

"To be approached was a great honour," says Russ, 56. "It didn't take me long to actually decide the way I was going to make it.

"When you think of the Thames Ironworks, you immediately think of ships and bridges. In those days, everything was made of plate and rivets.

"They didn't have the technology like they have now. And I think the way metalwork was made then was fantastic."

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The Piccadilly report
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 4th August 2016
By: Gordon Thrower

As one supporter is found not guilty of public order offences after the FA Cup Quarter Final trip to Old Trafford, we have obtained a copy of British Transport Police's report into the chaotic scenes at Manchester's Piccadilly station that evening.

KUMB.com's Gordon Thrower – who was there – picks over the bones of the report, which highlights some spectacularly incompetent planning on the part of certain parts of the rail network….

As the fixture list arrives it is annoying to note that yet again we are denied a nice bank holiday weekend away at Bournemouth, a trip up to Manchester being the order of the day. Thinking back to our last visit to that part of the world, a report on the appalling scenes that took place at the station that evening has now arrived at kumb towers. The report was prepared by British Transport Police in response to a complaint made into the crowd control – such as it was – at Manchester Piccadilly after the FA Cup Quarter Final visit to Old Trafford.

As it happens the complaint was misplaced. The body responsible for crowd control at that station is Network Rail and BTP simply turned up at NR's request to try and sort things out when it became clear that things were getting out of hand. However, rather than leave it there, having received the complaint BTP did actually go through with an investigation. So what actually did go wrong?


What Happened

To put it briefly, once the match had finished at Old Trafford thousands of people travelling home by rail turned up at Piccadilly station where, because access to the relevant platforms was restricted by the station authorities, people were unable to board their booked trains. People were arriving at the station faster than could leave by train due to the restricted access to the platforms. Passengers were bumped onto later trains with a result that trains to London that evening were dangerously overloaded. The 19:35 for example carried 1,100 passengers on a train designed to seat 650.


What went wrong?

On the railway side of things nobody really emerges with any credit. NR obviously needed to have some indication of the number of likely travellers. A BTP contact told us that, on average, it is usual for planning to be based on 10% of spectators arriving at Old Trafford by public transport. Given our increased Cup allocation, that would have meant a basic estimate of, say, 900 supporters heading home that night via Piccadilly.

Just to be safe, NR contacted the train company for a clearer indication of numbers. Virgin Trains cheerfully told NR that they weren't expecting any more passengers than usual .Quite what this forecast was based on is not totally clear. However, it seems likely that the forecast concentrated on travellers making a day trip up for the match. If that is the case, they ignored/forgot/were not aware of one very important fact: that large numbers of supporters (myself included) had travelled up on the Friday and Saturday prior to the match in order to make a weekend of it. And all those supporters wanted to get home on the Sunday evening.


Planning

Whether or not NR would have done anything different had they been aware of the numbers travelling is not known. What we do know is that they implemented a pre-set plan that was based on dealing with a completely different set of circumstances. That plan proved to be inadequate.

Back in October 2015 Manchester hosted two rugby matches. In the Union World Cup the England XV took on Uruguay in the afternoon in a "dead rubber" group match. Later that evening Old Trafford played host to the Rugby League Super League Grand Final between Wigan and Leeds. The travel profile was pretty easy to work out. The main custom for travel towards London was the Union match which was over several hours before the League match kicked off.

Supporters travelling by train for the Super League match from Wigan would have used trains direct from stations close to Old Trafford – both Salford stations have direct services to Wigan. Leeds supporters would have used both Piccadilly and Victoria stations. Also, it being a Saturday, many would have stayed for the weekend, much as we did.

In other words the anticipated numbers of people using the railways at any one time that night were probably lower than for our match and journeys from the rugby supporters would have been spread over a longer period of time and a larger geographical area.

So why anyone thought it would work for our Quarter Final is anyone's guess.


Crowd 'Control'

So what was the masterplan that NR relied on? Well it helps to know a bit about the layout at Piccadilly station. In the main part of the station access to the platforms 1-8 is via set of 4 glass doors. In theory, once through the door access is available to any of platforms 1-8.

On the night in question, London trains were departing from platforms 6&7 – either side of the same platform. Access to that platform was restricted to the one glass door serving that platform and barriers had been put up on the other side of the door to prevent access from other doors and platforms.

In front of the doors NR had erected barriers forming a sort of cattle-pen zig zag funnel in front of the doors. This, and the fact that passengers were forced to use just the one door to access the platform slowed down the flow of passengers onto the trains to a trickle: for every four or five people actually getting access to the platform there were probably 20 or more arriving on the concourse. Which is fine, as long as you have an infinite amount of time and space to play with,.At Manchester Piccadilly, they haven't.


What Happened Next?

Basically a predictable and avoidable shambles. The concourse filled up. People booked on earlier trains were stuck behind people booked on later trains. Those at the back were not aware of the existence of the cattle pen so that those nearest the pen were getting crushed against it. NB: An interesting thing to come out of the BTP report is that whilst the Office Of The Rail Regulator (or "Fat Controller" as we used to call him) has plenty to say on the subject of overcrowded trains, BTP could find no guidance on overcrowding at stations. Which is odd.

Back at Piccadilly, NR sort of panicked. According to BTP some 3-3,500 passengers had arrived to travel rather than the 900 or so Network Rail had planned for. It being a Sunday evening NR didn't have the staff to cope so they called in BTP. It being a Sunday evening, BTP were also a bit short on numbers so they called in help from local forces, including Greater Manchester, Merseyside and South Yorkshire.

In order to speed up boarding BTP asked Virgin Trains to cancel all reservations and to "declassify" the last few trains, meaning it was a free-for-all. I'm not sure exactly when that decision was taken or how that was communicated to passengers. If the 19:35 train, for example, was declassified nobody told me. When I arrived on board a foreign tourist was sat in my place and, despite the fact that I would be as much use in a fight as a Spurs player in an England shirt, they vacated my seat at the merest wave of my ticket – presumably intimidated by the large numbers of "hard-looking" football supporters in the carriage.

Unsurprisingly, thanks to the declassification, tempers got a bit frayed with passengers on later trains at least finding seats that they thought they had reserved were occupied and one of the London-bound services extended its booked stop at Stockport whilst scuffles calmed down.

Back at the station complaints on the ground were ignored – the general attitude to football supporters from rail companies and police alike seems to have been one of contempt. My own suggestion that some of the other doors to the platforms be opened to improve flow from the concourse to the platforms was greeted with the sort of reaction that suggested that I would be wise not to pursue the idea if I actually wanted to get home that night.

Others were not so lucky. One, who on seeing a kid getting crushed against a barrier, protested with a verbal force and dexterity perhaps more traditional of the tabloids' stereotypical football supporter than I had earlier employed and found himself arrested by Greater Manchester Police. After a night in the cells, he was charged with a ludicrous public order offence "Causing harm distress or harassment to a member of the public". Thankfully the charge was thrown out when it finally got to court, though the chap involved was forced to wait until a hearing at the end of June to find out.

Arguably, the actions of Network Rail that day caused infinitely more "harm, distress or harassment" to members of the public than a few choice words of Anglo Saxon could ever do. The fact that the arrest was made in the first place not for the first time raises concerns over attitudes to football supporters in general. Would that arrest have taken place the previous October, for example, had the crush involved those Rugby Union supporters? I'd be willing to bet that it wouldn't have.

Some of the reporting in the mainstream press was also predictably slanted: "Violence Erupts" was the description by one newspaper (you can guess which one) of a scene which, given the circumstances, was remarkably well-behaved. This appears to be a general malaise amongst the UK press when reporting about football supporters – just look at some of the stuff from Euro16 where the treatment of mostly innocent England supporters by some genuinely frightening Russian psychopaths (who probably thought that the execrable "Green Street" was a documentary) was portrayed in a manner as to suggest that the victims had it coming to them because, well "they are English Football Supporters aren't they".


So what next?

Well at least some good came out of the complaint. Network Rail have decided that for, Cup matches anyway, they will start from the assumption that 50% of supporters will arrive by rail and will change their crowd management plans so that the station copes better with the numbers involved. Apparently a new plan was instigated for the Europa League match against Liverpool which took place a few days later which seemed to go ok – though again comparisons with our match aren't necessarily totally valid given the geographies involved.

As for attitudes to supporters though, I fear old habits die hard in some quarters. Treating supporters with contempt has had lethal consequences in the past and it was pure good luck hat there were no serious injuries this time around. However, even when things got bad nobody seemed in any way inclined to consider listening to those affected.

For the record we did contact Network Rail to invite comment on the report but at the time of writing we've had neither acknowledgement nor response from them. However, we do believe in the right of reply – we're good like that around here. So, needless to say, if anyone from NR does want to chip in with a comment they should contact either the editor or myself – contact details are available elsewhere on the site and you should also have the address from which I originally contacted you.

As mentioned, our next visit to Manchester will be another Sunday trip (thanks to tv) to see us take on City. It's bank holiday weekend so numbers up for a night or two out will probably be quite high so we'll be able to see the new plans for ourselves.

Will I go? Probably. Will I go by train? Hmmm let me get back to you on that one...

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.

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West Ham's first night at London Stadium hailed by honorary life president Terry Brown
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 05/08/16 6:04pm
SSN

West Ham's honorary life president Terry Brown hailed a "truly magical night" in the club's history after they crowned their opening match at London Stadium with a 3-0 victory over NK Domzale in the Europa League. The Hammers started life at their new home in front of a near 54,000 sell-out crowd on Thursday and did not disappoint, overturning a 2-1 first leg deficit through two goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and one from summer signing Sofiane Feghouli to advance to the play-off round.
Brown believes huge praise must go to West Ham's current owners David Gold and David Sullivan as well as vice-chairman Karren Brady for overseeing the move from the Boleyn Ground and is confident the club can build on their maiden success at London Stadium. "They deserve enormous credit, they have made the whole thing happen and worked their socks off, all of them have," Brown, who was West Ham's chairman for 15 years between 1991 and 2006, told Sky Sports. "It was magical night for the club. It's an enormous platform for the club, we did fantastic last season and now we've got the stadium, the sky is the limit."

Gold and Sullivan completed their takeover of West Ham in 2010 and immediately signalled their intention to move the club to the then Olympic Stadium. After an arduous bidding campaign, West Ham finally secured a 99-year lease to become the main tenants of the stadium in March 2013 and set about making the necessary reconfigurations to ensure it was fit for football. Brown added: "They've done an absolutely fantastic job for the club. The two Davids and Karren have been fantastic, we're very lucky they came when they did. "We've got very ambitious owners and, with the European nights, that's the way they want to go. There's no reason to think they will not be able to do it on a regular basis. "Everybody is desperate for this to work and there is no doubt that this is going to work. It is a top drawer stadium, that's absolutely certain. It's all very exciting and extremely positive. "I was overwhelmed and I couldn't really believe it to be honest. It was truly remarkable. There has been so much effort, attention to detail and work that has gone in. It's a club to be proud of. "I was thrilled and thrilled with the stadium. I think they've done a fantastic job, it's a great stadium and we're all extremely proud of it. I think everybody is."

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Slaven Bilic urges West Ham to hurry up with new players and could use Diafra Sakho By Lyall Thomas Last Updated: 05/08/16 8:09am SSN

Slaven Bilic says West Ham urgently need new players after the club moved a step closer to the Europa League group stage - and he admitted he may yet be forced to use Diafra Sakho.
The Hammers beat NK Domzale in their first ever match at the London Stadium to secure a play-off clash, and Bilic's side could therefore play five games before the end of the month.
Bilic is still without Euro 2016 stars Dimitri Payet, James Collins and Angelo Ogbonna, while several key players face injury lay-offs, and he admits his side's start to the Premier League could be hampered. "I have no problems saying that playing in the Europa League lowers your chances in the Premier League," Bilic said. "It doesn't matter, we want to try. It brings positive things. You gain something, you lose something. "Basically we have five games before the September international break and this squad is not big enough. Hopefully we will have a minimum of five players to add to this squad."

Sakho's potential move to West Brom collapsed on Thursday after he failed a medical and, although Bilic admitted he was "surprised", he suggested he wants the player to be an asset for them. "I don't know any details. He's our player, he's contracted to us, and could be a great player. That's all I can say about it. "I am a bit sorry for him and a bit surprised that he didn't pass the medical. He's a good player, he's our player and as long as he is our player he is very capable. He's a quality player."

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PAULO FREITAS ON WHAT JONATHAN CALLERI WILL BRING TO WEST HAM MICHAEL OLIVER @ReadWestHam

Once the 2016 Rio Olympics are over and done with, West Ham are expected to complete the signing of Deportivo Maldonado striker Jonathan Calleri on a season-long loan. The 22-year-old striker made his name in Argentina with Boca Juniors before being bought by the wealthy Uruguayan outfit and immediately shipped out on loan to Brazilian giants Sao Paulo in January.
In 31 appearances for Sao Paulo, Calleri netted 16 goals earning him a place in the Argentina squad for the Olympic Games, who played their first game yesterday and suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss to Portugal.
Calleri is considered as one of the best young forwards in South American football and the Hammers are believed to have beaten off the likes of Barcelona, Sevilla and Inter Milan to his signature. To no surprise, us and many West Ham fans don't know terribly much about Jonathan Calleri, so we sat down with South American football expert Paulo Freitas to find out more.

Jonathan Calleri is a name most West Ham fans would not have been too familiar with prior to this summer, could you detail some of his key attributes?

Technically, Calleri is a very strong player. His aerial ability is impressive and he is a clinical finisher.

Calleri has been touted in the past as the 'new Carlos Tevez' and spent considerable time playing with him at Boca. Would you draw any comparisons in their style of play?

I don't think the style is too similar, Calleri is more like a poacher although he is a bit more than just that. Tevez is shorter but also bulkier and he is also a more complete and technically gifted player.

When Tevez first moved to England with West Ham it took him several months to adjust to the rigours of the Premier League. Would you imagine Calleri facing similar issues?

I think Calleri will adapt quicker, his style is more suited to Premier League and he has a better mentality than Tevez too.

The likes of Inter Milan, Sevilla and Barcelona have all said to have attempted to sign Calleri after he made a name for himself with Sao Palo. Do you think he has the game to be effective in European football?

Calleri is not really good enough for a team like Barcelona right now, but his style is more than good enough to succeed in Europe, No doubt he would have been more than good enough for teams like Sevilla and Inter.

Where does Calleri rank amongst some of the other bright and emerging talents in South America?

I would place him in a second tier of promising South American players, behind the likes of Gabigol and new Manchester City signing Gabriel Jesus, for example, but still above the vast majority of players in the continent.

It's hard to judge now, but knowing what you do about the player, where do you see Calleri in five years?

I expect him to play in a regular basis for Argentina's national team in five years and to have moved to team in Spain or Italy, a team like Atlético de Madrid or Napoli or similar. He has the talent to play at that level one day.

And finally, in one sentence, what should West Ham expect from Jonathan Calleri?

West Ham fans should expect a determined striker with lethal goalscoring skills.

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WHY WEST HAM WILL EXORCISE THEIR EUROPA LEAGUE GROUP-STAGE GHOST
5 August 2016
ladbrokes.co.uk

Slaven Bilic appeared to sacrifice West Ham's bid for a first Europa League group-stage appearance 12 months ago after his side's 2-2 first-leg at home to Astra Giurgiu, with the then-new boss replacing the entire first XI, mostly with youngsters, ahead of the 2-1 second-leg loss.

He had excuses, to an extent, with former skipper Kevin Nolan quoting afterwards: "The gaffer has shown in his selection the main priority is the Premier League and this year the main thing is to make sure we go to the Olympic Stadium in the Premier League."

Bilic managed as much and more, with wins over Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester City in his first six top-flight games in charge allaying early fears such as Nolan's, culminating in seventh place and another stab at the continent's consolation cup. There are no excuses now we know how good Dimitri Payet is, and how effectively Bilic utilised fellow new men Pedro Obiang, Angelo Ogbonna, Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini, now signed permanently from Al Jazira Club after an impressive loan campaign.

As luck would have it, they've been drawn against the same club at the same stage of the same tournament, giving Bilic a chance to show his true colours. West Ham have had two fewer qualifying matches this term, and while Man City away lies in wait the Sunday after their home second leg, as Arsenal did 12 months ago following the 'disappointment' in Romania, they will at least be a couple of fixtures into the Premier League campaign.

The Irons are 25/1 to win the Europa League, with Manchester United 15/2 favourites.

City's 12/1 odds of winning the Champions League weren't shaken by another trip to Romania, with Steaua Bucharest drawn as Pep Guardiola's first European opponents at the helm of the two-time Premier League champions.

Celtic may feel a little miffed about missing out on League of Ireland side Dundalk, but did manage to avoid tricky Croatian crowd Dinamo Zagreb and Bulgarian nouveau riche Ludogorets Razgrad, with the Scottish Premiership giants, 500/1 to win the Champions League, faced with a trip to Israel's Hapoel Beer-Sheva.

Dundalk, who don't currently attract an outright price in Ladbrokes' Champions League betting, will play Polish champions Legia Warsaw.

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New signing Havard Nordtveit excited about West Ham future after "special" first night in the London Stadium 13:00, 5 AUG 2016 UPDATED 13:38, 5 AUG 2016 BY NEIL MCLEMAN The 26-year-old is back in the Premier League after leaving Arsenal six years ago The Mirror

West Ham's new signing Havard Nordtveit has insisted he has nothing to prove on his return to English football. The Norway midfielder signed for Arsenal in 2007 but never made a first-team appearance. He was loaned out three times before being sold to Borussia Monchengladbach in 2010. But Nordtveit, now 26, is now back in the Premier League after joining the Hammers on a five-year deal after a Bosman transfer. He made his home debut in the Europa League play-off win over NK Domzale at the new London Stadium and described it as a "special night". Nordveit, who signed on a Bosman deal, said: "I feel settled in already. "Of course, coming from Germany to England I'm still trying to adapt to the football a little bit but so far, so good. I'm really happy to be a part of the Hammers and looking forward to playing many more games. "Do I have anything to prove back in England? No, I had five and a half quite good years in Germany and now I've played in Bundesliga I know how that league is and I want to try to get as many games as possible in the Premier League and also the other cups and everything here with West Ham. It's football."

Slaven Bilic's side won 3-0 to reach the final qualifying round and will now play FC Astra. And Nordtveit added: "It was a special night not only for me but for the whole team, with the 'Bubbles' song on when you walk out there's always something special and also the crowd were fantastic so we're looking forward to more of those games. "Of course there's always some nerves but I think we all were quite sure that we had the quality to beat them at home. Not only that we lost the last game but also the new stadium, you always want to make a good start and today was a good start."

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West Ham midfielder Havard Nordtveit hopeful Bundesliga spell will allow him to impress in the Premier League West Ham played at the their new Olympic Stadium home for the first time Norwegian midfielder Havard Nordtveit made first appearance for club The game came five-and-a-half years after he left London rivals Arsenal He found his form again in Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach By OLIVER TODD FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 13:29, 5 August 2016 | UPDATED: 13:29, 5 August 2016

West Ham new boy Havard Nordtveit says he has nothing to prove in England after the former Arsenal youngster made his first appearance for an English club on home soil. Norwegian midfielder Nordtveit looked comfortable anchoring the Hammers' midfield on a special first night at the Olympic Stadium in their 3-0 Europa League win over Domzale on Thursday.
The game came five-and-a-half years after he left London rivals Arsenal for Borussia Monchengladbach having failed to break through under Arsene Wenger. Nordtveit captained the club's reserve side, was given a squad number and named on the bench for the first team but never made it on to the pitch. But his focus lies solely on West Ham now having made his home debut on the first night at their new Olympic Stadium home. 'I had five-and-a-half quite good years in Germany,' Nordtveit said. 'Now I've played in Bundesliga I know how that league is and I want to try to get as many games as possible in the Premier League and also the other cups and everything here with West Ham. 'Of course, coming from Germany to England I'm still trying to adapt to the football a little bit but it's so far, so good. I'm really happy to be a part of the Hammers and looking forward to playing many more games.' Nordveit, 26, played in a three-man midfield alongside West Ham captain Mark Noble and double-goalscorer Cheikhou Kouyate, while another new signing Sofiane Feghouli grabbed the clincher as they overcame a 2-1 first-leg deficit at the Olympic Stadium. Their new home received widespread praise from supporters on Thursday night, but Nordtveit's main memory is of something of a home comfort from Upton Park. 'It was a special night,' he said. 'Not only for me but for the whole team, with the 'Bubbles' song on when you walk out there's always something special and also the crowd were fantastic so we're looking forward to more of those games. 'I felt comfortable from the first minute, I thought the fans might be too far away here but you could hear them as soon as we walked in.'

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West Ham at the London Stadium: New era but the same old traditions for the Hammers KEN DYER Evening Standard

As West Ham's first game in the London Stadium, it could not have gone much better. A comfortable 3-0 victory over Slovenian side NK Domzale and smooth progression into the play-off round of the Europa League. No new injuries for Hammers boss Slaven Bilic as he contemplates the considerable, extra commitment of the Europa League. A full house of 54,000 fans, with the West Ham faithful experiencing, for the first time, their bigger, better and brighter new home. There were comparisons being made everywhere. Instead of Nathan's pie and mash shop on the Barking Road, it was Jamie Oliver's Italian in Westfield. Instead of Queen's Market in Green Street, it was John Lewis.

Some things were the same, though. The first chorus of West Ham's famous old song 'Bubbles' echoed and then finally filled this impressive new stadium, just as it used to do, three miles up the road at the Boleyn. Bilic's final game back there, a dramatic victory over Manchester United, is already fading in the memory yet the old place is the scene of one final piece of drama. Next week, Pierce Brosnan begins shooting Final Score at the Boleyn, a film apparently about a group of armed criminals holding 35,000 fans hostage.

Of course, things were not perfect and everyone, Bilic's team included, will need time to settle in to their new environment. The feat of uprooting to a new stadium, almost doubling your capacity - and then filling it - should, however, not be downplayed. There was plenty of scepticism when West Ham proposed the move about just how many empty seats there would be in the former Olympic Stadium.

Last night there were no open spaces and when West Ham face Bournemouth in their first home Premier League match, the attendance should be up to 60,000 after outstanding works are completed. Owners David Sullivan and David Gold plus vice chairman Karren Brady should take great credit for that.

Yes, there were some quiet moments in the third qualifying round tie, as West Ham overturned a 2-1 first-leg deficit courtesy of Cheikhou Kouyate's double and a goal from Sofiane Feghouli, but that was to be expected against less than top class opposition.

Bilic was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere generated. He said: "I didn't know what the atmosphere would be like. I have heard the people talking about the Rugby World Cup but I wasn't there. This was the first time that we could check and it was more than I expected. It is loud, you can hear the crowd, feel them.

"There is no point in comparing it to Upton Park, it is totally different. It was a good atmosphere and I am not afraid of the new stadium."

Michail Antonio, who sampled the atmosphere at the Boleyn in his first season at the club, also declared himself satisfied with the club's new surroundings.

"It was decent," he said. "The crowd had moments when they were loud. You could feel the vibe and it was great. Hopefully those moments will become more constant."

'I didn't know what the atmosphere would be like but it was more than I expected - it is loud'
Slaven Bilic
What was more important to Antonio and his team-mates were the playing conditions, the pitch and the extra space.

"The pitch was beautiful, one of the best I've ever played on which is good for us because we like to get it down and play," said Antonio.

"Things are looking good. This is the first game so we have to get used to things. The pitch is bigger. Once, I thought I was tight on the touchline but when I looked, I was three yards infield. Now we have another game on Sunday, against Juventus, and by the time we play Bournemouth in our first home Premier League match, I'll be ready and settled in.

"This move can only be good for us. The club have the history and now we have taken the steps to move us on. The bigger stadium will help bring in the revenue to attract better players."

The only worry for Bilic, apart from the long-term injuries to Aaron Cresswell and Manuel Lanzini, is the strength of his squad ahead of a demanding Europa League schedule. "Playing in the Europa League does lower your chances in the Premier League," he said.

"You gain and lose something. We have five games before the September break and the squad is not big enough. Hopefully, we'll add two players minimum."

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West Ham analysis: Kouyate sets the tone as the fans find their groove at the Olympic Stadium MATCH REPORT: Kouyate fires Hammers through as the gates open at Stratford JOHN DILLON Evening Standard

It was slightly reminiscent of the beginning of one of those teenage parties when everybody is too self-conscious to get up and dance. But West Ham settled into their new home comfortably enough in the end, even if the choruses of Bubbles were a little apprehensive and the chanting was a trifle muted and uncertain as they saw off the Slovenians of NK Domzale to progress to the Europa League's final play-off round. What else was to be expected? The one thing that was made strikingly vivid as soon as the crowds negotiated Stratford Station and the Olympic Park to head towards the vast new stadium was that the club has undergone one of the most dramatic and instant character changes of any organisation in the history of English football.

Everybody knew this was the case beforehand, of course. This will never be anything like the Boleyn, which was one of the great, intense, blood-rushing, working class theatres of the old football world. But to see the culture shift made real, concrete and unchangeable like this was still a shock to the system of most supporters and consequently, they seemed a little bewildered, a little unsure of themselves and their new surroundings and a little dumb-struck by the occasion in east London on Thursday. Here it all was: A new, unfamiliar ordered, neat, corporate and hi-vis spectacle. Football 2016 style. Hugely exciting and progressive and yet unnerving at first for the faithful, too. It is going to take some getting used to. There are no two ways about it, even if the general and correct acceptance among the faithful is that the move from the Boleyn represents necessary progress. And that really, there was no alternative to accepting the offer once a giant Olympic arena arose from the dirt and the debris into a gleaming new world just down the road.

By the 78th minute here, though, the midfielder, Cheikhou Kouyate was receiving a standing ovation as he was substituted after scoring the two first half goals which put Slaven Bilic's side firmly in command of the tie. And the house-warming effect was beginning. Juventus are in this place on Sunday for the official opening and then, after that, the real business will begin.

"An easy evening's work for West Ham draws to a close and a little history is made with a club-record attendance of 54,000 recorded and a place in the Europa League play-off round secured. It's been a little odd, a little unsettling and a little awkward but very satisfactory too. But then the club and the supporters are in the midst of a change which is altering the whole nature and character of the Hammers. This, too, was a low-key tie against limited opposition in early August. It wouldn't have set Upton Park ablaze with passion, either. The future, however, is here and just for now, it is claret and blue."
That is when the new ground will begin to show its true colours, we presume.

A winter's Saturday evening with Tottenham or Chelsea doing battle in here is likely to electrify the place, even if its newness means it will not replicate the raw and gritty favours of the old ancestral home.

This, by contrast, was something akin to a pre-season friendly played on a warm early August evening with a holiday mood in the air. Yes, it was a competitive tie - in name, anyway, although it was a simple task for West Ham to rectify the mistakes of the first tie.

New signing Sofiane Feghouli added a third midway through the second-half and a simple night's work had been concluded - putting right the dreadful first leg performance in Ljubljana in which the Hammers had succumbed to a surprise 2-1 defeat.

There is no denying that the supporters are far removed from the pitch, which is a huge contrast with the raucous and intimidating intimacy generated for so many uproarious decades across the way in Green Street. But take it from me - it feels closer inside than it looks on TV and in photographs and it can be made to work.

The pitch appears vast, which will suit the yearnings of the faithful here for driving, expansive football. Once the crowd gets used to things and the intensity level of the matches played here is ratcheted up, the noise levels will surely increase in tandem.

Perhaps it is outside the ground, in the clean, open, airy Olympic Park, with its fun fair, its boat rides and its wide open walkways that the contrasts with the old West Ham is most striking.

These surroundings could not be more far removed from the dirty, tumbling, hemmed in streets which enclosed Upton Park. There are no big old Victorian boozers like the famous Boleyn on the corner of Green Street and Barking Road here, either.

But that is the deal, and the fans understand that time has moved on and nothing lasts forever. The whole of football is changing very quickly on a dramatic scale and at very high speed.

These supporters seem ready to buy into this new home and make it live, even if it is going to take a while to settle in. They have no choice, of course. But they know what the claret-and-blue future looks like.

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Juventus star Gianluigi Buffon set to finally play against his beloved West Ham HITC Damien Lucas

Juventus and Italy superstar goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon finally gets the chance to play against his beloved West Ham United this weekend. The Hammers take on the Italian giants in the official opening game at West Ham's new 60,000-seater Olympic Stadium home. It is the final warm-up game ahead of a busy new season for both clubs and is a prestigious event for Slaven Bilic's men given some of the talent in the Serie A champions' squad. They may be shorn of star midfielder Paul Pogba by then but Juve are bolstered by the £75 million signing of Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli and boast almost the entire Italian national team's defence at the back. That includes Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon, one of the best goalkeepers of all time, and an avid West Ham fan. In his book Buffon said that the Hammers were one of five teams he would love to play for. "West Ham: Because of the supporters: I knew the West Ham supporters during my time as a supporter (Ultra)," Buffon wrote in his book when discussing his favourite teams. "Those guys (West Ham supporters) follow the Hammers with an extraordinary energy. And because of the logo (club crest): Two crossed hammers. Almost communist, if I think about it."
Buffon will see first hand just how passionate the Hammers fans are when a sell-out crowd greets him at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. Indeed West Ham are now officially the second-best supported club in England behind only Manchester United after selling out 52,000 season tickets. Buffon is one of those rare players who is seemingly loved by football fans the world over. A true gentleman, as well as a living legend, Hammers fans will take great pride in his comments about them and are sure to give him a warm reception when he comes to London this weekend.

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