Daily WHUFC News - 12th March 2018

'Chichester win is testament to Ladies' hard work'
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies' 2-0 win over Chichester City Ladies is a testament
to the hard work of both the players and the coaches, according to general
manager Karen Ray. Two finishes from Amber Stobbs saw the Irons see off City
and maintain their unbeaten run in 2018, which has now stretched to eight
matches and seen the girls score 28 goals and concede just twice. Ray is
thrilled that her side were able to see out the victory against a Chichester
team that defeated the Irons twice earlier in the campaign, saying that the
result is the combination of the efforts from everyone involved. "To get
another win is fantastic," Ray told whufc.com. "I think the fact we've
continued this unbeaten run with a victory like this is a testament to both
the players and the staff. "To be honest I was a bit disappointed with how
the first half went. The players didn't nullify Chichester's threats to the
level that we were hoping. In the second half, we made a couple of changes,
having had a tactical refresher in the changing room, and the girls came out
and answered exactly what we wanted them to do."

For assistant coach Miles Smith, the win on Sunday was the latest in a
strong effort from the side, with the team benefitting from a couple of
changes. He said: "The results speak for themselves and we've had the
performance to go with it as well. We've made a few changes in the
background environment, and we're certainly seeing the benefits of that."

The win this weekend came thanks to two finishes from Stobbs, with the No10
adding to her impressive goal tally with a finish from distance in the first
half, before an effort rolled over the line after striking the base of the
post in the second. "The girl can score from distance, can't she?" Ray
laughed. "She's proven that if she gets half a yard she can put them away
and I think it's thoroughly deserved, giving the efforts she puts in during
training. "It was an iffy week because she potentially had an injury, but
she did exactly what a professional should do and took care of what she
needed to. She deserves full credit for the way she's handled that potential
knock-back and she came out fighting. "She's buried the ball twice and she
comes away with full credit from us. She gave her mum in the stands a great
Mother's Day present as well."

The interim head coach was also full of praise for debutants Molly Clark and
Cara Connatser, after the pair made their first appearance for the Irons in
the win.
Clark and Connatser both played the full 90 minutes in the victory over
Chichester and Ray is already seeing the positives to having the duo in the
team. Ray added: "I think Molly Clark showed exactly why she's played at the
level she has. She's very comfortable on the ball and isn't afraid to talk
to the players in front of her, and tell them what she needs in order to
block those passing lanes and be the defensive threat we need her to be.
"She especially showed her class in the last ten to 15 minutes when she
pushed on and joined in the forward play. A player like her will add to us
in the forward areas. "Cara has definitely got a voice and she holds her
own. She talks to her back four which is nice, and I think they enjoy having
someone talking behind them. I think she brings confidence to our defence,
as they know she's there and has their backs."

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Stobbs double earns Ladies win against Chichester City
WHUFC.com

A brace from captain Amber Stobbs saw West Ham United Ladies continue their
unbeaten start to 2018 with a 2-0 win over Chichester City. The No10 added
to her tally with an excellent strike from distance on 22 minutes, putting
the Irons into the lead at half-time. Striker Kelly Wealthall also hit the
cross-bar with a headed effort, before Chichester had a goal correctly ruled
out for offside. Some excellent defending in the second period kept the away
side at bay, and with the seconds ticking down Stobbs claimed her second as
the ball rolled in after striking the post.
The Hammers began the contest on the front foot and looked to take the lead
early on, with Ellie Zoepfl coming close twice in the opening ten minutes.
Debutant Molly Clark looked for a finish from distance, before Stobbs put
wide while under pressure after a fantastic flick from Wealthall. Wealthall
would then hit the cross-bar with a header, while the forward and Zoepfl
both saw efforts spectacularly saved. But captain Stobbs once again found
the net from distance, receiving the ball and striking an exquisite effort
into the top corner midway through the first period., A fine stop also
denied Andria Georgiou a second goal in two games as the Irons enjoyed an
impressive 45 minutes. Goalkeeper Cara Connatser, also making her Hammers
debut, was largely a bystander but claimed well when called into action
after an hour. Rosie Kmita curled an effort just wide of the near post
before Zoepfl linked up with Wealthall again. Having scored twice last
weekend, the young striker would have been disappointed not to put away the
chance. On 84 minutes, it appeared for a moment that West Ham's hard-work
has been undone, as Chichester found the net. However, the linesman
correctly ruled the goal out for offside. And, with just a few moments to
play, Stobbs claimed her second goal, with her shot rolling over the line
and into the back of the net.

West Ham United Ladies: Connatser; Mackie, Wheeler, Austin, Mabey (Auguste
74'); Georgiou (Burr 87'), Clark, Stobbs (c); Zoepfl, Wealthall, R Kmita
Substitutes: Auguste, Chong, Burr, Peters, M Kmita
Goals: Stobbs 22', 90+1'

Chichester City Ladies: Cheshire; Ingram, Alexandre (c), Taylor, Tash,
Fowlic, Bloomfield, Collighan, Tucker, Barron
Substitutes: Walford, Paul, Phelps, Shine

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Westley backs young Hammers to learn from experience of Chelsea reverse
WHUFC.com

Academy Director Terry Westley said fine margins were the difference between
victory and defeat in West Ham United's 1-0 Premier League 2 Division 1 loss
to Chelsea. The Hammers created enough chances to defeat their opponents at
Chigwell Construction Stadium, only for a combination of profligate
finishing, fine goalkeeping from Blues goalkeeper Marcin Bulka and an error
from home stopper Nathan Trott to see them end an exciting 90 minutes on the
losing side.
"You don't always get what you deserve and this was definitely one of those
occasions," he said. "We had a 60/40 advantage in possession and many more
penalty area entries and shots than Chelsea, but you've got to make one of
those opportunities count and we didn't quite do that. "I thought, in Marcus
Browne, we had the best player on the pitch, which is always important when
you're playing against a top team like Chelsea, because you want to compare
players. "We were a younger team than them, with Ben Johnson, Domingos Quina
and Conor Coventry all still Under-18 players, so we acquitted ourselves
well, but I'm a little bit disappointed we didn't get a point or all three,
because I thought we were the better side."

Westley backed his players to learn from the experience, while also finding
time to praise the performances of captain Marcus Browne and fellow
attacking midfielder Nathan Holland, who returned to action after four
months out with a hamstring injury. "Making Marcus captain has helped him,
trying to instil in him a responsibility to help the team, on and off the
pitch, and he's taken over that mantel from Moses Makasi [who is out on
loan] very well. "He can drive up the pitch, with or without the ball, and
there are not many players like that any longer. There are a lot of neat and
tidy footballers, but not many who can run and drive with the ball, and in
the first half, in particular, you had Browne, Holland and Grady Diangana on
the counter attack when it turned over, and our pace was too much for them.
We didn't make the best of those opportunities, but Marcus really led the
team properly and I'm really pleased with him. "Nathan has worked really
hard with the physios and rehab department, and Josh Pask the same, as both
had similar types of injuries and were out for a while. Nathan came back and
showed he can run past you and there are very few out and out wingers who
can go down the outside like he does. He, Marcus and Grady caught the eye in
the first half on the attacking front."

One player who also caught the eye was England U20 goalkeeper Trott, who
made a succession of fine saves, only for Chelsea's winner to come from his
miss-hit goal kick. Again, Westley backed the youngster to bounce back.
"Nathan made some unbelievable saves, but unfortunately it just shows you
what that job is like. If you make an error, which he did, it cost us a goal
and ultimately cost us the match. "Overall, he'd be thinking 'I made some
unbelievable saves' but that's the learning curve and if you go to the next
level, to first-team level, those are the sort of mistakes you need to be
cutting out."

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Holland returns as young Hammers edged out by Chelsea
WHUFC.com

West Ham United were edged out 1-0 by Chelsea in a competitive Premier
League 2 Division 1 fixture at Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday.
Terry Westley's side fashioned more than enough opportunities to beat the
Blues, only to be beaten by a solitary first-half strike from Scotland U19
international winger Harvey St Clair. While defeat is never welcome, Westley
will have been encouraged by the performance of his team, and in particular
with the return of Nathan Holland (pictured, above) after four months out
with a hamstring injury. With Holland lively down the left wing, the Hammers
created at least a dozen decent chances in the opening 45 minutes, but could
not find a way past the Blues' Polish goalkeeper Marcin Bulka.
With captain Marcus Browne also in influential form in the No10 position,
West Ham repeatedly passed and dribbled their way through the Chelsea
rearguard, only to find Bulka and his defenders in the way when it mattered
most. It was centre-back Josh Pask who went close first, seeing his
deflected 25-yard shot pushed aside by Bulka, but by that time Chelsea had
taken the lead. Nathan Trott had already made two superb saves, diving
full-length to tip Joseph Colley's curler onto the crossbar before doing
likewise to divert St Clair's low shot around the post. However, it was from
the England U19 goalkeeper's short clearance that the visitors went ahead on
19 minutes, as Kyle Scott intercepted and played in St Clair, who cut inside
and slammed a right-foot shot low past Trott's right hand.

Having gone behind, West Ham took control, with Pask's shot being followed
by a succession of near-misses. The returning Nathan Holland saw a powerful
strike blocked, Grady Diangana and Oladapo Afolayan both fired wide, before
Browne's fine run set up Diangana, whose deflected shot was well held by the
busy Bulka.
The impressive Diangana was involved twice more before half-time, seeing a
shot blocked by Chelsea captain Ruben Sammut, before teeing up Afolayan,
whose powerful effort was clawed away from the top corner. While there were
far fewer chances to score at both ends in the second half, each team hit
the woodwork in what was a generally even 45 minutes. After the willing
Browne had twice fired high and wide from range, Chelsea substitute Reece
James got in behind the West Ham defence. His shot was parried by Trott and
diverted onto the underside of the crossbar by Tunji Akinola before the
goalkeeper recovered to punch clear. Then, Hammers replacement Jahmal
Hector-Ingram latched onto a Diangana pass at the end of a flowing move
involving Akinola and Ben Johnson, only to fire his shot across Bulka and
against the base of the far post. West Ham continued to press in the closing
stages, with Browne volleying into the side-netting. Akinola seeing a
close-range header deflected over and Diangana driving wide from 25 yards,
but it was Chelsea who took the spoils from a keenly-contested London derby.

West Ham United: Trott, Johnson, Neufville, Coventry, Pask, Akinola,
Diangana, Quina (Powell 86), Afolayan (Hector-Ingram 55), Browne ©, Holland
(Haksabanovic 59)
Subs not used: Matrevics (GK), Alese

Chelsea: Bulka, Sterling (James 62), Colley, Nartey, Dasilva, Sammut ©,
McCormick, Colkett, Taylor Crossdale, Scott (Maddox 86), St Clair (Grant 62)
Subs not used: Cumming (GK), Castillo

Referee: Christopher O'Connell
Attendance: 294

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IT IS TIME TO GET BEHIND THE TEAM
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 11 MARCH 2018 AT 10:23PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Elliot Polland @ellpol1

Fresh from the London Stadium I have never seen such a toxic influence as I
witnessed today. West Hams game against Burnley was a must win following a
thrashing from Swansea 7 Days previous. 5 changes were made to that team
which welcomed back 2 influential defenders in Ogbonna and Collins.

West Ham had a solid first 45 minutes ntes and should have taken advantage
of there dominance with Manual Lanzini having the best chance of the half to
put the hammers ahead. Burnley barely troubled Joe Hart at all.

Feeling positive going into the second half Burnley gradually got on top and
started to create a few chances, including a goal which was correctly ruled
out for offside. Following this the atmosphere in the stadium dropped as us
home fans quite rightly became nervous. Burnley then took the lead with a
great strike from Ashley Barns which have Joe Hart no chance. The ball
nestling into the top corner caused immediate unrest and frustration within
the home crowd. The scenes that then followed this are embarrassing and
unforgiving in my point of view. Supporters ran on the pitch and had to be
man handled by club captain Mark Noble as the stewarding was yet again non
existent. It was no surprise that Burnley managed to double there lead
straight after the restart following the pitch invasions and disruption. To
the fans that invaded the pitch and the fans who gathered around the
directors box to hurl abuse I ask you, what are you hoping to achieve?

Having played well for 45 minutes and then falling behind to a good goal do
you really think the protests against the board are necessary? The scenes
that followed the opening goal were 100% responsible for the second. However
I do believe that Joe Hart was entirely responsible for the third. In no way
am I defending the board but the timing of these protests is causing nothing
but poison within our club. Do you really think that by standing outside the
directors box yelling abuse is going to make the owners sell the club and
keep us in the premier league? The answer is no. The only way the club are
going to survive in this league is if we get behind the players and support
them, not turning on them after conceding 1 goal. Us fans are going to be
the people who decide the fate of our club, and fighting amounts each other
does not resolve anything. As a loyal West Ham fan I am embarrassed by
today's events more than I'm disappointed by the defeat. The fans that
caused this atmosphere are just as responsible as the players for this
defeat. In fact I wouldn't even call these people fans.

The West Ham fans will determine if we stay in this league so it's time to
put the issues with the board behind us for now and back the TEAM!

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A HEARTFELT MESSAGE TO ANYONE BLAMING WEST HAM FANS FOR THE CLUB'S CRISIS
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 11 MARCH 2018 AT 10:29PM
TheWesTHamWay.co.uk
Written by Matthew Jones Twitter: @MatthewJ_Joness

The year was 2010. David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady signed a deal
to move West Ham United into the Olympic Stadium. The transition would see
Upton Park, home of West Ham since 1904, demolished. The stadium which
England's greatest ever player, Bobby Moore, graced for 16 years. The
stadium which saw Paulo Di Canio score the greatest goal in Premier League
history, right in front of the West Ham crowds. It was a classic location
for international football, for example when thousands of West Ham
supporters came to watch the best footballer in history, Lionel Messi, play
at the Boleyn ground in 2014. It saw club legend Mark Noble have a memorable
testimonial (my last ever game at the ground), featuring some of West Ham's
best ever players. Upton Park's dying days involved a season consisting of
incredible wins against Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and most notoriously –
Manchester United. Every single West Ham United fan, whether watching it
from home or sat in the ground, emotionally witnessed Bobby Moore turn the
lights off at Upton Park, for the final time. A lifetime of memories and
history was released from the desperate grip of West Ham fans, forever. But
why?

David Sullivan and David Gold, sat in front of a press conference eight
years ago, explained why West Ham United were transitioning to the Olympic
Stadium.

"We will have the cheapest Premier League prices in the country. We want
football to be affordable for the ordinary working class man, not just the
corporate people," said Sullivan.

As soon as we moved into the Olympic Stadium, 'Kids for a quid' and 'half
price adult tickets' were immediately scrapped, whilst U16s are charged £70
for a Band 1 ticket.

"The seats behind the goal are even closer to the pitch than they are at the
Emirates Stadium. The sight lines from EVERY part of the ground are better
than Wembley," bragged Sullivan.

Since moving, West Ham have been ridiculed as thousands of fans have snapped
photos of their view, where the ball is almost invisible from sight.

"It is mad [that owners are changing shirt colours]. It is like calling
ourselves West Ham London. We are West Ham United, not West Ham London."

Six years later, West Ham's notorious 'castle' crest, reading 'West Ham
United', is thrown in the bin for a plastic, corporate logo reading 'WEST
HAM LONDON'.

"It is very sad [that Premier League owners are just there to make money].
We don't see West Ham as a business. We want to break even and make it a
self-sufficient club."

The board made a £183.3million record turnover last year. The club also made
£28.4 million on player sales. In the summer transfer window, instead of
investing off the back of a disastrous first season at the new stadium, the
board pocketed an additional £5 million from selling key players of our
squad.

"If we're going into the Olympic Stadium, we MUST be in the Premier League."

In January 2018, with West Ham in extreme danger of relegation, the board
sold Ayew and Fonte for over £20 million. No replacement for Fonte came in.
An inexperienced striker from Preston North End replaced our £18 million
forward. The board intentionally weakened the team to fill their pockets. It
is now March, and West Ham sit in 16th, with the majority of fans adamant
that we will not win another game.

And then came the extensive documentary from Karren Brady about the Olympic
Stadium. "The seats will not be black and white, they will represent the
colours of West Ham United," she said.

"A state of the art digital wrap will go RIGHT AROUND the stadium," she
said.

"Our job is to exceed fan's expectations, and we will certainly do that" she
said.

Brady looked at every single one of you West Ham fans, straight in the eye,
and told you these lies. She knew what she was doing. She strapped you of
your hard-earned cash, to fill her pockets, and she did it by deceiving the
club you love.

The stadium is the biggest problem. West Ham United get relegated this
season, and we officially die. A soulless, corporate, white bowl with 40,000
empty seats will look down on Mark Noble playing with ten youth players
against Burton Albion. If the board are still in charge, does their track
record make you think they will invest to get us back up to the Premier
League? No – they did the same to other historical clubs, like Birmingham,
and they will do it to us as well. If they are in charge, we will never go
up. Get that idea in your head – West Ham United will NEVER play in the
Premier League ever again. You will never take your children to a West Ham
Premier League game. They will never know what West Ham really was like.

And now, if we are lucky, the board will sell up. They walk away with
hundreds of millions and go live in their extravagant mansions. What do they
leave behind? Us. As West Ham dies, our commitment will eventually die too.
We will slowly lose our will to sing, support and cheer. Nevertheless, us
West Ham fans bleed claret and blue so much that we will desperately try
anything to stop this scenario from happening. Of course, actual abuse isn't
acceptable and it is okay for the media to criticise those West Ham 'fans'
running on the pitch, and being disruptive and unhelpful. But talkSPORT
claiming that West Ham fans 'abused' our owners, by stopping them to ask
questions about the demise of our club, is unacceptable. Of course, the
media will pull the age card – 'David Gold is 81, you can't have a go at
him' – if you take the responsibility of owning a football club, and
intentionally destroy it in front of their fanbase, you cannot hide away
because you're 'too old' to face the uproar. They need to deal with the
consequences of their actions. I don't support legitimate abuse towards the
owners, but the fans chanting their dislike of the board around the
director's box? Perfectly fine- in fact, the way the owners were hurt is
just a FRACTION of the pain which West Ham fans have felt.

To any wealthy media figures blaming West Ham fans for the state of the
club, from their pedestal in a corporate office – don't chat rubbish about
what you don't know. You haven't been robbed, you haven't been deceived, you
haven't had something you have loved your entire life stripped from you –
let us passionate, die-hard fans freely battle the sad, emotionless,
corporate industry of modern football.

Matthew Jones

Twitter: @MatthewJ_Joness

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Sunday Supplement discuss West Ham
KUMb.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

The ongoing problems at West Ham United were the main point of discussion on
this morning's Sunday Supplement show.

Sam Wallace (Telegraph), Jeremy Cross (Daily Star) and John Cross (Mirror)
joined host Neil Ashton this morning to discuss the unruly scenes witnessed
at the Olympic Stadium 24 hours earlier.

And whilst the disturbances were understandably condemned, the panel did at
least display some understanding of the myriad of issues that culminated in
the pitch invasions and angry scenes around the Directors' Box during
yesterday's 3-0 home defeat against Burnley.

West Ham are yet to comment officially on the disturbances since ordering an
immediate investigation after the game on Saturday afternoon.

However former Director, manager and player Sir Trevor Brooking revealed
that co-owner David Sullivan - who bore the brunt of the fans' ire - was
struck by an object during the second half.

"I think a coin hit David Sullivan, his glasses," Brooking told the BBC. "I
didn't see it myself but I did have that confirmed, which was part of the
reason why the people in the directors' box had to go inside to save any
more problems like that."

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West Ham fans have the right to protest but must not endanger others, says
Sam Wallace
"We have to balance this with not putting people in danger," says Wallace,
as club continues investigation
By Ben Grounds
Last Updated: 11/03/18 6:53pm
SSN

West Ham supporters have a right to protest against their owners David Gold
and David Sullivan, the Daily Telegraph's Chief Football Writer Sam Wallace
told the Sunday Supplement. Numerous pitch invasions marred Burnley's 3-0
victory over David Moyes' side, with Mark Noble admitting he had to protect
himself against invasive supporters. Investigations are underway by the club
and Premier League, and an emergency meeting of all stakeholders has been
called following the ugly scenes on Saturday. Wallace condemned the disorder
and lack of police presence, and believes disgruntled fans must strike the
right balance between protesting without endangering those inside the
stadium. He said: "It's not nice to see children being sheltered in the away
dug-out and it's a head-in-hands moment when a middle-aged man gets on the
pitch and waves a flag around. "It's right that we condemn this behaviour
because it took us many years to get rid of hooliganism from the game. "But
we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that football fans in this country have
always had the right to protest. "There's a strong tradition of that and I
would always want fans to stand up for their club. But we have to balance
this with not putting people in danger. Running on the pitch sends a bleak
message.
"Fans have a right to protest, but going on the pitch is a red line and it's
wrong for children to feel in danger."
West Ham's day of shame was sparked after Ashley Barnes had given Burnley
the lead with a fine strike and the revolt which ensued has dominated
Sunday's papers. The Hammers are 16th in the Premier League following a
third straight defeat, with Southampton at home up next at the end of the
month. Wallace claims that West Ham supporters feel they have been lied to
over false promises that have led to legitimate grievances.

Neil Ashton is joined by the Mirror's John Cross, the Independent's Sam
Wallace and Jeremy Cross of the Daily Star. The trio will review the major
headlines in the national newspapers and discuss all the big football
talking points. He added: "The problem with West Ham's stadium is that it
was built for the Olympics. There was no legacy for football. It's been a
terrible compromise that hasn't worked for anyone, least of all the
taxpayer. "Right from the offset, there didn't seem to be a plan. West Ham
felt they couldn't turn it down because financially it was great but even
the walk to the ground, it doesn't feel like a community. "I think they're
facing a game behind closed doors. It pains me but I think that would be the
right decision. Fans on the pitch creates an atmosphere of the days of
anarchy. "If you can't control people coming on the pitch then you can't
control the stands. The club has got to be better run. Part of the
investigation has to include the owners looking at themselves."

There has been an undercurrent of discontent at West Ham throughout the
season with many having serious issues with co-owners Sullivan and Gold. The
club spent a club-record £80m on players during the 2016/17 season, but
investment has levelled off over the past 12 months. The Hammers have the
seventh-highest wage bill in Premier League, but Gold and Sullivan have
received £14.8m interest on loans to the club since 2011. Jeremy Cross,
Chief Sports Writer at the Daily Star, feels the disconnect between the
owners and supporters is at the heart of the matter. He said: "It comes back
to the ownership of the club and they are clearly two very unpopular guys.
"The fans feel they've lost their identity moving to the London Stadium.
It's been a fiasco. They've had a net spend of under £30m this season, and
that's a pittance by Premier League standards. "They have a mediocre team
with not a lot of talent, and they are where they are for a reason. The fans
feel they've been lied to."

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David Sullivan hit by coin in West Ham fan protests
Sky sources understand around 30 coins were thrown at Sullivan, who left
early in attempt to defuse situation
Last Updated: 11/03/18 1:33pm
SSN

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan was hit by a coin during the fan protests
at the London Stadium on Saturday. Supporters invaded the pitch on several
occasions during the 3-0 defeat to Burnley, while hundreds of others
congregated beneath the directors' box to protest against the club's board.
Sky sources understand around 30 coins were thrown at the directors' box,
including larger £2 coins - leaving 81-year-old co-owner David Gold in tears
after the game. Sullivan and Gold were advised to leave the match early for
their own safety and former Hammers midfielder Sir Trevor Brooking has
confirmed Sullivan was hit by a projectile during the protests. "I think a
coin did hit David Sullivan, his glasses," Brooking told the BBC. "I didn't
see it myself but I did have that confirmed, which was part of the reason
why the people in the directors' box had to go inside to save any more
problems like that."

West Ham have confirmed they are working with the authorities to identify
the pitch invaders who interrupted the match, and have also launched an
internal investigation into the protests. Mark Noble clashed with one
supporter who invaded the pitch and the West Ham captain insisted he had a
right to defend himself after the match. "People have got to realise we are
footballers and we are targets, but we have got to protect ourselves," he
told Sky Sports. "Obviously there were a number of fans that got on the
pitch and a lot of them were running over to where the chairmen were sat.
"But if someone approaches me personally, I'm going to protect myself, for
sure."

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GROWN MEN BEHAVING LIKE SPOILT CHILDREN
By Iain Dale 11 Mar 2018 at 09:58
WTID

Guest Post by Anonymous

Went yesterday, sat in my usual seat just behind the subs bench in front of
the directors/board seating. Witnessed things that frankly are embarrassing.

Today, I was reminded why I stopped going to the game in the 1980's when the
ICF were kicking rival supporters heads in. I was told last week by another
supporter I know that some ex members of the ICF were involved in organising
the protests. Trouble today was frankly planned.

I think it is important to get a message across that there are many
supporters whilst unhappy with performances on the pitch are sick to death
of the numbskulls that are there with the loudest voices hurling abuse at
the players and coaches. Which I found really abhorrent and stupid.

There is a silent majority. I am one of them, I had to walk out today or
risk my gob opening and telling the morons what I think of their behavior.
Others felt the same way. The guy next to me tried to justify the protests
telling me he had spent 30k on a 3 year season ticket. Err no he hadn't, it
was 2 years at 4k so 8k. He then tried to lecture me on being a supporter,
until I pointed out that I had followed the club for 52 years and my late
grandfather was at the 1923 cup final.

I sit right behind the players and for 2 seasons have witness the snarling
abuse that has killed the players confidence. I watched Andy Carroll and
other players pointing out all the fights between West Ham supporters in the
stadium at the Chelsea game. I watched two supporters fighting each other
literally 3 metres from me, their ages around 50 complete with kid in tow at
the Crystal Palace game. I have watched the poor stewards today who are
lucky if they earn £8.50 an hour be assaulted and abused and then me suffer
the irony of being lectured on the 'fucking rich Tory supporting owners'
from someone prepared to pay 4 k a year for a seat. I voted Labour last
election, I rather suspect this guy didn't.

The worst offenders are our age Iain. I feel like West Ham is a mirror image
of Brexit. Those happy with the move and those unhappy.

Had West Ham been in the top four in the Premier league there would be no
marches, there would be no pitch invasion, there would be no fighting
amongst themselves, there would be no protest and there would be no chanting
of 'Sack the Board! Sack the Board! Sack the Board!'.

This is grown men behaving like spoilt children who cannot accept change and
something different when it is not going their way.

On a more comical note, I took a friend of mine who is a film
maker/photographer and a Man City fan who reckons it was one of the most
entertaining days of his life… he filmed most of it and felt sure Russell
Brand was one of the pitch invaders!

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West Ham's loyal captain Mark Noble on the protests and pitch invasions: 'It
reached boiling point, then exploded'
Mark Noble has been at West Ham since he was ten - he feels the pain of the
fans
When confronted by a pitch invader, Noble grappled and wrestled him to floor
After the defeat, Noble did not duck his responsibilities and spoke to
reporters
By Sportsmail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 11 March 2018 | UPDATED: 22:30, 11 March 2018

Born in Custom House, Canning Town, Mark Noble has been at West Ham since he
was 10. As West Ham's captain and a lifelong supporter, he feels the pain of
the fans more than any other player at the club. When he was confronted by a
pitch invader, the 30-year-old midfielder took matters into his own hands as
he grappled with the fan and wrestled him to the floor. After the 3-0
defeat, Noble did not duck his responsibilities and spoke to reporters. Here
is the transcript...

Everyone who cares for West Ham will feel for you today…

Noble: It is hard for me personally because I'm a West Ham fan myself and
the results affect me more than anyone else. But in this league for the past
two seasons, it has been bubbling over with the fans not being happy and
today was boiling point and it just exploded.

What happened when the fan ran on?

Noble: I am a footballer. I play for West Ham. I always have done. But I am
a person and if someone approaches me – obviously my emotions were high
anyway as we had just conceded a goal – but yeah, I will protect myself.

What did the pitch invader say?

Noble: No no, nothing. I was not even listening. Do you know what? I am not
going to even blame the fella who did it. His emotions were high - same as
mine on the pitch. He ran on the pitch and I wouldn't say I felt threatened
but if someone approaches me I am going to look after myself.

Were you aware of what was going on in the stands?

Noble: Yes, of course, (there are almost) 60,000 people. It was not all the
West Ham fans. But it has been bubbling over for a long time, this, and the
only way that it has ever really gone quiet is if we won games, and West Ham
are a side who are not going to win every game. We are going to lose games,
but when we lose games it is pretty much the end of the world.

Were your family here?

Noble: I just spoke to my dad and you can imagine that he is not too happy.
If anything I am not really angry - I am just a little bit upset that club
is in the way that it is. My wife and kids were not here today which is a
plus.

West Ham's results affect my everyday life massively. I have said this
before. If we win you don't mind going out to a restaurant with the wife and
having a glass of wine. But when you lose you don't want to talk to anyone,
especially the last couple of seasons, it has been a lot tougher.

How do you feel when fans sing they want to go home to Upton Park?

Noble: This is our stadium now. There is nothing we can do about it. It
seems to me that there is so much anger out there that it is not going to go
away.

Will it be the same if the team go a goal down in the next home game?

Noble: If we go a goal down at home it has been tough. It has been really
tough. Before coming here the supporters are not happy in the first place. I
think it is not an excuse (if we go a goal down) but it is a chance to show
their emotions towards not so much the players but the board.

Did you speak to referee Lee Mason about the incident?

Noble: Lee Mason was really good. He said to me that 'I will have to do
something' but he used his common sense. I don't think he booked me did he?
He said to me: 'Look Mark you were sort of protecting yourself really.' He
used some common sense and just let it go.

Would it have been a red if you had done that to an opponent?

Noble: I probably would not do it on another player as I would put my team
in trouble!

Did you think the game would be stopped?

Noble: No. At one point I thought there would be a pitch invasion. It looked
that way. But thankfully it wasn't.

How do you prepare for the next home game?

Noble: I don't know. That is the brutal honestly. If we will go 1-0 down at
home again, what will happen? I can't imagine. I hope that when you have an
eruption and you get your emotions out…. I am hoping that was today.

They have showed their emotions and showed everyone how they feel and
hopefully now rally together and get behind us.

The main aim is to stay in this League. Full stop. Get some points and make
some decisions in the summer. But as I said I am not angry, just upset with
how things went today.

Trevor Brooking was left in the Director's Box alone and looking sad?

Noble: He probably felt the same way as me walking off the pitch. Listen, it
is not that I support the club, it is actually that I love the club. It has
been my home since aged 10 and I was brought up here.

That is why probably I acted the way I did today as I know there are a lot
of people at the club who really care how we get on, the results. If I never
play for the club again I am still going to feel the way that I feel about
it just because I am born and bred here.

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West Ham fear playing behind closed doors as they cannot guarantee supporter
safety at London Stadium
West Ham fear having to play home game vs Southampton behind closed doors
Hammers don't operate security at their stadium so can't guarantee fan
safety
Club will press to have security taken from LS185, who operate the stadium
By Adam Crafton and Martin Samuel for the Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 11 March 2018 | UPDATED: 22:30, 11 March 2018

West Ham fear having to play their next home game with Southampton behind
closed doors because they can't guarantee security arrangements at the
London Stadium. At an emergency meeting of stakeholders called by West Ham
following Saturday's mayhem during the 3-0 home defeat by Burnley, the club
will press to have security measures taken out of the hands of LS185, the
company who operate the stadium on a day-to-day basis. LS185 are responsible
for all stewarding and security and were appointed by E20, the body set up
to manage the transformation of the Olympic Stadium.
This gives West Ham no control over their own security arrangements, meaning
they cannot offer the necessary assurances that the match with Southampton
on March 31 will pass without major incident. The Premier League fear the
game could be abandoned in the event of public disorder, leading to talk of
it being played behind closed doors. West Ham feel that while LS185 are in
charge of security they can give no guarantees, given the volatile climate
and the poor response to Saturday's chaos. The Sports Ground Safety
Authority (SGSA), the body responsible for stadium licensing and proposing
safety measures, will also attend the emergency meeting.
Sportsmail understands the SGSA will propose a reduction in the ground's
capacity for the next home games and reducing the number of fans in areas of
the stadium where trouble broke out. This may include a section near the
directors' box where fans abused owners David Gold and David Sullivan. The
latter was struck by a coin as fans hurled missiles. West Ham directors were
appalled by the reaction to the trouble, with captain Mark Noble and
Burnley's Ashley Barnes forced to intervene against pitch invaders. West Ham
wish to dismiss LS185 and become responsible for security arrangements,
meaning they could offer the guarantees to allow the ground to stay open.
Noble will not face disciplinary action after referee Lee Mason confirmed in
his report that he saw the incident and chose a common-sense approach to
allow Noble to stay on the field. But the Football Association are
investigating the wider chaos.

MATCH FACTS - Cup-Winners' Cup first round, second leg
West Ham 5-1 Castilla (aet: West Ham won 6-4 on aggregate)
Wednesday October 1, 1980
Upton Park
Attendance: 262

WEST HAM: Phil Parkes, Ray Stewart, Frank Lampard, Billy Bonds, Alvin
Martin, Alan Devonshire, Pat Holland (Paul Brush), Paul Goddard (Nicky
Morgan), David Cross, Trevor Brooking, Geoff Pike.
Scorers: Pike 19, Cross 30, 102, 120, Goddard 39.
Manager: John Lyall

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Furious West Ham owners demand talks with Sadiq Khan and vow not to be
bullied out of London Stadium
EXCLUSIVE: David Sullivan and David Gold are demanding urgent talks with the
London Mayor Sadiq Khan
ByDarren Lewis
00:52, 12 MAR 2018
The Mirror

West Ham's owners are refusing to be bullied out of attending their final
five home games of the season. David Sullivan and David Gold are instead
demanding urgent talks with London Mayor Sadiq Khan over the public order
crisis on Saturday afternoon. The Irons claim Khan has ducked meetings with
them despite requests. They now believe he must - as a priority - address
the appalling scenes, the lack of planning and the lack of action from the
London Stadium operators he appointed. West Ham are also demanding a large
police presence for their remaining games. Their next game is at home to
Southampton on March 31.
Mirror Sport understands a coin which hit Sullivan in the face on Saturday
was one of thirty missiles pelted at the Hammers owner by furious fans.
Sullivan, saved from serious injury by his glasses, was eventually escorted
out of the Directors' box and away from baying fans from their own safety.
Hundreds of supporters are set to be banned by the club this week after the
ugly scenes which saw punch-ups in the stands, a female steward knocked over
and police officers assaulted. The club will scour CCTV to take action. West
Ham's owners are also furious at the astonishingly woeful London Stadium
stewarding which saw fans allowed onto the pitch unchallenged on four
separate occasions during the defeat to Burnley. There is anger at the club
that Saturday's game was seen as low risk when fan anger, recent form and
the Hammers' heavy defeat at Swansea last week suggested otherwise.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham owners want to take over London Stadium security after Saturday
stand-off marred Burnley match
Sam Dean Jason Burt, chief football correspondent
11 MARCH 2018 • 10:30PM
The Telegraph

West Ham United will demand to take over the stewarding of the London
Stadium after co-owner David Sullivan was struck in the face with a coin
during the violent and unprecedented protest that took place in Saturday's
3-0 defeat by Burnley.

It is understood that the club's owners have lost faith in the ability of
the stadium operators to safely police West Ham's remaining home games after
four supporters invaded the pitch and hundreds more hurled abuse towards the
directors' box.

The club is likely to face disciplinary action from the FA, which said after
the game that it "strongly condemns" the incidents. Potential punishments
could range from a hefty fine to the team being ordered to play games in
front of a reduced capacity, while there is even the prospect of West Ham
being forced to play games behind closed doors.

Under the terms of West Ham's deal to rent the stadium, the costs of
policing and stewarding are covered by the operators, London Stadium 185,
and paid for by the taxpayer.

But the club now wishes to take matters into its own hands after the owners
were targeted in scenes which David Moyes, the West Ham manager, said were
unlike anything he had ever seen in his football career.

During the protest, a coin struck Sullivan on his glasses while David Gold,
his fellow co-owner, broke down in tears after he had left his seat. Despite
the abuse they received, they will continue to attend home matches.

According to the rental agreement, which allows West Ham to use the stadium
for £2.5m per year, any strengthening of the police and stewarding presence
would be paid for by the public purse.

However, West Ham could offer to cover those costs themselves, and it is
understood that senior figures at the club believe the money that is
currently spent on stewarding and policing costs could be used more
effectively.

Sullivan said on Saturday night that he felt "very badly let down" by the
stadium operators, and there is particular concern over the ease with which
the pitch invaders were allowed to run onto the playing surface, where one
was thrown to the floor by Mark Noble, the West Ham captain.

Karren Brady, the club's vice-chairman, will accompany another board member
and the club's head of security at a meeting with stadium stakeholders on
Monday.

If West Ham were to take over the running of the safety operation for the
ground, it would raise questions over who manages other major events, such
as athletics, in the London Stadium. A change to the contract may also
result in the club having to pay compensation costs.

Meanwhile, Noble said he cannot see a way in which the anger from the fans
towards the club's owners, much of which centres around the move from Upton
Park to the London Stadium, will dissipate.

"This is our stadium now," Noble said. "There is nothing we can do about it.
It seems to me that there is so much anger out there that it is not going to
go away. I don't think it is.

"It has been bubbling over for a long time and the only way that it has ever
really gone quiet is if we won games. And West Ham is a side that is not
going to win every game. I can tell you that. We are going to lose games.
But when we lose games it is pretty much the end of the world.

"If we go a goal down at home it has been tough. It has been really tough as
straight away, because the supporters are not happy in the first place
coming here, I think it's a chance to show their emotions towards not so
much the players but the board."

Noble added that he feared at one point that there would be a mass pitch
invasion, and said he was thankful that his wife and children had not
attended the game.

Asked how the side can now prepare for the next home game, against
Southampton on March 31, Noble said: "I don't know. If we go 1-0 down at
home again, what will happen? I can't imagine.

"They have showed their emotions and showed everyone how they feel.
Hopefully they will now rally together and get behind us."

West Ham defender James Collins, who was also involved in scuffles with
invading fans, said the team was affected by the confrontation with Noble
and the events in the stands as they fell to their third consecutive defeat.

"Seeing my friend, captain and a boy who loves this club as much as me, and
who has been here since he was a kid, having to do that with a fan on the
pitch is going to affect anyone, to be honest," Collins said. "It's not an
excuse, it's something I have not seen in football before.

"It just seemed that it had that edge on it. We were probably a bit scared
playing, a bit nervous if you like, and then as soon as that first goal has
gone in against us, all hell has broke loose."

Sir Trevor Brooking, the former West Ham player who was watching from the
directors' box, said the "aggressive" atmosphere could result in the club's
relegation. "That atmosphere must never come back in the last five games
otherwise the club is in serious trouble and the players won't be able to
deliver," he said.

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