Daily WHUFC News -

West Ham United Statement
WHUFC.com

A West Ham United statement said: "It was an extraordinary night full of extraordinary moments in front of extraordinary fans. 99 percent of whom behaved impeccably and were a credit to the Club. "We have already had thousands of tweets and emails from fans to say how proud they were to be a part of such a special evening in West Ham's history. "However, we are aware that there were some supporters outside the Boleyn Ground who didn't act in an appropriate way when the Manchester United team bus was damaged. "That was not acceptable and we will work with the police to identify those responsible and ban them for life."

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A message from David Sullivan
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Joint-Chairman said:‎ "If we were to have scripted how our final game at the Boleyn would have played out, it wouldn't have been much different to last night's match. The West Ham family then all celebrated our legends and former players together in what was a truly fitting ceremony to say goodbye to our home of 112 years. "Sadly, the actions of very small minority of people outside the ground prior to kick-off risks overshadowing those celebrations. I want to be clear - their behaviour was completely unacceptable and does not represent our Club or our values. "When I was asked about the incident prior to yesterday's game, I was unaware of the damage that had occurred to the Manchester United team bus. I want to apologise to Manchester United for that damage and assure them that we will be doing all we can to track down those responsible and ban them for life. "This morning I have already tasked my senior team to work with the police to identify them as their behaviour belongs in the past and not in a future that promises so much for our great Club." "I truly hope that in due course we will look back on what happened in the stadium rather than what happened outside and remember our farewell to the Boleyn for all the right reasons."

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Antonio - It was an amazing day
WHUFC.com

A 3-2 win over Manchester United in the Boleyn Ground's final clash was a fitting way to cap off an amazing day, according to goalscorer Michail Antonio. Rising at the back post to head West Ham United level, the 26-year-old's goal inspired Slaven Bilic's Hammers to go on and grab a winner through Winston Reid ten minutes from time. West Ham had previously taken a first half lead when Diafra Sakho's perfectly placed strike found the bottom corner, though Louis Van Gaal's team bagged two without reply through Anthony Martial's brace. But Antonio, notching his eighth of the season in Claret and Blue, was delighted to end the Club's Boleyn Ground era in style. He said: "What a day and what a way to finish at the Boleyn Ground. It was just one of those games where we came out on top. "We kept pushing and we stayed on top of them all the first half and then second half, they showed their ability and why they used to be champions and showed what they can do. "They showed their threat and managed to get in front of us, but I always believe that it's a better victory when you've gone down and managed to get back and get the victory in the end."
Though often utilised at full-back for Bilic's team this campaign, Antonio has always been confident in his ability to find the back of the net, he revealed. "There was only one place that header was going! This season, I've always been confident with my heading, and I've always believed I can do it, especially from right-back as well. I didn't really get to finish the celebration off, though! "Obviously Winston with that late header, what a great feeling and what a night. It was an amazing day. It started off with us getting here, and the fans were all singing our names and stuff like that, and it's been a great feeling so hopefully we can finish this and get home. "[Europe] is the plan. Other teams might slip up and we might end up getting a Champions League spot so hopefully we can push on and keep moving."

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Slaven hails 'brilliant' Farewell win
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic hailed a 'brilliant' Final Game as West Ham United bid Farewell Boleyn with a thrilling 3-2 Barclays Premier League win over Manchester United. The Hammers went a goal up through Diafra Sakho, missed a succession of chances to extend their lead before half-time, then fell behind to Anthony Martial's brace, then scored twice in five minutes late on through Michail Antonio and Winston Reid to end 112 years on an amazing high. Speaking to West Ham TV, Bilic summed up an amazing, breathless, unforgettable evening by praising his team for rising to the biggest of occasions in supreme style. "It was brilliant," he began. "It was not a normal, ordinary game like at the end of the season. It was not a normal game even if you add to that that there are two games to go. We are still there for the points. "It was the last game at this stadium and I mean, don't get me wrong, I said to the players however this finishes, it's been a great season. But we didn't want to lose or not to win at the last game of this fantastic stadium and it's not easy to do it or to cope with this pressure. "We didn't control the emotions, we just channelled them and we rode on them. We started well, scored a goal which helps always, and we were a bit unlucky not to be two goals up at half time. ​"Second half, they came back as they have class but we showed character and we knew all the time that we can hurt them and that's what we did. It was an amazing farewell to this stadium. The guys that played, the guys on the bench, they deserve to go down in history, big time."

One might have expected West Ham, on the back of a 4-1 home defeat by Swansea City on Saturday, to fold once Martial had fired Louis van Gaal's side in front, but instead the hosts found energy levels nobody knew they had. Antonio rose high into the sky to head in Dimitri Payet's cross before the Hammer of the Year delivered an inch-perfect 80th-minute free-kick that Reid powered past David de Gea. In the final analysis, the manager summed his emotions up in one fitting word – pride. "It was much more than just a game," Bilic explained. "Ex-players were there; you can say to the players 'you are professional and play with the pressure' and a lot of times you shrink and sink but not these guys who showed amazing character and spirit.
"This is like a special night. I didn't win the Champions League before but I've played for West Ham and the Croatia national team and was in the World Cup and I managed them, and I'm Croatian so it can't be much bigger! But this game comes to there. "I am so proud of the players because it goes down in history. It's not just beating Manchester United, it's the last game in this stadium for the guys. Even the players who are now in heaven, they wanted this to happen and that's why it's so great and why I'm so proud."

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Hammers heading Stateside

West Ham United will travel to the United States in July 2016
The Hammers will take on MLS club Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on Tuesday 5 July
Slaven Bilic's side will face NASL team Carolina RailHawks on Tuesday 12 July

West Ham United are delighted to announce that the first-team squad will travel to the United States of America for their 2016 summer tour. Slaven Bilic's Hammers will head across the Atlantic Ocean for an eleven-day tour highlighted by a prestige pre-season fixture with the Seattle Sounders, the best-supported and most-valuable franchise in Major League Soccer (MLS), on Tuesday 5 July. A second fixture will see the Hammers travel to Cary, North Carolina, to tackle North American Soccer League (NASL) team Carolina RailHawks on Tuesday 12 July.

West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady says the summer tour to the United States will further boost the Club's ever-growing global support-base. "West Ham's global fanbase is expanding further with each passing year," said the Vice-Chairman. "Through tours like this, we can give our overseas supporters a chance to see their heroes in the flesh, and win over even more new fans for the future. Next season is going to be a hugely exciting and important one for West Ham, as we begin a new era in our magnificent new Stadium, and there will be no better way to prepare than with a successful tour of the United States, and games against strong American opposition. "The Seattle Sounders are renowned throughout America for the passion and loyalty of their fans, so we already have a lot in common, as well as our shared history of former players. We look forward to visiting the Emerald City, and strengthening our ties with the United States still further."

Manager Slaven Bilic is also looking forward to travelling to the United States to kick-off West Ham's preparations for the 2016/17 season.
"This is great news for everyone associated with West Ham United," said Bilic. "We have been planning our pre-season preparations for a while now and when the opportunity was presented to travel to America, we were delighted to pursue it. "I, my staff and the players are already excited about playing in the United States, and we are looking forward to taking the squad to new places, meeting new supporters and spreading the name and style of West Ham United far and wide.

"The main purposes of pre-season are to build up the players' fitness and sharpness while training and playing competitive matches. This tour will help us to do that and we are very much looking forward to it." The mouth-watering meeting with the Sounders will take place at the iconic CenturyLink Field, where the hosts' average home attendance in 2015 was 44,247, more than 11,000 more than second-place Orlando City. Six of the eight highest gates in MLS history have been for Seattle home games.

Ticketing details for West Ham's visit on Saturday 5 July can be found here now!

During their stay in Washington State, the Hammers will be based in downtown Seattle and will train at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC), a world-class waterfront facility which is the headquarters of the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise.

The Sounders are four-times US Open Cup winners and topped the Western Conference standings as recently as 2014.

The fixture further cements the historic links between the two clubs, dating back more than four decades to the original incarnation of the North American Soccer League.

Hammers and England great Sir Geoff Hurst helped Seattle to the NASL play-offs in 1976, while fellow FIFA World Cup winner Bobby Moore played seven games for Sounders in 1978. Harry Redknapp began his illustrious coaching career as the club's assistant-manager from 1976-79.

More recently, former West Ham midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg played 37 games for the Sounders in their opening two MLS seasons in 2009 and 2010.

A look at the current Seattle roster reveals that former Hammer Tyrone Mears, former United States captain and Premier League star Clint Dempsey and Austria midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz are regulars in the club's famous green and blue shirts.

From Seattle, the Hammers will fly south east to the town of Cary, North Carolina, for an exciting fixture with the NASL franchise Carolina RailHawks at their smart WakeMed Soccer Park home.

Founded in 2006, the RailHawks are named for a fictitious bird of prey that combines the speed and power of the locomotive with the aggressive and fierce nature of a hawk. Cary is a town with a long association with the railway, while hawks are indigenous to the local area.

Coached by former Southampton and Northern Ireland striker Colin Clarke, the forward-thinking RailHawks have started the 2016 season in superb form, winning their opening four Spring Season fixtures to top the table.

Boasting a cosmopolitan squad that includes three Englishmen, the RailHawks are two-time US Open Cup quarter-finalists and topped the NASL Regular Season table in both 2010 and 2011.

Futher details and travel information for West Ham's summer 2016 tour of the United States will be announced on whufc.com and the Club's social media channels over the coming days and weeks.

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West Ham United and the US
WHUFC.com

West Ham United will travel to the United States for the first time in eight years when they head to Seattle and Carolina for their 2016 summer tour.

The Hammers have been semi-regular visitors to North America over the past 50-plus years, playing in a variety of tournaments and challenge matches in that time.

West Ham were regular visitors to the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, when Ron Greenwood's side took part in the International Soccer League, becoming the only English team to win the competition in 1963.

The Hammers also took on Spanish giants Real Madrid in the first soccer match to be played indoors at the Houston Astrodome in Texas in April 1967.

Bobby Moore's West Ham drew 2-2 with Pele's Santos of Brazil at Downing Stadium in Randall's Island in New York State in November 1970, while Greenwood's squad returned to the United States for a whistle-stop eleven-match tour in May/June 1971.

The late West Ham striker Phil Woosnam (1959-62) emigrated to the United States in 1966, becoming head coach of the United States national team in 1968. The Welshman was Commissioner of the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1969-83 and is credited as an important figure in the development of the NASL in the 1970s.

Seattle-based Sounders FC and West Ham share connected history, with several players having represented both clubs at various points in their career. Current Seattle full-back Tyrone Mears made six appearances for the Irons during the 2006/07 Barclays Premier League campaign.

Harry Redknapp appeared more than 150 times for West Ham during his playing career before going on to manage the club from 1994 to 2001, with the east London native also plying his trade for the North American Soccer League Sounders from 1977 to 1979.

West Ham legend Sir Geoff Hurst made 23 appearances for the Sounders during the 1976 NASL season alongside fellow former Hammers and England great Bobby Moore, who represented the Sounders seven times during the 1978 NASL campaign.

More recently, this year's summer tour marks the Hammers' first visit to North America since 2008. Then, Alan Curbishley's side defeated MLS team Columbus Crew 3-1 in Ohio, before going down to a 3-2 defeat by an MLS All-Stars side featuring David Beckham in Toronto, Canada.

Former West Ham players currently plying their trade in the MLS include Frank Lampard (New York City FC), Tyrone Mears (Seattle Sounders), Robbie Keane and Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy) and Liam Ridgewell (Portland Timbers).

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Final-day fixture to be televised
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's final match of an unforgettable 2015/16 season will be screened live by Sky Sports on Sunday.

The Hammers travel to Stoke City for a 3pm kick-off that would result in the Hammers securing a place in next season's UEFA Europa League.

Joint-Chairman David Sullivan said the decision to screen West Ham's trip to the Britannia Stadium was yet more confirmation of how far the Club have come this season.

"It is great news, first and foremost because it means our supporters all over the world will be able to watch our final game of the season live on television," said Mr Sullivan.

"We have nearly 3,000 fans making the trip to Stoke and I am sure they will end what has been a fantastic season by singing their hearts out in support of the team.

"Slaven and his players will want to finish with a win to guarantee us European football when we move into our new 60,000-capacity Stadium next season.

"We have set a few Club Premier League records this season and will set another record of least away defeats, whatever happens at Stoke.

"We have only lost four away league games this season, and we would love that number to be the same on Sunday night, because that will give us a good chance of qualifying for Europe through our league position for just the second time ever."

Victory over the Potters, combined with a draw or defeat for Manchester United at home to AFC Bournemouth, could see West Ham equal their record-high Premier League finish of fifth.

A fifth-place finish would see the Hammers go straight into the UEFA Europa League group stage, while sixth would send West Ham into the third qualifying round, as Manchester City have already qualified for Europe by winning the League Cup.

Should Manchester United defeat Bournemouth, a win at Stoke would mean West Ham finish sixth – their highest finish since 1998/99.

With City guaranteed to qualify through their league position, the Europa League place allocated to the League Cup will go to the sixth-place finisher.

There is also a possibility of seventh place being good enough for a UEFA Europa League third qualifying round spot if Manchester United win the Emirates FA Cup.

The only previous occasion on which West Ham qualified for Europe through league position was in 1998/99, when they finished fifth to reach the now-defunct UEFA Intertoto Cup.

When West Ham finished third in 1985/86, English clubs were banned from European competition.

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Noble - It was a night to savour
WHUFC.com

Mark Noble could not have wished for a better farewell to the Boleyn Ground than that which his West Ham United side gave their home of 112 years on Tuesday.

The Hammers came from behind with two goals in the final 15 minutes to earn their first league win against Manchester United since 2007 and ensure their final game in E13 would go down in folklore.

Noble, as he has been all season, was a real driving force for the hosts as they dragged the game back to claim maximum points and he was full of emotion at the final whistle.

"We couldn't have asked for a better send off – it was what dreams are made of.," he said.

"It was very special – it's a night that will go down in history and for me to lead that team and be the captain that took us out at the stadium, from where I grew up and from where I walked home after my debut, was very special.

"I've never heard noise like that here ever before. That was phenomenal and walking out to that, and beating Manchester United – who I've always thought have been great – was also very special.

"We've got team spirit, and we are a team. It's a night that the fans can savour, go home and be proud of the team they support."

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Eamonn Holmes: Hillsborough slur broadcaster apologises
BBC.co.uk

Sky TV presenter Eamonn Holmes has apologised after he appeared to link an attack on Manchester United's team bus with the Hillsborough disaster. Mr Holmes was talking on Sky News about the violence outside West Ham's stadium on Monday evening. He tweeted later there was no comparison between the events. Barry Devonside, who lost his son Christopher, 18, said Mr Holmes "should have known better." He added: "Last night was hooliganism. "There was no hooliganism at Hillsborough."
In apologising Mr Holmes tweeted: "I was trying to talk about images we never ever want to see again. If anyone concluded anything different accept my humblest & most honest apologies."
The Manchester United supporting broadcaster said on air: "This is going back to the 70's and 80's. Everything that you were seeing that was bad about Hillsborough for instance." Mr Holmes tweeted after the programme: "Just being made aware of someone trying to use me to stir up trouble re The Hillsborough disaster . How low, how disgusting. "The Hillsborough families have suffered enough without distasteful sniping like this. For the record there is no comparison between events last night at West Ham and Hillsborough." He added: "Last night's events do not remotely register in comparison. I am an honest & decent football supporter and man. I would never seek to create such an offence. "Those who are trying to do so are very wrong. Obviously there is no comparison between Hillsborough & the scenes at West Ham last night.... "I apologise unreservedly if anyone thought I was making that connection."

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A Referee Analysis: Mike Dean
May 11, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Sam Royden-Ryell

After a good performance by Michael Oliver in the disappointing game on Saturday against Swansea, the referee appointed for the final game to be played at Boleyn Ground was Mike Dean. The last time Dean officiated at Upton Park he gave three penalties - two to West Ham and the other to Watford. With emotions extremely high as fans, players and the club said goodbye to this incredibly famous, historic stadium - Mike Dean as an experienced referee needed to understand that the game had such high emotion attached to it and he needed to take this into consideration when making decisions and not let the game get away from him.

What a first half! The atmosphere was absolutely deafening and the emotion on the pitch matched the fans in the stadium. Mike Dean had to make sure that he was concentrating from the word go when the powerful voices from the West Ham fans were calling for a penalty after Winston Reid went down under pressure from Marcus Rojo. I agree with Dean that it wasn't a penalty. You can see that Reid looked over his shoulder to see where Rojo was and there was contact, but it did look like Reid was looking for it and not enough for a penalty. The first half wasn't short of big challenges with Mark Noble and Aaron Cresswell going in strong but fouling the Manchester United players. Dean blew for a foul, signalled and then gets into position without messing around which is good refereeing especially with the magnitude of the game. West Ham thought they were 2-nil up after Michail Antonio scored a header on the back post only for the goal to be disallowed as the ball went out of play. This was an extremely tight call by the assistant referee on that side. The assistant flagged that the ball went out of play and and signalled for a corner as the Mark Noble cross deflected off a Manchester United defender before coming back into play. Dean was brilliant to pick out the little fouls during the game. Dean had an eagle eye to spot a push by Juan Mata on Winston Reid in the West Ham penalty area and rightly a free kick to West Ham. There were couple of fouls which I felt could have warranted a caution; firstly Marcos Rojo bought down Michail Antonio after the West Ham makeshift right back skilfully put the ball past the United defender and was on a promising attack. The second foul was when Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney made an unnecessary foul on Diafra Sahko which was out of frustration after losing the ball, if Dean did issue a caution for this fouls, it wouldn't have been a surprise. Throughout the first half Rooney was constantly mouthing off to Dean and Dean needed to determine when enough was enough. Even though Rooney is the captain, he doesn't get special treatment when it comes to using abusive and insulting language. Manchester United were appealing for a penalty when Anthony Martial went down after a tussle with Michail Antonio. There wasn't much in this for me as both of the players were both trying to out strength each other.

If you thought the first half was special, the second half was unbelievable and Dean was in the mix of everything. After keeping his cards in his pocket for the first half, there were a flurry of cards in the second half. The first caution of the game went to Anthony Martial after the frenchmen was very late on West Ham powerhouse Cheikhou Kouyaté. Kouyaté went past Martial but the Manchester United striker hacked the West Ham man down and so it was deserved of a caution. Andy Carroll was the next player into Dean's book after a very bad challenge on Daley Blind. Carroll, who worked his socks off the entire game, was chasing back to attempt to win the ball but not on the first occasion this season hacked down the opponent. Dean also acknowledged and played advantage well especially when Kouyaté was taken out by Antonio Valencia. Dean saw that West Ham were on a promising attack and allowed the play to go on until Hammer of The Year Dimitri Payet was fouled by Andre Herrera. Dean then revisited the initial challenge from Antonio Valencia and cautioned the Manchester United man for the original foul. Andre Herrera was finally cautioned after a series of challenges for a very reckless challenge on West Ham captain Mark Noble. Herrera was late and deserved a minimum of a caution, depending on how Dean saw the challenge - he could have given more.

Overall, Mike Dean had a very good game. Granted there were times where Dean gave petty fouls to West Ham but in his eyes they were fouls and he was consistent throughout the game. Dean also did well to spot when Carroll was being manhandled 80% of the time. Inside the box is always a grey area and we've seen that type of tussling throughout the season. I would like to be able to tell you what happened in the last fifteen minutes of the game, but I literally cannot tell you what Dean was doing. I was living and breathing the final fifteen minutes and what a fifteen minutes it was. We wanted to give the Boleyn a farewell worthy of the years of personal and footballing memories and there was no better way than witnessing one of the best games I have seen West Ham play in recent times. We were incredible and credit to the players for giving us this memory. A truly amazing footballing night which we should be proud of as West Ham fans and one that we will never forget.

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Match Report - West Ham United 3-2 Manchester United
May 11, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
WestHamAmerican

For over two years there has been a countdown clock atop the West Ham United club's official website extolling the days and months until the first match at the Olympic Stadium. Along with that excitement comes the bittersweet reality that West Ham's longtime home at Upton Park would soon be a memory. Decades of fathers and sons, of grandparents and grandchildren, walking through the gate would soon end. The home of so many great moments, memories, and time spent with loved ones watching the Hammers would come to an end tonight.

For some West Ham supporters who arrived at the stadium early, they thought it might not come to an end tonight, as the Manchester United coach was delayed in their arrival, and it was decided to delay the kickoff by 45 minutes. For the match Slaven Bilic continued his "Michail Anontio at right back" experiment for yet another week, despite the poor defensive showing against Swansea. Also Darren Randolph continued to handle goalkeeping duties in place of the injured Adrian.

Manchester United gaffer, Louis Van Gaal, produced a much more formidable starting XI than his unimpressive showing at Norwich over the weekend. Anthony Martial returned from injury and Marcus Rashford and Daley Blind each returned after a one match break. With Champions League football in their sights, Manchester United have been in good form over the past month.
Once Mike Dean began the match, West Ham moved the ball at a frantic pace. Showing the role of the aggressor, West Ham attacked the Red Devil's back four and David de Gea repeatedly in the opening half. Only ten minutes into play West Ham managed to strike the first blow.

Aaron Cresswell drove down the left wing and found Lanzini behind the United defence, who then crossed into the penalty box and found Sakho, who's left footed strike found the lower left corner (with a possible deflection assist from the leg of Daley Blind.)

The remainder of the opening half saw West Ham controlling the tempo of the match and having numerous close calls but not finding the second goal; Lanzini, Carroll, Payet, and Sakho all had attempts either sent wide or into the arms of de Gea.

With momentum on his side, Bilic made no changes during the halftime break. Manchester United had no shots on goal in the opening half and the Hammers were moving the ball well in the final third. Van Gaal brought on Michael Carrick during the break and once underway the visiting side finally found their own attacking stride.

Only five minutes into the second half Rashford took the ball down the wing, found Mata who crossed to Anthony Martial for the tap in. With the match even at 1-1, next 15 minutes saw the enthusiastic home crowd watching some great back-and-forth football until the 71st minute when Anthony Martial found his second goal. His strike was just outside of Randolph's reach and the West Ham crowd sunk a bit in despair.

All evening Payet's free kicks hadn't looked up to par. In the 76th minute Payet attempted from about 25 yards out and sent the ball right into the wall. Recovering the rebound he sent another cross into the penalty area to the open header of Antonio. With the score 2-2 and a determined side wanting to send out the Boleyn Ground in style it was Payet again, who, moments later, found Winston Reid half a step ahead of Blind, and Reid's header turned out to be the game winner. The final goal at Upton Park was Reid's first BPL goal of the year.

With the narrow lead, Bilic brought James Tomkins and Pedro Obiang on for Lanzini and Sakho to fortify the defence and to allow Antonio to move to his wing position. Despite great effort from Manchester United to get the equaliser, the Hammers were able to hold firm for the final four minutes of added time. As Antonio drove the ball deep into the Manchester penalty area, it looked like he might add an exclamation point to the night, but Mike Dean sounded the final whistle and West Ham walked off the ground for the last time victorious over Manchester United.

As the team walked off the pitch even Slaven Bilic was emotional as the East London crowd sang and the bubbles poured down on the ground. Tonight's match had a bit of everything: a formidable opponent, a good bit of drama, and great passionate football from both sides. If this emotional win carries over, it should be a good afternoon at Stoke as well.

Farewell to Upton Park and thanks for many great memories!

West Ham: Randolph, Antonio, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Lanzini (Obiang 83), Kouyate, Noble, Payet (Valencia 90), Sakho (Tomkins 83), Carroll

Subs not used: Collins, Moses, Emenike, Spiegel

Bookings: Carroll

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia (Januzaj 86), Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Schneiderlin (Carrick 46), Mata, Herrera (Lingard 82), Rooney, Martial, Rashford

Subs not used: Jones, Depay, Romero, Borthwick-Jackson

Bookings: Martial, Valencia, Herrera

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)

Attendance: 34,602

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Chelsea explore Olympic Stadium groundshare with West Ham
By Dan Roan
BBC sports editor

Chelsea could groundshare with London rivals West Ham at the Olympic Stadium while their new stadium is built. The Blues want to relocate to Wembley for three years and a £20m-a-year deal has reportedly been agreed. But they have also held talks with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) about a temporary move to the Olympic Stadium, which will become West Ham's home from next season. Chelsea are also understood to be considering a switch to Twickenham. Officials from the Stamford Bridge club held a meeting with LLDC chiefs at the end of last year, although no final decision has yet been reached and a groundshare with the Hammers is thought to be unlikely. West Ham would need to agree to such a move, but their tenancy contract with the LLDC does allow for such an arrangement. It would mean West Ham receiving a significant discount on their £2.5m-a-year rent for the 60,000-seater stadium. West Ham will pay the sum each year over the 99-year lease. The club were awarded tenancy of the London 2012 stadium in 2013 - and at least £272m has been spent to convert the site for use as a Premier League ground. West Ham have contributed £15m towards those costs, with the deal made public following a legal battle involving owners LLDC. The club played their last game at the 35,000-seater Upton Park, also know as the Boleyn Ground, on Tuesday, fighting back to beat Manchester United 3-2. Slaven Bilic's Hammers side finish their season at Stoke City on Sunday. Meanwhile, Tottenham are close to a deal with the Football Association to play their 2017-18 home games at Wembley while their new stadium is completed.

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Goodbye, Boleyn
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 10th May 2016
By: Graeme Howlett

Tonight, when West Ham United bid farewell to Upton Park after 112 years, it'll be almost 40 years to the day since I took my first tentative steps inside the Boleyn Ground.

I was just six years old when my father, the latest in a long line of fans stretching back generations of our family, took me to my first game for a Division One (now known as the Premier League) clash between West Ham United and Derby County in February 1976. I still recall elements of that day vividly.

I remember being astounded by the sheer immensity of the vast auditorium that appeared before me as we exited the concourse and made our way to our East Stand seats - and later, the deafening noise that greeted Trevor Brooking's late goal which almost knocked me off my feet.

There was also a first taste of the eternal disappointment that was to become a mainstay of supporting West Ham United in the years to follow when Brooking's goal proved to be a mere consolation; Johnny Lyall's team lost 2-1, with Charlie George and Bruce Rioch netting for the Rams!

My next taste of the Boleyn Ground was a pre-birthday treat a few weeks later; we drew 2-2 with Aston Villa, Deehan and Hunt scoring for the visitors and Keith Robson plus Brooking rescuing a point for the Irons in the 90th minute. By then, my parents had moved the family from Dagenham via Barking along the A13 corridor to South East Essex.

Having made the journey into town by car on the old A13 that used to pass the Circus Tavern and the East India Docks, my father was keen to beat the crowds before the local roads became gridlocked. As we turned away from Green Street, West Ham trailed 2-1; moments later, we heard the roar for Brooking's equaliser.

As far as I can recall, I've not left a game before the final whistle since.

By this point, I was hooked - just like my mother and father had been before me and how my grandparents had been before them. My grandfather, a season ticket holder throughout the 1950s and '60s was in the crowd to witness the 1964, 1965 and 1966 Wembley finals that were graced by Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters (plus an extremely-gifted supporting cast).

In 1963, my mother - a teenager at the time - was one of the 25,000 who crammed into the Boleyn to see four-goal hero Martin Britt almost single-handedly win the FA Youth Cup Final for the Hammers after one of the greatest - and probably least known - comebacks of them all, against Liverpool, in a 6-5 aggregate win.

My father, as well as acting as my occasional chaperone witnessed all the great nights of the 1970s including the 1975 FA Cup Final win against Bobby Moore's Fulham and the epic 1976 Cup Winners Cup semi final, second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Boleyn. (Sadly he couldn't make the Final against Anderlecht, which we lost 4-2, so my granddad flew the family flag that night.)

For the last 25 years or so, it's been my duty to continue the family tradition, so it was a proud and emotional moment when I took my son Harry to his first live match; he's as fanatical about the game as I was at his (tender) age so job done there, I think.


My story is not unique, of course. Indeed, it's typical of the vast majority of West Ham supporters who continue to flock to E13 on a regular basis in order to uphold their own long-established family traditions. And we'd probably continue to make the same journey until the day we drop, had West Ham's Board not opted to move the club to Stratford's Olympic Stadium this summer.

Although I've never lived there, I continue to feel an special affinity with the East End. It's where my earliest memories lie, after all. Recalling the old place evokes memories of playing on the Greenway (which we used to call the sewers) and kicking white dog shit - a reasonable temporary football, as it maintained its (calcium-laden) shape for a while! - up and down Fabian Street, East Ham.

This was where my grandparents lived - a tiny two up, two down, complete with outside toilet and tin bath. since demolished and replaced by a park - and where I spent many a happy Saturday afternoon, waiting for my dad to return from the football with pie and mash for the entire family in hand.

We'd eat at my grandparent's table, too small for us all to fit round comfortably, whilst watching the latest episode of Jon Pertwee's (then later, Tom Baker's) Dr Who. It was at one such meal that I relentlessly pestered my father to take my to East Ham Town Hall the following morning to watch West Ham's victory procession, following the 1975 FA Cup win against Fulham.

The mists of time may have clouded some memories but I vividly recall sitting aloft his shoulders as Alan Taylor et al proudly paraded the trophy from the balcony in front of many thousands of West Ham fans. It was the beginning of a lifelong journey and the start of a passionate love affair.

Like many fans with a similar tale to tell, once West Ham United leave Upton Park I will have no reason to return to East Ham, or the surrounding area. Although Stratford is less than three miles away, as the crow flies, the emotional attachment I feel for East Ham and Green Street is not transferable. The sense of loss is palpable and real.

Though as Frank Sinatra once duly noted when recalling his memory of a lost love, "they can't take that away from me". Our treasured memories will remain with us forever.

Making the regular pilgrimage to E6 felt a bit like 'going home', like returning to my cultural epicentre, to retrace steps trodden by fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. And it's that, more than anything else, that I'll miss most about the old place. Tonight we'll "smell the years and hear the ghosts" (thanks to Max Bretos for that one) one more time before moving lock, stock and barrel to E20 - but there'll always be a part of me that remains in East Ham.

When the team runs out to the sound of 'Bubbles' for the final time tonight I'll glance across the ground to the East Stand where I took in my very first game, against Derby County, with my Dad all those years ago. I'll almost certainly shed a tear or two for he passed away six years ago; to cancer, too young, like Bobby Moore who he and thousands of others once roared on from the terraces.

I suspect many of us will be thinking of absent friends tonight. But tomorrow there'll be a new dawn which heralds the next chapter in the life of this wonderful football club. So to Stratford we go, to form new memories and friendships - and who knows - maybe we'll even win a trophy or two along the way.

Until then it's goodbye, Boleyn Ground. You will be missed.

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Hurst says 'sorry' for no-show
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 11th May 2016
By: Staff Writer

Geoff Hurst has apologised to Hammers fans for not attending last night's final game at the Boleyn Ground.

Hurst was a notable omission from the event which celebrated the club's greatest players from the past in a spectacular post-match closing ceremony.

And he explained this afternoon that he was unable to attend due to having a previous engagement.

Speaking via Facebook, Hurst wrote: "I'm very sorry I couldn't be at Upton Park for the closing ceremony. I had a prior engagement from a year ago that I was contracted to attend.

"I was at the end of season dinner last week and said my fond farewells to my spiritual footballing home. I watched the game and the closing ceremony on TV this morning and it was a fitting end to 112 years for the most atmospheric ground and best and most loyal supporters in the land.

"A great result last night that will live long in our memories. Let's look forward to a new era at the Olympic Stadium with optimism and faith in West Ham United's future. We will still be forever blowing bubbles hopefully for the next 112 years."

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Furious fans slam Holmes WHUFC comments
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on May 11, 2016 in News
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Manchester United Sky TV presenter Eamonn Holmes has been heavily criticised after comparing West Ham fans' attack on the Manchester United team bus to Hillsborough. Speaking about the behaviour of some West Ham fans, Holmes said: "Now this is going back to the 70s and to the 80s to everything you were seeing that was bad about Hillsborough for instance."
But seething fans immediately called on the 56-year-old to apologise for his comments, report the Liverpool Echo. Fans have long campaigned for the disaster not to be associated in any way with hooliganism and viewers were furious on social media.
Twitter user H K Fooey wrote: "Just heard you equate the bus riot last night to Hillsborough. Very poor analogy. Have you forgotten the inquests already?"
Peter Rice tweeted the presenter and said: "Apologise now for your Hillsborough comment re WHU incident."
Alan Carter wrote: "Hillsborough had nothing to do with hooliganism, stop associating last night with this tragedy."
Mikey Stones posted a video clip of the comments and wrote: "Why after 27 years of proving it, have you just compared what happened at Hillsborough to hooliganism?"

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Exclusive: Gold apology to Man United
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on May 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
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David Gold watched horrified as events unfolded in Green Street ahead of the Manchester Unitd coach being attacked last night And he told ClaretandHugh exclusively: We were watching from the balcony and we apologise to the Manchester United players, manager and all officials of the club. It is unacceptable." Whilst the club isn't responsible for events outside the stadium, that eople calling themselves West Ham fans should behave as they cast a huge shadow over events on this historic night. And of course it's become the lead item on the news and sports pages this morning – seriously disappointing given the historic events unfolding inside the Boleyn. Gold, however thanked all the "real fans" who ensured that the evening went so well saying: "There was no hint of a crowd invasion – our people were brilliant and as ever they behaved perfectly. "It was an incredible night from every point of view apart from the coach incident but the club knows it can always rely on the real West Ham fans and I thank every one of them."

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Law forced early Boleyn fireworks finale
Posted by Sean Whetstone on May 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
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The 45-minute late kickoff due to the Manchester United late arrival forced major changes to the closing ceremony at the Boleyn Ground last night, the biggest of which was to stage the finale first instead last. UK law prohibits the setting off of fireworks past 11pm except on bonfire night, New Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year. Event organisers of the ceremony, Event 360 together with specialist pyrotechnic company, Pains fireworks were fighting against the clock to complete the pyrotechnic show before 11pm to keep within the regulations but the result was the ceremony was shown back to front. The pyrotechnic show to the tune of Twist and Shout which was without a doubt the highlight of the disappointing closing ceremony and it went downhill from there. One West Ham insider described it as 'a shambles'

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The build up to the sorry coach incident
Posted by Sean Whetstone on May 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
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A series of events led to a small minority of so called Hammers fans throwing objects which broke the blackout covering in front of windows on the Manchester United team coach.

There can be no excuse for the small minority of Hammers fans that threw the bottles and cans at the bus at the corner of Barking Road and Green Street but questions also need to be asked of the role of the Metropolitan police and Manchester United too.

When I arrived on Green street at 5.30pm it was already completely packed with over two hours before the scheduled kick-off and quickly became grid-locked with traffic. This became much worst when police vans and people carriers parked in the middle of Green Street which caused dangerous crowd crushing as fans were funnelled around cars and parked police vans. Some fans were scared and thought they could be injured.

The area around the Bobby Moore champions statue became a major crowd pinch point mainly due to the overspill of the Boleyn Pub who couldn't handle the amount of fans wanting to drink in there one last time.

There were also many fans, certainly hundreds, possibly as many as a few thousand without tickets for the game. These fans were in Green street, drinking in the local pubs to soak up the last night's atmosphere which was hyped in the media all week.

The narrow streets and the entrance to the Boleyn ground players car park isn't the easiest of places to get to at the best of times and questions have to be asked why Manchester United were late yet again after being fined £5,000 for their late arrival at White Hart Lane just last month.

You would think their transport organiser and the coach operator would have learnt their lesson and set out much earlier. They should have arrived around 4pm considering the plans for the night. It is claimed the team stayed just three miles away in a hotel in nearby Docklands but the coach hit traffic around East Ham just before 6pm and couldn't move.

West Ham fans close to the statue were certainly in high spirits after many hours of drinking but were also frustrated at being forced back by police to allow the late Manchester United team coach through the packed East London streets.

In his post-match interview, LVG partially blamed yesterday's loss on the coach incident and paper headlines suggested players were frightened and cowering but a player video from Jesse Lingard inside the coach showed many of them thought it was amusing and were joking around during the incident. It didn't seem to bother them earlier in the match when they took the 2-1 lead, only later when they lost 3-2!

Disappointing headlines this morning of 'West Ham hooligans ambushed the Manchester United team bus' and 'West Ham's Upton Park farewell turns into anarchy as mindless thugs go on the rampage' will feed the media frenzy today that this was some kind of mass riot when video footage below shows the full extent of the short-lived incident.

The papers won't mention the majority of the 35,000 crowd were well behaved and there was no other trouble or feared pitch invasion. It's a real shame that most non-West Ham fans will remember this event and not the last historic win over the Red Devils at the Boleyn Ground. I am sure we have not heard the last of this sorry episode and we will be in for some more West Ham fan bashing in the media over the coming weeks as the FA, club and Met Police all investigate.

What the minority of fans did to the coach was wrong but let's not over react and pander to the media's agenda.

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Big questions for Man United and Met Police
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on May 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
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ClaretandHugh cannot and will not make excuses for the people who decided to throw objects and bottles at the United coach. IT WAS HORRENDOUS and they have shamed our great club!

However, there remain some key questions that need asking and answering about last night's debacle which led to a delayed 8.30 pm kick off.

In our view Manchester United, their coach operators and the Metropolitan Police need to be asked and answer the questions.

We want to know why:

O Why, knowing how narrow the streets are around the Boleyn and that thousands were set to be in the area, didn't Unted ensure they arrived at the ground much earlier than the reported 6pm when they were stuck in gridlocked Green Street?

O Why didn't the coach company make a decision to leave earlier given this was to be the biggest night in West Ham history to which thousands with or without tickets would travel?

O Why did United continue in the same manner as they did when getting a £5,000 fine for the late arrival offence at White Hart Lane last month. Given the size of the night in the east end they were always likely to discover an even worse travel situation?

O And why didn't some Man U official liase with the police to ensure an escort to the ground from their reported hotel in docklands to ensure there was no repeat?

Let's get something straight – none of this was WHUFC's fault and was not in their remit so David Sullivan's remarks about making the game kick off at 7.45 pm seem spot on to us.

This was a United issue created by them and we believe the match officials took the soft option in putting kick off time back.

The bottle throwing was disgraceful – utterly disgraceful – but had it never happened United would have been at the ground no sooner and that would have been entirely down to them again.

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Michael Carrick left frustrated after Manchester United's Champions League chances are hammered at Upton Park
Manchester United were beaten 3-2 at West Ham on Tuesday night
It means their Champions League qualification is out of their own hands
United must beat Bournemouth and hope Man City lose at Swansea City
The result at Upton Park left United's Michael Carrick feeling frustrated
By SIMON PEACH, PRESS ASSOCIATION SPORT
PUBLISHED: 13:28, 11 May 2016 | UPDATED: 14:04, 11 May 2016

Michael Carrick cut a frustrated figure after Manchester United let slip the chance to usurp rivals Manchester City in the top-four. Louis van Gaal's men arrived at Upton Park looking to be the party-poopers, knowing victory in the last-ever match at the Boleyn Ground would put the battle for Champions League qualification in their own hands heading into the season finale.
Anthony Martial's brace after a deflected Diafra Sakho opener put United on course for a crucial three points, only for Michail Antonio and Winston Reid to see West Ham sign off with an unforgettable 3-2 win. The loss leaves the Red Devils two points off City heading in the final match of the campaign. United need to beat Bournemouth and hope their neighbours lose at Swansea as their far superior goal difference means a draw at the Liberty Stadium would be enough for Manuel Pellegrini's men. 'We have to (stay focused), that's the situation that has presented itself now,' midfielder Carrick told MUTV. 'We were in control of it going into the West Ham game but we've let it slip. We have to win our last league game now and then see what happens. 'It's no good for us. We got ourselves back in the game and then didn't really help ourselves with giving away free-kicks. We have to be cleverer than that. 'We put ourselves under pressure by letting them put the ball in the box. In the end that's won them the game and we're very disappointed.' It was a frustrating return to Upton Park for former West Ham midfielder Carrick, who was keen not to blame the pre-match trouble outside the ground for their loss. 'Whatever has gone on beforehand, you've just got to get on with it,' he said. 'We were here, we were ready and we had over an hour to prepare for the game. It's no excuse.'

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Why were Manchester United players put in harm's way when their bus was attacked by fans? The key questions after ugly scenes marred West Ham's final Upton Park game
The West Ham and Manchester United clash was delayed by 45 minutes
United's team bus came under attack from Hammers fans as it arrived
Supporters threw bottles and other missiles as it arrived at Upton Park
Here, we answer the key questions in the aftermath of the trouble
By JACK GAUGHAN and OLIVER TODD and JAMES WHITE FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:56, 11 May 2016 | UPDATED: 12:56, 11 May 2016

West Ham's emotional farewell to Upton Park turned sour ahead of kick-off when Manchester United's team coach came under attack by supporters as it approached the stadium. Tuesday night's clash was the final Hammers fixture to be played at the ground they have called home for the last 112 years but it was marred by the trouble outside, which caused the game to be delayed by 45 minutes. But how and why were the Manchester United squad allowed to be placed in such a dangerous situation? Here, Sportsmail answers the key questions following the unsavoury scenes.

Why was the Manchester United bus stranded outside the ground?

The £400,000 executive coach, provided by Wigan firm Eavesway Travel, came to a halt 100 yards from the entrance to West Ham's Upton Park. Its driver had already been forced to crawl through the crowd of West Ham fans and the sheer weight of numbers outside Upton Park meant it was not safe to continue with the journey. Mark Noble later said that it took West Ham's own bus an hour to drive 200 yards because of the density of the crowds.

Did the two clubs and police expect so many fans to show up so early?

Neither the clubs nor the police have commented on this, however due to the historic nature of the occasion, the sell-out crowd and the fervent local support around Upton Park meant that such a situation could have been anticipated.

Did Manchester United leave it too late to get to the ground?

Having stayed at a hotel in the Docklands three miles away, United's journey to Green Street, off which Upton Park is located, took about 20 minutes, arriving at 5.55pm - just under two hours before their vital Premier League game was due to get underway. However, the thousands of fans thronging the street made further progress almost impossible, leaving the bus stranded. Decamping from the bus to walk the final few hundred yards did not appear to be an option given east London's volatility on Tuesday night. It meant United players did not enter the ground until about 7.10pm – just 35 minutes before the scheduled kick-off.

Why were fans allowed to get so close to the bus? Was there enough security?

The Metropolitan Police said it was the responsibility of the club to provide barriers outside of the ground to ensure the safety of vehicles travelling in and out of it. The police presence included officers on horseback who eventually dispersed the crowd as well as riot police and ordinary uniformed officers, however footage and images of the attack on the bus show that they were vastly outnumbered by fans.

Why was the match delayed?

The decision was taken to delay the kick-off was taken by police and Premier League officials at 7.15pm, five minutes after United players entered the ground. It was decided to delay the game for 45 minutes, meaning it went ahead at 8.30pm rather than 7.45pm.

Who has been arrested so far?

No-one has been arrested in connection with the disorder before the game, but an investigation has begun. Three men were arrested by police during the game – a 20-year-old man on suspicion of affray plus a 47-year-old man and an 18-year-old man for pitch incursion. The three suspects are at an east London police station for questioning and remain in custody.

What was the damage and injuries caused?

At least nine windows on the coach were reportedly smashed and further damage to paintwork with damage running into thousands of pounds. After the game seats and signs were taken by souvenir-hunting fans. Four male police officers suffered minor injuries during the pre-match disorder according to police.

How will West Ham and the authorities punish fans who caused trouble?

West Ham have promised to work with the police to identify offenders and ban them from attending games for life. Anyone who threw objects at United's coach could be charged with criminal damage or more seriously, affray if it is considered that the actions were meant to endanger those on board. Police can also apply for a Football Banning Order, which prevents people from attending any football matches in the United Kingdom for a specified period of time.

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