Daily WHUFC News - 21st March 2018

Dagenham & Redbridge v West Ham United: All you need to know
WHUFC.com

West Ham United will play neighbours Dagenham & Redbridge in a midweek
friendly, to help the National League Club raise funds.
Read on for all the information you need ahead of this fixture.

Where and when?

Dagenham & Redbridge will welcome West Ham United to the Chigwell
Construction Stadium on Wednesday 21 March 2018.
The friendly fixture is scheduled to kick-off at 7:30pm.

How to follow:
Tickets for Wednesday's match are available on the night, purchasable with
cash at the turnstiles. These tickets can be bought at the Bury Road
turnstiles.
Live match updates will be provided through the official West Ham Twitter
account.
You can also follow the game live via our Matchday Blog on whufc.com.
You can also follow the match on our official Instagram, Facebook and
Snapchat channels.

Meet the opposition:
Dagenham & Redbridge
Nickname: The Daggers
Manager: John Still
Formed: 1992
League Position: 11th (National League)
Last Five Matches: WLWLL

Team news:

In the midst of a three-week break without a competitive game, manager
David Moyes is expected to send a strong team down to the Chigwell
Construction Stadium for Wednesday's contest. The likes of Marko
Arnautovic, Chicharito, Manuel Lanzini, Declan Rice, Angelo Ogbonna, Joe
Hart, Cheikhou Kouyate, and Joao Mario are away on international duty.

What they say:
"Everybody at the club is really looking forward to the game, not only
because it will help raise some of the money we need, but also because it
should be a good, competitive game between two professional teams."
Bonds N'Gala Dag & Red defender and former West Ham player

How to get there:

The nearest Underground station to The Chigwell Construction Stadium is
Dagenham East, on the District Line. The station is just a ten minute walk
from the ground.

By Train
Information for away fans at Chigwell Construction Stadium:
Any West Ham fans that have bought tickets for this game in the A13 Steel
Stand will need to use gates 9, 10 and 11 to get into the ground. If
entering through Victoria Road, gates 9,10 and 11 can be found by walking
towards the other side of the car park. Alternatively the gates can be
accessed through Pondfield Road, with the turnstiles on your left. West Ham
fans that have bought Terrace tickets for this game will find access into
the ground through the turnstiles at the end of Bury Road, which is the
next road on the left after Victoria Road when coming from Dagenham East
Station. Supporters are advised that tickets are now not available for
pre-purchase, and can only be bought on the night.

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Hugill: Dagenham game is a perfect platform for me to show I'm ready
WHUFC.com

For Jordan Hugill, Wednesday's fundraising friendly at Dagenham & Redbridge
is an important game for both sporting and financial reasons. With the likes
of Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini away on international duty, the
25-year-old will likely lead the line, giving him a welcome opportunity to
impress manager David Moyes ahead of the vital Premier League run-in. And as
someone who played non-league football for the likes of Seaham Red Star,
Whitby Town and Gateshead in his native North East, the striker also fully
aware of just how important Wednesday's fundraising match is to the National
League side. "For me, this game is perfect because it gives me a platform to
show the coaching staff what I can do and that, if I'm called upon, I'm
going to be ready for it," said the No17. "Hopefully I'll do well and if I
do the right things on the pitch, it'll put myself at the forefront of the
manager's mind and show I am ready for it. "It's also an important game for
Dagenham & Redbridge. People can forget about non-league football, but I've
played myself in the Northern Premier League and I know what it is like when
clubs have to work hard to raise the funds they need, so any help that
bigger clubs can give is brilliant. Any money we can raise will be
brilliant, for them, so it should be a good night all-round. "One of my old
clubs, Hartlepool United, have also had some financial trouble recently. I
was part of the squad 2015 and I donated the shirt I scored the winner
against Exeter to keep them up in the Football League to do my bit and it
raised about £350. It was priceless for me, but it was good for them and you
don't want to see clubs go under because of money problems, because that's
always sad to see. Anything we can do is brilliant."

Hugill also reflected positively on the squad's training camp in Florida,
where he spent time getting to know his new teammates on and off the pitch.
"It was really good for me," he confirmed. "Having come in at the end of
January, it made settling in a bit harder, so this trip gave me the chance
to get to know people better and learn how they work. The better you get on
off the pitch, it transfers onto the pitch, so it was definitely worthwhile.
"The manager has been around long enough and he knows what he is doing and
knows how to get the best out of his players. He has got a good response out
of his players and for me personally it was a good trip and I'm sure we will
see the benefits. "Sometimes you've just got to get away from all the
distractions, clear your head space, get your head down and do your work.
Change of environment freshens the mind and it certainly did that. That
little change has certainly brought out a spark in people and will provide
the reaction the manager was looking for."

*Tickets for Wednesday's fundraising friendly at Chigwell Construction
Stadium (7.30pm kick-off) will be available to purchase on the night, priced
at £10 Adults, £8 O65s and £3 U16s.

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Potts: West Ham's support for Daggers is so important
WHUFC.com

West Ham United legend Steve Potts has encouraged Hammers fans to get
behind the only other club he represented during his illustrious 18-year
career.
Now in charge of West Ham's U18 squad, Potts played 505 times in Claret and
Blue before a chance meeting with then-manager Garry Hill saw him join
near-neighbours Dagenham & Redbridge in September 2002. Playing alongside
fellow former Premier League players Mark Stein and Tony Roberts and a host
of talented youngsters, the Daggers reached the FA Cup fourth round and
finished fifth in the Conference – now National League. Potts hung up his
boots in May 2003, but Dagenham continued their rise, being promoted to the
Football League for the first time four years later, before winning
promotion to League One in 2010. Since then, however, the club formed by a
merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham in 1992 has struggled,
suffering two relegations back to the fifth tier and, in recent months,
unprecedented financial issues. The latter led to West Ham agreeing to send
a first-team squad to Chigwell Construction Stadium on Wednesday 21 March at
7.30pm for a fundraising friendly – a match and a cause Potts has urged
Hammers fans to support wholeheartedly.

"Clubs like Dagenham & Redbridge are so important, not only to their own
supporters, but to football in general, because they are at the centre of
their communities and give players opportunities to learn about the game,"
said Potts, who played 24 times in the Daggers' red and blue. "They have
always had relatively small crowds, but they have kept going and have been
competitive at every level they have played at, which is testament to how
well the club has been managed down the years. "They have been up a few
divisions and enjoyed a good spell up there, producing good players who they
have been able to sell on for good money but, for whatever reason, that has
not happened so often recently. "But that doesn't mean clubs like Dagenham
should just be left to fend for themselves, because football is a family.
Non-league clubs depend on a band of volunteers and small crowds, so if West
Ham sending a team down to play there can help them out, then obviously I
think that's a great idea. "I thoroughly enjoyed my season there as a
player. Dagenham is a good club with good people, so I would encourage any
West Ham fan who can get down for the game there to do so."

As an Academy coach, Potts says the presence of clubs like Dagenham &
Redbridge can also benefit West Ham in the long-term, with the east London
side taking a succession of Hammers youngsters on loan over the last 15
years. "National League football is still a decent standard and clubs like
Dagenham can certainly give young players experiences which they cannot have
while playing U18 or U23 football, and a lot of ours have gone there and
really benefitted. We also play our U23 matches there, too. "That local
connection is there and it is important that it continues."

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Cullen proud of latest award to his collection
WHUFC.com

Josh Cullen expressed his pride after being named the Republic of Ireland's
U21 Player of the Year at the FAI Awards on Sunday night. The midfielder,
who captains the Boys in Green's most senior youth level, is currently away
with Noel King's squad for upcoming matches against Iceland and Azerbaijan.
And the feeling after picking up a personal accolade is not new for Cullen,
who has 13 caps at U21 level for Ireland; the 21-year-old was awarded an
impressive four honours while on loan at Bradford City in League One last
season. The youngster was delighted at the latest instalment to his
mantelpiece collection and reflected on what has been a terrific year for
him at international level. "It was a proud moment for me to be recognised
and awarded by your country," he said. "It's another little great accolade
for me to get. "It's always nice and a great personal reward every now and
again to get recognised and pick up an award. I've had a few over the start
of my career and hopefully there will be more personal and team trophies and
awards to come along the journey. "It's been a good year for me at
international level and it's a massively proud moment for me, every time I
pull on the green jersey and represent my country. It makes the feeling even
better and even greater when I get to lead the lads out and captain my
country. "It's gone from this time last year, starting this qualifying
campaign and I've come to captaining the side."
Cullen's team currently sit second in their U21 European Qualifying
campaign behind just Germany in Group 5, two points below the leaders who
they are yet to take on. King's U21s face Azerbaijan next in qualifying as
they look to stay in touch with Die Mannschaft on Tuesday 27 March, after an
international friendly against Iceland on Thursday – two fixtures Cullen is
looking forward to. "Winning this month against Azerbaijan would keep us
close and all we can focus on is ourselves at the moment," Cullen continued.
"We know we have to be winning these games if we realistically want to be
qualifying. "When the draw was made, I think everyone would have said
straight away that Germany would qualify automatically, so we've got that
underdog mentality, knowing we're good enough, and knowing we are still in
contention to qualify internationally. "We're a year into qualifying now and
in a strong position and we've picked up some good results along the way.
"We also play Iceland in this break so on a personal level, it will be great
to get some high intensity games against quality players in while there is a
three-week break in West Ham games. "Coming away and playing in competitive
games; no matter what country you come up against you know you're playing
the best players coming out of their country, it is going it help you."

While Cullen was named the U21 Player of the Year at the ROI Awards, West
Ham and international teammate Declan Rice – who Cullen often partners in
the Ireland U21 midfield – was awarded the U19 equivalent. "I think it
always helps, having a good relationship with somebody off the pitch, it
always helps on the pitch as well," Cullen explained of his friendship with
Rice. "Dec and I get on really well off the pitch and we've known each other
a long time now. It's great to play alongside him for Ireland. It helps that
he's a very good player as well. "We have a really good collective
togetherness in the squad though, and that will stand us in good stead for
the campaign. The staff, the players all get on really well and we all look
forward to meeting up. I think that camaraderie gives us a better chance on
the pitch."

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Ashton: Manchester City goals proved I could be a West Ham player
WHUFC.com

Twelve years ago, Dean Ashton was one of the hottest young properties in
English football. The 24-year-old had scored regularly in the Championship
for Crewe Alexandra and Norwich City but, with just 16 Premier League
appearances under his belt, Ashton was an unproven quantity at highest level
when West Ham United spent a club record £7.25m to secure his services in
January 2006. The centre forward himself admitted to feeling the pressure to
prove himself in a Claret and Blue shirt, but goals on each of his first
three Premier League starts against Sunderland, Birmingham City and Everton
quickly justified the Hammers' decision to pay such a large fee. And when
Ashton netted twice more in an unforgettable 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final
victory at Manchester City on 20 March 2006, any doubts the player himself
might have been feeling also evaporated. West Ham, of course, went on to
reach the final, where Ashton hit the net again, only for opponents
Liverpool to prevail in a heart-breaking penalty shootout. "I was lucky
that I didn't play for Norwich when West Ham played against them in the FA
Cup third round and knocked them out," the striker reflected. "So, I was
able to be part of that special FA Cup run. "At that stage of my West Ham
career, it was all about repaying that record fee that the Club had paid for
me and proving to my teammates and the staff that I was up to it. "The two
goals I got at Manchester City in the FA Cup sixth round in March 2006 went
a long way towards me proving myself worthy of that price tag."

Ashton's goals at the City of Manchester Stadium were both proof of his
outstanding quality. The first saw him exchange passes with Matty
Etherington, collect a flick from captain Nigel Reo-Coker, beat Sylvain
Distin with a superb turn and rifle a low left-foot finish past David James.
The second showed the forward's knack for being in the right place at the
right time as he converted Yossi Benayoun's cross from close-range. More
than a decade on, Ashton remains rightly proud of his memorable performance
against a City side managed by current West Ham assistant Stuart Pearce.
"The first goal, a low left-foot finish from Nigel's pass, showed what I was
all about as a player, then the second one was put on a plate for me by
Yossi. "I wasn't proven. Yes, I'd had half a season in the Premier League
with Norwich, but it was pleasing to be able to prove in that first six or
seven games that I was worthy of the fee and being at a club like West Ham."

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Baseball next for the Olympic Stadium
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

It's hosted athletics, rugby, pop concerts and, occasionally, football
matches - and now baseball is coming to Stratford. Reports from the US this
morning confirm that two of the world's most famous baseball teams, the New
York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are set to play each other at the London
Stadium in a two-game series in June 2019. The stadium, being bowl-shaped
will provide the perfect venue for the game which is traditionally played in
circular stadiums, mostly in the Unites States. The forthcoming series
would be the first time in which the UK has hosted matches between such
high-profile teams - although league fixtures have been played abroad in the
past; Tokyo (2004, 2008), Australia and Mexico have all staged league
fixtures in recent seasons. The Olympic Stadium dwarfs the Yankee Stadium in
size; the Yankees are used to playing in an arena with a 47,000 capacity,
whilst the Red Sox's Fenway Park holds a little under 38,000 - considerably
less than Stratford's 60,000+ capacity.

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Sick Sameulsen returns for tests
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham youngster Martin Sameulsen has returned to the club for tests
after picking up a mystery illness. The 20-year-old, who is spending the
rest of season on loan with Burton Albion has been sent back to West Ham for
tests after pulling out of The Brewers' last two fixtures and withdrawing
from the Norwegian under 21 squad. "He hasn't gone (with Norway's
under-21s)," said Albion boss Nigel Clough. "He still doesn't feel right.
He's gone back down to West Ham to have some tests, and then we'll know a
bit more later in the week. "We're not sure [exactly what the problem is] -
he just hasn't felt right. He came in after one game and he came on against
Bristol City and he didn't feel well after the game. So there's obviously
something not quite right with him at the moment. "He's had a few viruses in
the past that have really knocked him sideways. At the start of the season
he had a big throat infection which ended up in him having an operation. He
also had his tonsils out, so it could be a recurrence of something like
that."

Samuelsen joined Albion on loan back in mid-January, since when he had
appeared on eight occasions for Clough and the Brewers.

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LLDC set for cross-examination
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

Two of the key players in the decision to ensure the Olympic Stadium
carried an athletics legacy are to be quizzed by the London Assembly Budget
Monitoring Sub-Committee. Former LLDC Chairman David Edmonds and former
deputy Chairman Neale Coleman will appear in front of a London Assembly
panel tomorrow in order to face questions about the stadium, which has lost
millions since the 2012 games ended. The meeting was scheduled as a result
of London Mayor Sadiq Khan's investigation into the spiralling costs
associated with the stadium, which has taken nearly £1billion from the
taxpayer since it was first commissioned more than a decade ago. The
meeting, to which members of the public are invited takes place in The
Chamber in SE1 on Wednesday, 21 March. It will also be broadcast live via a
webcast. Khan announced that he was holding an investigation into the costs
associated with the Stratford-based arena last November, following news that
the bill for making the stadium football-friendly had topped £320million -
despite being initially budgeted at under £200million. "I am determined to
put the London Stadium towards a stronger financial footing and secure its
long-term future," said Khan speaking last November. "But I'm under no
illusion that this is going to take time and some real commitment from all
partners to make this work."

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Mario bid rejected
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have seen an opening offer for Inter midfielder Joao Mario
rejected, according to reports from Italy. Although United's Premier League
status is far from assured, Italian media report this morning that Inter
have rejected an offer in the region of £12million for the Portuguese
international, who costs the Milan club €40million (plus €5million add-ons).
Mario, who has been on loan at West Ham since January is available for
transfer but the Nerazzurri are seeking to recoup a figure far closer to
their original outlay, when they signed the midifleder from Sporting CP in
August 2016. Mario, 25, who is set to play a vital role for his country at
this summer's World Cup Finals is said to be keen to make his move to the
Premier League permanent.

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WHO'S GOING DOWN?
By Tony Hanna 20 Mar 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Statistically, there is still 21% of the season remaining for West Ham. In
real terms, eight matches with five at home and three away. We only leave
London once for a game at Leicester and in addition we have difficult away
games at Arsenal and Chelsea where any points will be a bonus. We also have
both Manchester clubs to play at the OS. For weeks now we have all been
looking for the results of the other teams around us and hoping results go
our way. If you are like me I have even been cheering on Spurs when they
have played the likes of Palace and Huddersfield recently. Every little bit
helps. Our destiny is in our own hands at the moment and we can only hope it
stays that way. A loss against Southampton and it will not be. Every time
one of the bottom half teams gets a couple of wins or a win and a draw, the
points gained shoot them up the table and the feeling of impending safety
sets in. When a few losses occur they are back in the mire again. That is
the effect of so many teams being in the same scrap. Since that brilliant
win at Huddersfield in mid-January we have taken five points from an
available twenty one and we have slipped from 11th to 17th. So what is the
relegation landscape looking like for the others? Here are the bookies odds
and the run home for each of the clubs involved.

West Brom are now dead and buried. With 20 points and seven games left they
could mathematically still avoid the drop but they have only won three PL
games all season and incredibly two of them were the first two games of the
season!

Stoke City on 27 points are priced at 4/11 (73% chance) for the drop. They
have played one more game than most now due to playing and getting beaten by
Everton on the weekend. Their remaining fixtures are Arsenal (a), Spurs (h),
West Ham (a), Burnley (h), Liverpool (a), Palace (h) and Swansea (a). I have
watched them a few times recently and they are playing better than what
their results are showing. Going down to ten men so early in the weekend
game at home to Everton was a real blow for them.

Southampton on 28 points are priced at 9/4 (30%). Because of our reversed
fixture with them at the start of the season, giving us the imbalance of
three away games to start the campaign and the Saints three home games, that
comes home to roost right now. It means West Ham now play five of their
remaining eight at home but Southampton only have three of their remaining
eight at home. Their run in is West Ham (a), Arsenal (a), Chelsea (h),
Leicester (a), Bournemouth (h), Everton (a) and on the final day of the
season they host Manchester City (h). They also have a fixture at Swansea
(a) where no date has been determined as yet. They have taken the gamble to
change manager at a late stage of the season, so whether Mark Hughes can
orchestrate a "new manager bounce" will be crucial to their chances. They
looked poor at Wigan on the weekend but did get a win there – something we
and Man City failed to do in recent months. Taking away the two wins against
bottom club West Brom, they have only won three other PL games this season
which includes that 3-2 win against 10 man West Ham. Despite only recording
5 wins they can be difficult to beat as indicated by the fact they have
drawn 13 matches this season – the highest amount in the League.

Crystal Palace won on the weekend and move to 30 points which is the same
as us but they are one place ahead due to a superior goal difference. The
bookies make them a 7/1 chance (12.5%) for relegation. They are rated more
than twice as likely to stay up than us, despite them being on the same
points and having played one more game. This is obviously down to their
remaining fixtures where they only have to play one more top six side. Their
remaining seven fixtures are Liverpool (h), Bournemouth (a), Brighton (h),
Watford (a), Leicester (h), Stoke (a) and West Brom (h). This really is the
easiest run in of all the teams involved in the relegation battle.
Theoretically, at least four of the teams they are yet to play should have
very little to play for in terms of Europe or relegation. If Brighton win
either of their next two games, both at home, you can make that five. They
still have the very influential Zaha to return and for me they are the most
unlikely side in the bottom six to get relegated despite being 19th in the
form table (the table using only the past eight fixtures and designed to
evaluate current form).

Huddersfield lost again on the weekend and are just one point ahead of us
on 31 points having played one more game. The bookies rate them a 6/4 chance
(40%) to bounce straight back to the Championship. Their remaining fixtures
are Newcastle (a), Brighton (a), Watford (h), Chelsea (a), Everton (h), Man
City (a) and Arsenal (h). Since the turn of the year the Terriors have
beaten Bournemouth and West Brom and drawn with Swansea. They have lost
every other PL game in 2018 and are 18th on the form table.

Swansea are on 31 points just one ahead of us but are 5th on the form
table. Fifteen points and just one loss in the last eight has taken them
from long odds on to go down to a current price of 9/2 (18%). They finish
the season with Man Utd (a), West Brom (a), Everton (h), Man City (a),
Chelsea (h), Bournemouth (a) and Stoke (h). They also have that to be
arranged fixture with Southampton (h) to be determined. It is hard to fathom
where Swansea are at the moment. Will their recent good run of form falter
or continue? They face three of the big five in the run in but also have a
couple of very winnable games.

Newcastle are on 32 points and sit in 13th position in the Premier League.
They are 20/1 (4.76%) to do the yoyo. Whilst they look safe you can never
say never but their remaining fixtures are Huddersfield (h), Leicester (a),
Arsenal (h), Everton (a), West Brom (h), Watford (a), and Chelsea (h). They
also have an away game at Spurs where a date is to be arranged. I fancied
Newcastle to go down at the start of the season but it looks like they will
prove me wrong. The form of Shelvey and Diame in recent weeks has really
turned their fortunes around. This pair of in-form midfielders have really
given them a good balance.

Brighton are four points above us on 34 points and are rated a 25/1 chance
(3.85%) to be relegated. They are 8th in the form table with 11 points from
the past eight matches. Their run in is Leicester (h), Huddersfield (h),
Palace (a), Spurs (h), Burnley (a), Man Utd (h) and they play Liverpool (a)
on the final day of the season. They have one fixture with no date set as
well which is Man City (a).

Watford and Bournemouth (both on 36 points) look to have done enough to
keep them safe now and both are priced at 100/1 for the drop. So what of us
then?

West Ham are on 30 points and we are priced at 5/2 (28%) to be relegated.
Our remaining fixtures are Southampton (h), Chelsea (a), Stoke (h), Arsenal
(a), Man City (h), Leicester (a) and Everton (h). We also have Man Utd (h)
where a date is to be determined. I still think 37 points will be safe this
season and it is possible 36 may be enough too. Most seasons we see one or
two teams surge and play themselves out of the relegation battle with a
handful of games to go. Swansea's run has come early but at present the
bottom six in the PL are also the bottom six of the "form table". I think it
is anyone's guess at the moment. If you want another go at predicting what
will happen click here

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'Inter Milan are part of my past' – West Ham loanee Joao Mario does not
want to return to parent club in the summer
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario has insisted "Inter are part of my past
now" - despite only being on loan at West Ham. The Italian giants bought
Mario for £35m plus £4m in bonuses after his impressive performances at Euro
2016, but he struggled to make an impact at the San Siro . In January, Mario
was shipped out to struggling West Ham on an initial six-month loan deal,
with a £35m option to make the move permanent. And although the Hammers are
yet to be fully convinced with the 25-year-old, Mario has all but ruled out
a return to Inter in the summer. "I'm in a new league and I'm trying to
adapt quickly," Joao Mario told reporters in Portugal. "I'm happy with my
new adventure and I hope to finish the season well. Inter are part of my
past now. I could have played more, but football is about that too. "Now I'm
happy and that's what matters most." Mario has made six appearances for the
Hammers so far but he has been on the winning side just once, with David
Moyes' side struggling to pull clear of relegation trouble.

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City Hall Fire First Salvo Ahead Of Stadium Talks With West Ham
Submitted by nevillenixon on Tue, 20/03/2018 - 12:22
WestHamfans.org

In an unprecedented statement released through City Hall, the Mayor of
London Sadiq Khan has laid out his 'battle plan' ahead of finally meeting up
with representatives of West Ham United to discuss where to go with the
London Stadium impasse. Stage one will be the sub committee questioning of
David Edmonds CBE, former Chairman, LLDC and Neale Coleman CBE, former
Deputy Chairman, LLDC. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, 21 March
from 2:00pm in The Chamber (The Queen's Walk, London SE1),

Media and members of the public are invited to attend. We suggest if you
are not working or otherwise busy that you trundle down and see how these
sub committees really work and see how they blame!

This is where the real issues will raise their collective ugly heads, the
most glaring of which is why on earth did those in control sanction such a
massive expenditure on a Stadium that would not be fit for purpose after the
Olympics without extensive and expensive re-seating costs. It is not as if
there was no template to follow, the Commonwealth games held in Manchester
yielded what is now known as the Etihad Stadium and doesn't cost the
taxpayer a penny for it's existence or up keep, the main reason for which is
that the Stadium was designed collaboratively between the organisers and
Manchester City football club.

Back in the day, West Ham United requested a similar joint enterprise which
would have seen the London Stadium being built primarily for football, and
then adapted for athletics, as opposed to the ludicrous decision that was
finally arrived at which saw a gigantic, expensive white not fit for more
than one purpose elephant hewed out of the East End at vast expense! Why was
such a decision taken? Well, Lord Coe promised there would be an athletics
legacy if The United Kingdom was awarded the right to host the Olympics, and
he couldn't go back on his word could he? It is not as if any other country
ever goes back on it's word is it?

So the price of honouring Lord Coe's promise and therefore ensuring that he
be known as a man of his word, is conservatively estimated, if you will be
so kind as to ignore the pun, at approximately around £300 Million plus and
still rising at around £10 Million a year. Had the Stadium been constructed
with football being it's main legacy after the games then the conversion
cost would have been £80 Million, furthermore as a proper football stadium
it would have generate money for the tax payer instead of losing money.

Where do things go from here?
It is no secret that The Mayor would dearly like to get shot of the London
Stadium and all it stands for, his target having been made a little easier
by the removal of the chief of Newham Council who themselves have had to
write off a £40 Million 'loan' which was supposed to be repaid with interest
out of the London Stadium 'profits'! This endless money pit is no good to
anyone at the moment and will continue to be so in the immediate future
until a practical solution can be found. In a normal business environment an
overseer would look at the situation and write off any further expenditure
from the public purse straight away, they would examine the projected losses
and come to the conclusion that the only realistic way for the Stadium to be
viable would be if it was 'sold' in it's entirety to West Ham United and
permanently converted for football, rugby and cricket. The Olympic athletics
'legacy' can be transferred to Birmingham where the Commonwealth games are
due to be hosted in a new 'purpose built' track and athletics stadium which
WILL have a lasting legacy because it will not be considered as a football
venue at any time and will therefore become the focal point for athletics in
this country, a situation that many non Londoner's have historically been
campaigning for.

If West Ham United owned the Stadium as they originally tried to do but
were thwarted due to legal action brought by Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton
Orient, the club would be able to attract significantly more in bound
finance than it currently is able, and that in turn could lead to future
success. At the end of the day it will prove to be the ONLY way forward, it
just depends on who is in charge of doing the 'head banging' that will be
necessary in order for things to progress at a faster pace than has so far
been the case. Don't forget Wednesday, 21 March from 2:00pm in The Chamber
(The Queen's Walk, London SE1) if you can make it - Ed

The City Hall press release in full:
The full cost of West Ham's Stadium 20 March 2018 The cost of retrofitting
the Stadium has risen from a budgeted £190 million to £323 million The
stadium's approved business case forecasted a surplus, but it will now lose
over £10 million every year On 1 November 2016, Sadiq Khan announced an
investigation into the rising costs of West Ham's London Stadium[1]. On 1
December 2017, the report into the Stadium was published,[2] revealing for
the first time the depth of its financial difficulties. The Mayor's review
covered three distinct phases of the Stadium's life:
Olympic bodies' original decision making in the design of the Stadium The
London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC)'s (and its predecessors')
decisions in tendering for and delivering the Stadium transformation
Decisions made about the current operational arrangements of the Stadium
Following on from sessions with the Mayor's Chief of Staff and the LLDC
Chief Executive in December 2017 and January 2018, tomorrow, the London
Assembly Budget Monitoring Sub-Committee will question two of the key
decision makers associated with the London Stadium, who were in post before
the Olympics took place:
David Edmonds CBE, former Chairman, LLDC Neale Coleman CBE, former Deputy
Chairman, LLDC. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, 21 March from
2:00pm in The Chamber (The Queen's Walk, London SE1). Media and members of
the public are invited to attend The meeting can also be viewed LIVE via
webcast.
Follow us @LondonAssembly and take part in the meeting discussion using
#AssemblyBudget and #LondonStadium.

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