Not getting the Buzz anymore

[Brookbonds73]

I feel the same mate but it's not entirely down to West Ham's situation.

Our move to the OS was the final nail in the coffin for me, I'm only 28 but the way football has changed just in my lifetime has made me feel a million miles away from football. Players getting bought for £90m, wages going up to 300/400k a week! a whole new breed of supporter who are happy seeing football as like going to the theater.

West Ham results aren't even bothering me, I went the 1st 4 games but felt that the West Ham I've grown up with and know and love is gone, I've never felt so alienated as I do now. I know a lot of ST holders from the Boleyn feel the same. Change is hard, obviously in 10 years this place will be more like home than it is now, whether I'll stick around that long I really don't know.

Call me a fake fan or whatever, I know I've done my time over the years, I've followed this club up and down the country over the last 10 years (granted it's not a long time compared to some), I've seen some great days and some proper shit days, I've missed days at work cos of things like a long tuesday night trip up to Middlesbrough, I've lumped a hell of a lot of money into doing it, wasted work holidays, missed out on family/friends arrangements but I loved it, every minute of it but now, I've had enough, too much has changed for me and it doesn't sit well with me.

I went to Bath a few weeks ago with my mrs, being the romantic that I am, I took her to a Bath City game. Quite pricey, £13 for an adult ticket at conference south level but what a fantastic day it was, grassroots at it's best, players saying hello to regular punters before the game, it was just a welcome change to the way life is in the top divisions.

A couple of years ago, I read a book by Lee Price. It's a true story about a fan who has become dissallutioned with the way things are turning out at his beloved manure. The money involved in the game, the corporate side of things and how the ordinary bloke in the street is gradually being alienated from the beautiful game. By a quirk of fate whilst living down south he decides to follow Dagenham! And his recollections are I think exactly how the majority of us are feeling right now. Basically he goes back to the grass roots of the game to watch a team whose players get paid a pittance compared to their premier league counterparts, where your not fleeced for a burger,and where you can stand!!! Etc etc.
It's obviously not premier league standard but you can associate the players as truly working class lads trying to keep their heads above water and provide for their family's. It's a thoroughly good read and very thought provoking. So much so that I have been down there a few times with fellow Hammers when we haven't had a game and we've enjoyed it no end. It's like going back in time, people are friendly, your made welcome and you will get change out of a bullseye and have a good few hours out in the process.
Don't get me wrong, I still love West Ham, it's been an important part of my life for over 40 odd years now, I was born an Hammer and I'll die an Hammer. But this new breed of money making corporate shite, just ain't me I'm afraid.

[Newmarket]

Been to the new stadium and not a lover of it ... poxy to get to and out of ... piss poor stewards.... pop corn ....

and on Saturday I didn't even bother reading about the game never looked at sky and when I see we lost it was like o wwell never mind what's for dinner

I have never been like this but it seems something inside me missing and I now I know of a Chelsea fan who is a family member's hubbby with 4 season tickets that he sells each game and makes a packet I am thinking is this football for me anymore

Morning P hope things are well with you & yours
I felt the same way about UP when it went all seater .
I sat in the BMU for years after that but it was never the same .
Without the EHWMC I think I would have packed it in a long time ago .

I haven't been to the new gaff yet but not sure I want to while all this shit is going on tbh ....

[palerider]

I feel the same mate but it's not entirely down to West Ham's situation.

Our move to the OS was the final nail in the coffin for me, I'm only 28 but the way football has changed just in my lifetime has made me feel a million miles away from football. Players getting bought for £90m, wages going up to 300/400k a week! a whole new breed of supporter who are happy seeing football as like going to the theater.

West Ham results aren't even bothering me, I went the 1st 4 games but felt that the West Ham I've grown up with and know and love is gone, I've never felt so alienated as I do now. I know a lot of ST holders from the Boleyn feel the same. Change is hard, obviously in 10 years this place will be more like home than it is now, whether I'll stick around that long I really don't know.

Call me a fake fan or whatever, I know I've done my time over the years, I've followed this club up and down the country over the last 10 years (granted it's not a long time compared to some), I've seen some great days and some proper shit days, I've missed days at work cos of things like a long tuesday night trip up to Middlesbrough, I've lumped a hell of a lot of money into doing it, wasted work holidays, missed out on family/friends arrangements but I loved it, every minute of it but now, I've had enough, too much has changed for me and it doesn't sit well with me.

I went to Bath a few weeks ago with my mrs, being the romantic that I am, I took her to a Bath City game. Quite pricey, £13 for an adult ticket at conference south level but what a fantastic day it was, grassroots at it's best, players saying hello to regular punters before the game, it was just a welcome change to the way life is in the top divisions.

A couple of years ago, I read a book by Lee Price. It's a true story about a fan who has become dissallutioned with the way things are turning out at his beloved manure. The money involved in the game, the corporate side of things and how the ordinary bloke in the street is gradually being alienated from the beautiful game. By a quirk of fate whilst living down south he decides to follow Dagenham! And his recollections are I think exactly how the majority of us are feeling right now. Basically he goes back to the grass roots of the game to watch a team whose players get paid a pittance compared to their premier league counterparts, where your not fleeced for a burger,and where you can stand!!! Etc etc.
It's obviously not premier league standard but you can associate the players as truly working class lads trying to keep their heads above water and provide for their family's. It's a thoroughly good read and very thought provoking. So much so that I have been down there a few times with fellow Hammers when we haven't had a game and we've enjoyed it no end. It's like going back in time, people are friendly, your made welcome and you will get change out of a bullseye and have a good few hours out in the process.
Don't get me wrong, I still love West Ham, it's been an important part of my life for over 40 odd years now, I was born an Hammer and I'll die an Hammer. But this new breed of money making corporate shite, just ain't me I'm afraid.

That's a damned good post.

And in truth I lost the buzz a while ago. It's no longer a working-class game and hasn't been since Sky injected all their money. I'm not sure what working-class means anymore anyway. Hard days graft and a takeaway in front of the 50 inch flat-screen is the new hard days graft and a pint on Sunday if you had any cash left.

But that's just the way of the world. Life and football has become an 'I want it now' culture.

I went to my last game at the Boleyn last April. Yes we were safe and the reality if I'm honest was that the top-4 was beyond us. But I was looking as much forward to going to a Rolling Stones exhibition in London that day on my trip from Somerset as I was going to West Ham. Even though it would be the last time. And I was in awe when I went to the OS for the first time. But myself and the two blokes I went with agreed it wasn't the same, something was missing....as we supped our American designer keg ale (2/3 of a pint, not a pint) from our plastic glasses by the canal in Hackney Wick.

There was a time when if at home and listening to the games on tv or radio, I'd be pacing the room if we were one-up with 15 to go. Not now. And do you know what ? At the U-15 game I mentioned yesterday with Wells City (the team my son plays for) at 0-0 with East Coker (last year's runners-up), I found myself checking my watch every minute.

Maybe it's because I'm an old cunt. I'll admit to the cunt bit. But a part of me has died, and did years ago when the realisation dawned that if a club can spend 60m on a single player and pay him more than I'd earn in 5 years, every single week to sit on the bench, it's not the game I grew up with and loved. It's big business, not a sport.

Of course I'll always want West Ham to do well. And I'll always want Spurs to lose, because it's in my DNA. But when I receive emails daily from the club encouraging me to lighten my bank balance, and each time I watch a match on tv there's gambling firm doing the same at every opportunity, then it's time to appreciate different things in life.

[grandad]

A couple of years ago, I read a book by Lee Price. It's a true story about a fan who has become dissallutioned with the way things are turning out at his beloved manure. The money involved in the game, the corporate side of things and how the ordinary bloke in the street is gradually being alienated from the beautiful game. By a quirk of fate whilst living down south he decides to follow Dagenham! And his recollections are I think exactly how the majority of us are feeling right now. Basically he goes back to the grass roots of the game to watch a team whose players get paid a pittance compared to their premier league counterparts, where your not fleeced for a burger,and where you can stand!!! Etc etc.
It's obviously not premier league standard but you can associate the players as truly working class lads trying to keep their heads above water and provide for their family's. It's a thoroughly good read and very thought provoking. So much so that I have been down there a few times with fellow Hammers when we haven't had a game and we've enjoyed it no end. It's like going back in time, people are friendly, your made welcome and you will get change out of a bullseye and have a good few hours out in the process.
Don't get me wrong, I still love West Ham, it's been an important part of my life for over 40 odd years now, I was born an Hammer and I'll die an Hammer. But this new breed of money making corporate shite, just ain't me I'm afraid.

That's a damned good post.

And in truth I lost the buzz a while ago. It's no longer a working-class game and hasn't been since Sky injected all their money. I'm not sure what working-class means anymore anyway. Hard days graft and a takeaway in front of the 50 inch flat-screen is the new hard days graft and a pint on Sunday if you had any cash left.

But that's just the way of the world. Life and football has become an 'I want it now' culture.

I went to my last game at the Boleyn last April. Yes we were safe and the reality if I'm honest was that the top-4 was beyond us. But I was looking as much forward to going to a Rolling Stones exhibition in London that day on my trip from Somerset as I was going to West Ham. Even though it would be the last time. And I was in awe when I went to the OS for the first time. But myself and the two blokes I went with agreed it wasn't the same, something was missing....as we supped our American designer keg ale (2/3 of a pint, not a pint) from our plastic glasses by the canal in Hackney Wick.

There was a time when if at home and listening to the games on tv or radio, I'd be pacing the room if we were one-up with 15 to go. Not now. And do you know what ? At the U-15 game I mentioned yesterday with Wells City (the team my son plays for) at 0-0 with East Coker (last year's runners-up), I found myself checking my watch every minute.

Maybe it's because I'm an old cunt. I'll admit to the cunt bit. But a part of me has died, and did years ago when the realisation dawned that if a club can spend 60m on a single player and pay him more than I'd earn in 5 years, every single week to sit on the bench, it's not the game I grew up with and loved. It's big business, not a sport.

Of course I'll always want West Ham to do well. And I'll always want Spurs to lose, because it's in my DNA. But when I receive emails daily from the club encouraging me to lighten my bank balance, and each time I watch a match on tv there's gambling firm doing the same at every opportunity, then it's time to appreciate different things in life.

its sad mate but the souls been ripped out of my west ham it seems

I got a season ticket but very much doubt i will re new so after many years ( my first game was 1969 arsenal away nil nil with the old man ) been all over england and europe watching us ( close on 1000 games id reckon )

its the way forward i suppose but the new place with its all singing all dancing shit thats going on add to that the standing bollocks ( its the fcuking law you got to sit for fucks sake so dont stand up to watch the game ) and people fighting each other add to that the absolute shit stewards and security the poxy way we are treated in and out of the ground and how long it takes the new breed of fan / and not fan who come to have a look


RIP My West Ham

[palerider]

It's like a girlfriend you had many years ago that you've kept in touch with.

You're pleased when she does well. You can still meet up quite often and have a pleasant evening chatting about the old times. On occasions you may even indulge in a bit of flirting.

But you never get that bulge in your trousers thinking about her any more.

[Avit]

I feel the same mate but it's not entirely down to West Ham's situation.

Our move to the OS was the final nail in the coffin for me, I'm only 28 but the way football has changed just in my lifetime has made me feel a million miles away from football. Players getting bought for £90m, wages going up to 300/400k a week! a whole new breed of supporter who are happy seeing football as like going to the theater.

West Ham results aren't even bothering me, I went the 1st 4 games but felt that the West Ham I've grown up with and know and love is gone, I've never felt so alienated as I do now. I know a lot of ST holders from the Boleyn feel the same. Change is hard, obviously in 10 years this place will be more like home than it is now, whether I'll stick around that long I really don't know.

Call me a fake fan or whatever, I know I've done my time over the years, I've followed this club up and down the country over the last 10 years (granted it's not a long time compared to some), I've seen some great days and some proper shit days, I've missed days at work cos of things like a long tuesday night trip up to Middlesbrough, I've lumped a hell of a lot of money into doing it, wasted work holidays, missed out on family/friends arrangements but I loved it, every minute of it but now, I've had enough, too much has changed for me and it doesn't sit well with me.

I went to Bath a few weeks ago with my mrs, being the romantic that I am, I took her to a Bath City game. Quite pricey, £13 for an adult ticket at conference south level but what a fantastic day it was, grassroots at it's best, players saying hello to regular punters before the game, it was just a welcome change to the way life is in the top divisions.

A couple of years ago, I read a book by Lee Price. It's a true story about a fan who has become dissallutioned with the way things are turning out at his beloved manure. The money involved in the game, the corporate side of things and how the ordinary bloke in the street is gradually being alienated from the beautiful game. By a quirk of fate whilst living down south he decides to follow Dagenham! And his recollections are I think exactly how the majority of us are feeling right now. Basically he goes back to the grass roots of the game to watch a team whose players get paid a pittance compared to their premier league counterparts, where your not fleeced for a burger,and where you can stand!!! Etc etc.
It's obviously not premier league standard but you can associate the players as truly working class lads trying to keep their heads above water and provide for their family's. It's a thoroughly good read and very thought provoking. So much so that I have been down there a few times with fellow Hammers when we haven't had a game and we've enjoyed it no end. It's like going back in time, people are friendly, your made welcome and you will get change out of a bullseye and have a good few hours out in the process.
Don't get me wrong, I still love West Ham, it's been an important part of my life for over 40 odd years now, I was born an Hammer and I'll die an Hammer. But this new breed of money making corporate shite, just ain't me I'm afraid.

That's why I prefer to watch West Ham Ladies. No money just the love of the game. Small 'crowds' friendly atmosphere and dodgy football.
I think I maybe DJ and stadium announcer this Sunday so come on down

[Avit]

It's like a girlfriend you had many years ago that you've kept in touch with.

You're pleased when she does well. You can still meet up quite often and have a pleasant evening chatting about the old times. On occasions you may even indulge in a bit of flirting.

But you never get that bulge in your trousers thinking about her any more.

I got a bulge in my trousers reading that :O

[palerider]

It's like a girlfriend you had many years ago that you've kept in touch with.

You're pleased when she does well. You can still meet up quite often and have a pleasant evening chatting about the old times. On occasions you may even indulge in a bit of flirting.

But you never get that bulge in your trousers thinking about her any more.

I got a bulge in my trousers reading that :O

Leave it Alan, leave it.

[jameskel]

Said it yesterday, we are a fucking Tourist Attraction, soon to be included in the "Merlin" annual pass

[whu]

It ain't the same gents but this is WHUFC and things have been changing for the worse for many years, even at UP

I ain't listing it all but moans were a plenty back at UP recent years

We have to raise the fucking roof and make it work. This manager will entertain us. He will get it right.

As for making a profit on Chelsea tickets. They have a shit capacity in a very affluent part of town. Simples. Supply, demand, availability and clientel.