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arsegrapes 2:36 Wed Mar 23
First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

After the redevelopment of the Boleyn to all seater in stages what was the atmosphere like before, during and after the games as work commitments and cost stopped me going from the late 1980s.

Must have been a massive change for everyone, gutting beyond belief, too much for some I would guess or have I got it wrong, did many think it a step in the right direction? Just curious because when I went back with my kids years later I was devastated, it was criminal, nothing like the Boleyn I once knew. My kids go now and will never know the difference, but what about us older fans, how did you feel about it at the time, and as I suspect did any stop going because of it, did the fan base change dramatically?

Crassus 10:45 Thu Mar 24
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

Chim

Agree with all of that. Of course the plans were to build the West Side back then shift the pitch and build a new Run, bigger and close to the pitch again. Original drawings had a capacity of 42k and it looked blinding. Sure we had planning approved too, must of lapsed because latterly there were all sorts of new clauses attached to a new Run, so the club said?

Things being what they are at West Ham it obviously never was so ended up lopsided.

hammer205 8:38 Thu Mar 24
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

Chim
Best memory of jones was when he was given a blow up sheep for a throw in and he imitated the action of taking a throw in with it as well!

chim chim cha boo 1:12 Thu Mar 24
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

I used to do that too Charlie. The only opposition player I ever patted on the back (rather than dig in the ribs) was Georgie Best as he went to take a corner. I must have only been about 6 but remember it like yesterday.

The funniest memory I have of being close to the pitch was from the Chicken Run when Vinny Jones took throw-ins for Wimbledon. He used to shit himself as he got near the wall as he'd take about 10 clumps from the crowd and he'd just end up throwing the ball anywhere and getting the fuck away as quickly as possible.

Footballers talk about the intimidating atmosphere at Upton Park but back then it must have been a nightmare for an opposing team as we were (and sometimes still are) fucking HORRIBLE.

Chip Shop Charlie 12:16 Thu Mar 24
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

chim chim cha boo:

and as a kid there was always the chance to pat one of our players on the back when there was a throw in (if you stood on a box)

chim chim cha boo 12:03 Thu Mar 24
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

When the current west stand went up they built it during the season directly behind the old west stand. When the season finished they knocked the old stand down, took the rubble away and the stand appeared as if by magic.

The problem then of course was that the pitch was a long way from the west stand so they jogged the pitch away from the Chicken Run and towards the west stand and suddenly the Chicken Run was a long way from the pitch too. So in one fell swoop our most important, intimidating feature- that the crowd were very close to the pitch (and importantly a load of pissed-up, hairy-arsed Cockneys were dangerously close to the away team) was gone forever.

For those too young to remember the ground before the 'new' west stand, opposition players would routinely get punched in the kidneys by naughty West Ham supporters- especially if they had a hard-man reputation, as they went to take throw-ins. We really were the twelfth man back then.

I remember most people being amazed that we'd chucked our best feature away and there was much talk about rebuilding the east stand to restore the intimidating proximity to the pitch. Of course this will now never happen.

Not the first time our owners back then pissed away any advantage we might have had. Same with players. Just when we've got the unsporting advantage of generating a decent player they'd cash-in.

At a time when almost every other team had wealthy owners who ran their clubs at a loss, we actually made money and the bloke originally bought in only to do the accounts got very, very rich and is still club president for life.

Only at West Ham.

Crassus 10:12 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

Bru has it right, a 30ker was unusual, at least notable on the day

Even in 85/86 they were walk ups and poorly attended in truth

When the stands went up and seats went in, there was a passive acceptance of inevitability, also excitment about having a bigger ground and we have filled it since

Atmosphere wise, well I am Old Skool and nothing beats a ripper from the old days but as Sold says, it can go in the new place.

As Deacon mentioned, the hostility of the days of terraces and no cctv were something never seen now

Old habits die hard and from walking from home, to parking outside 'home' and walking after we moved out, I am not sure if the running track will ever be anything but an away day - in reality and the grand scheme I also accept that my sentimentality counts for fuck all but those of us who do the same

Chip Shop Charlie 10:08 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

I can remember sitting on the terrace steps at half time in the early 70's. What was good was everyone who wanted to chant and sing could bunch up and stand where they wanted unlike today with seating

bruuuno 9:58 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

The jumping up and down was great but you've got to remember that on average attendance was probably only 21k there, the new Boleyn fits a lot more in so can be noisier

Sell outs were great because they were a lot rarer and a full house was buzzing

The Stoat 9:45 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

JLAP 9:39 Wed Mar 23

Likewise

JLAP 9:39 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

10,000 when we beat Bury 10-0 Sarge, I was one of them..

Sarge 7:17 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

Strange how 25000 with standing used to feel packed out where as in the ground now it feels half empty

Admiral Lard 3:30 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

The one time I felt it was when they put seats in the west side lower. It have become a den of iniquity and more than a little saucy with a lot of away fan bating at the south bank end.

Other than that really little difference

Northern Sold 3:19 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

Overall?? Yeah no comparison but there used to be some right shit atmosphere games whilst standing on the terraces… so it was not always a blinding atmosphere… I never sat anyway when I had a ST (in the CR and the BML) so maybe it was a bit different… but there has been some great games over the years once the stadium went all seater.

2 best games atmosphere wise I have been to

1976 – E-Frankfurt
2004 – Ipswich play off

One all seater the other not.

Loudest noise for a goal?? Harewood last min v Goons and Hartson v Goons in the cup must be up there…

But overall agree…. And looking at the future at the Hotpoint stadium ?? Well….???

pdbis 3:16 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

Started off standing in middle of North Bank then moved to West Side corner next to away fans pen.

Joey Deacon 3:09 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

I used to stand in the Chicken run and the North bank before the seats went in and you cannot replicate the atmosphere of those days sitting on your arse!......A lot less fighting nowadays!

Joey Deacon 3:09 Wed Mar 23
Re: First match at the redeveloped seated Boleyn?

I used to stand in the Chicken run and the North bank before the seats went in and you cannot replicate the atmosphere of those days sitting on your arse!......A lot less fighting nowadays!