Page 2 of 6
RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 04 Jan 2026, 18:21
by wils
I received a very sad message about Alex, the founder of WHO. I didn't know him personally but I am aware of who he is and that he deserves a tribute from us all. Perhaps it's fitting for those who were around when he was contributing here to share memories under this post.
RIP Alex and thank you for creating this site.
Hi there,
I’m not sure how many people who were around in the early days are still
using this forum, but I wanted to share this news in case it’s relevant to
a few. Alex Van de Weyer, who founded this site back in the day, died
unexpectedly last month. He was only 52 and was found at home; he died of
natural causes. He was my partner for many years, and we have a daughter
together.
I think it was in the late 1990s that Alex decided to teach himself PHP
coding to create a West Ham forum. He launched WestHamOnline.com. He wrote
weekly match reports, while I contacted opposition fans with a
questionnaire to create match previews. I remember a column by “Billy
Blagg,” player injury updates, transfer rumours, and fan votes. One
December I even made advent calendar picture posts. There was Steve Potts
in his bedroom full of West Ham merch, plus plenty of other silliness! Alex
V spent huge amounts of time working to make the site a success, coding any
features he thought it needed. His posts were always full of wit and strong
opinions.
Alex was a football stats nerd, and even contacted the club to point out
that Crysencio Summerville could be classed as a home-grown player when
they hadn’t spotted it. This was apparently due to a complex detail
involving birth dates and Covid-era season rules. He was proud of that
spot, and maybe it made a small difference to the club.
Alex later gave up his season ticket and moved out of London, but he still
followed the team with passion. He posted about club strategy on social
media and stayed involved that way. My daughter believes the last message
he read from her was about West Ham being ahead in a recent match. That
feels fitting.
Alex V will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:29
by Council Scum
Jasnik wrote: ↑06 Jan 2026, 13:11
If I remember correctly we all met up in a pub in London with Alex as the website launched. Think skerrit and mad dog were there.
or am I miss remembering. Rip Alex.
I was there.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:20
by Manuel
So this is all his fault!? But no, obviously know who the man is and it's very sad, even more so considering his age and the fact that he was seemingly in good health.
As said, he did have some strange views and was very often contrary, but as said took all the abuse he got straight on the chin for the best part. I seem to recall that he gave up on WHO with the dawn of social media, more so Twitter, and began to see WHO as a little old fashioned.
RIP.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:11
by Jasnik
If I remember correctly we all met up in a pub in London with Alex as the website launched. Think skerrit and mad dog were there.
or am I miss remembering. Rip Alex.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:04
by Nurse Ratched
northbankfrank wrote: ↑06 Jan 2026, 12:09
RIP Alex. Thank you for all you did to set this site up. Sad that there are so many on this thread who no longer post. Sensible contributors have been driven away by the constant bickering, name calling and repitition from the dozen or so who live their lives through this site.
Spoken like someone who has no idea of what this site was like when Alex V set it up and was still running it.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 12:11
by stubbo-admin
northbankfrank wrote: ↑06 Jan 2026, 12:09
RIP Alex. Thank you for all you did to set this site up. Sad that there are so many on this thread who no longer post. Sensible contributors have been driven away by the constant bickering, name calling and repitition from the dozen or so who live their lives through this site.
Agree with this. Whilst in sad circumstances, great to see that a number of old faces are still around lurking, even if not actively posting from day to day.
The pull of WHO to this day despite all its evolution and reincarnations testament to Alex and what he created.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 12:09
by northbankfrank
RIP Alex. Thank you for all you did to set this site up. Sad that there are so many on this thread who no longer post. Sensible contributors have been driven away by the constant bickering, name calling and repitition from the dozen or so who live their lives through this site.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 11:58
by GBHammer63
Sad news and condolences to the family, thank you for creating something which has been a bigger part of my life than intended for the last 20 years, definitely put some very interesting characters together in the same virtual room.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 11:51
by riosleftsock
Very sad news. Alex was not only an innovator for football fora, but he was one of the everyday folks who embraced the internet when it was the wild west. Thank you Alex for being one of the few people who have an idea and actually made it work, not to make money but because it was important to him. I'm sure we all got far more from this site than he did.
Godspeed to an altruistic chap, condolences to his family and friends, I never had the pleasure of meeting him but did correspond with him occasionally years ago.
RIP Mr Westhamonline
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 07:43
by WC Hammer
RIP Alex - thanks for creating the consistent backdrop for the last 20 of my 52 years of disappointment as a West Ham fan. Condolences to his family. COYI
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 00:06
by Don Ravioli
I don’t post a lot but have been coming on here since 2001, just after the dicanio goal at Old Trafford.
This was always the best West Ham forum. Slightly mental, sometimes hilarious but always a place where you could say what you want.
Hopefully his family read all the good things people are saying about him and realise how much this place has meant to people over the years.
Rip
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 23:38
by TR1
I haven't posted for 20+ years but still stick me nose in occasionally, Alex was a passionate and knowledgeable Westham man, also a decent human being, rare enough these days.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 20:36
by Dirty Den
Horrible, horrible news. I have been a member on this site since the 9th May 2002 and have been drawing comfort from my fellow fans on here. It has helped me with my few pleasures and lots of pain following this crazy team of ours. This site at times has been like a therapist to me. My sincere condolences to Alex's nearest and dearest in this extremely difficult time.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 19:31
by Forest Gate Ugly
The most important thing here is, of course, Alex V and those who knew him and loved him most. I never met him in real life but I interacted with him online and am deeply saddened and shocked by his passing. I’ve also found it really moving and consoling to see so many of the older user names reappear to honour him and his memory. To see them resurface and talk about what WHO has meant to them- especially in the nutty days of who would win a fight between a shark and a croc- (before everyone on the internet did it) is wonderful. You love to see it and I’m sure Alex would too.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 18:54
by mac
RIP Alex
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 17:22
by WHU(Exeter)
Condolences to his family and all his friends
R.I.P Alex
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 15:20
by Sir Alf
Was thinking ( dangerous !! they cry ) this is about the only West Ham site that has been and continues to be “Mod lite”. Fortunately most of us have the humility ( comes with age ) to not let it be a problem so it works nicely not feeling there is a “big brother” and being able to swear gratutitously, use some old school politically incorrect phrases and terms that have the snowflakes fretting on other forums about. I mean mist things ssid are not extreme ( with the odd exception where Mods do correctly intervene) . There are posters of course on here, just as in life, that are insecure, inadequate types who hurl abuse, cyberbully to any view or opinion they dont agree with ( but they also make it entertaining at times too especially when eventually they commit a WHOICIDE by disappearing or adopting a new login ID ). Btw like others im guessing, I found this site via the old “Bashing the Bishop” site if IIRC in the mid to late 90s.
Been some real characters and great posters on here in the last 30 years who are no longer with us ( Pig Destroyer, Ted Fenton come to mind along with many others and now founder Alex V).
Long may it continue, where else can I spend hours boring everyone? ( the missus just zones out when I get on me soapbox, come to think of it, she zones out most of the time these days now im a miserable retired old git ).
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 15:00
by easthammer
RIP Alex V, and condolences to your family.
Thank you for creating this site. I have been on here for many a year, and despite its faults and quirks, there is nothing to rival it for its authenticity of all that is West Ham. Your work and efforts in creating this site are a great legacy.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 14:20
by Gruesome Dump
Christ, that’s sad. Met him a few times in the late 90s when he was doing match reports on here, and I was whoring myself out to the NoTW. Seemed a gentle, genuine bloke.
Condolences to his family.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 13:39
by Hermit Road
Sad to hear he left a daughter and partner.
He was good on here. Had many strange opinions on football but always debates them in an agreeable way. And tolerated all sorts of abuse without chucking people off.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 13:15
by Jim79
Been posting on here since the early 2000's, this is a very sad day.
RIP Alex V
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 12:53
by threesixty
That’s sad news. Probably been on here more than any other site in my life! And it’s down to him.
I doth my cap..
RIP Alex.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 12:43
by ray winstone
I'm gobsmacked, had some interesting interactions with him over the years and followed him on Twitter/X.
RIP Alex
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 11:38
by Chinkey Weasel
RIP Alex V. Sad news indeed.
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 11:32
by Eustace
Rip Alex V
You created a community
Re: RIP Alex Van de Weyer - founder of WestHamOnline
Posted: 05 Jan 2026, 11:26
by charleyfarley
Such sad news and only 52 years of age. RIP Alex
I have asked Wils to get me some funeral details so we can get a wreath sent from WHO
