What an absolute fucking disgrace. I don't know what it's going to take to get these people to understand - hold your phone in the landscape position!!!
West Ham and Arsenal (and I believe soon, Tottenham, too) are all evidence that leaving a stadium that is the heart of the club and going to a bigger, shiny new one with higher attendances, does not usually result in greater success on the pitch, nor does it make for a happier fan base.
Arsenals move to the emirates was a success imo.
Financially they're in a pretty good position and on the pitch they're not half bad either even if their fans want you to think they're being really hard done by.
I’ve learned as I get older not to gloat at the misfortunes of others but I make an exception in Wet Sham’s Case. Please let them get relegated. Please. Please. I’ll be a good boy.
All seems a bit exaggerated. One or two idiots on the pitch, and a concourse gathering of pointing and shouting about 50yds away from the directors box.
Lack of stewards is the main issue there
I can confirm that the rabble in front of the directors box on the concourse were throwing bottles and coins at the owners. (By a reliable source who was in the firing line) I guess money goes to money.
All seems a bit exaggerated. One or two idiots on the pitch, and a concourse gathering of pointing and shouting about 50yds away from the directors box.
Lack of stewards is the main issue there
I can confirm that the rabble in front of the directors box on the concourse were throwing bottles and coins at the owners. (By a reliable source who was in the firing line) I guess money goes to money.
West Ham and Arsenal (and I believe soon, Tottenham, too) are all evidence that leaving a stadium that is the heart of the club and going to a bigger, shiny new one with higher attendances, does not usually result in greater success on the pitch, nor does it make for a happier fan base.
Arsenals move to the emirates was a success imo.
Financially they're in a pretty good position and on the pitch they're not half bad either even if their fans want you to think they're being really hard done by.
Well, their own fans don't think it's much of a success. No titles since the move. Much higher prices. Mainly tourists in the stands. And will be out of top 4 the last two seasons.
Compare that to the years before the move.
I agree financially they are better off but that only pleases the owner. I frankly don't care how happy owners are with their profits when it comes at the expense of clubs living up to their potential.
They don't make trophy cases at stadiums of the winner of the P&L derby.
Very interesting and very bleak. Especially glad I don't support them having read that. Sections on the Lads March stood out for me, but I got called a fascist for daring to question that so I won't say any more.
I went to the West Ham game today as my mate had a spare ticket. Was toxic to say the least, it was very strange as it almost seemed like there 'fans' couldn't wait to start complaining, West Ham were very good in the first half and should have been 2 up, but went off at HT to jeers and boos. I believe they would've had a chance to salvage something from the game if the morons had not stormed the pitch, but they fell apart after that.
The stewards and security were bloody awful too, the first few invaders were on the pitch for ages before anyone reacted to them and about 10 people ran on the pitch and then went and sat back in their seats...
Watching it on MOTD, I can't imagine the toxic atmosphere will exactly encourage the "families and tourists" the owners would like to see come to watch West Ham play now...
I had a chat with a west ham fan on the tube on my way to Orient.
He believes west ham will be given the stadium as no one else can do anything with it and that will solve the controversy around the stadium and save the tax payer money.
He sits in the lower Bobby Moore stand. This confused me as he had said demolition work on the Boleyn started the day after they moved out. Fear not, they named a new stand in the new stadium the Bobby Moore, and he has a seat in the lower tier there.
West Ham fans think they will be given the stadium? Seriously?
Maybe they are counting on no one in London wasting taxpayer money?
"In the approved business case, there was a forecast operating surplus in excess of £3m for the stadium, before repair and maintenance expenditure.
This has not materialised, and instead [the stadium] is faced with substantial deficits. The cumulative forecast deficit over the first ten years is expected to be in excess of £140m. The March 2017 business plan forecasts the annual deficit to be as high as £20m in 2018, with the most positive year still expected to result in a deficit in excess of £10m".
Accountants Moore Stephens Olympic Stadium Review - November 2017
When questioned about the nature of the contract West Ham have with the stadium, Brady answered 'it is what it is'. I hope the stadium operators pour over the contract and then make it that it isn't what it is.
West Ham and Arsenal (and I believe soon, Tottenham, too) are all evidence that leaving a stadium that is the heart of the club and going to a bigger, shiny new one with higher attendances, does not usually result in greater success on the pitch, nor does it make for a happier fan base.
Arsenals move to the emirates was a success imo.
Financially they're in a pretty good position and on the pitch they're not half bad either even if their fans want you to think they're being really hard done by.
Well, their own fans don't think it's much of a success. No titles since the move. Much higher prices. Mainly tourists in the stands. And will be out of top 4 the last two seasons.
Compare that to the years before the move.
I agree financially they are better off but that only pleases the owner. I frankly don't care how happy owners are with their profits when it comes at the expense of clubs living up to their potential.
They don't make trophy cases at stadiums of the winner of the P&L derby.
I disagree with your view that new stadia don't work. Sure, you've picked a few examples where things have gone badly/less well and West Ham's athletics stadium is not fit for football but that's bad management/choices not the stadium's fault. Blaming new stadia seems like a fatuous argument to me and one that doesn't stand scrutiny.
Here's some other examples of where it's gone okay (or much better than okay): Man City leaving Maine Road; Arsenal's move from the Manor Ground to Highbury; Huddersfield's new stadium; Swansea, vacating the toxic Vetch Field; Leicester City's move from Filbert Street; Brighton (eventually); even Southampton (arguably?). I'd say there's more examples of clubs kicking on or enjoying their time in the sun that they otherwise would than there are of clubs failing in a new ground (when they would actually have more chance of failing if they'd stayed in their old ground anyway, for example Roker and Ayresome Parks).
West Ham fans think they will be given the stadium? Seriously?
But the source of this information was so reliable; it was a man on the tube!
It was my anecdote. Yes, sample of one man on the tube but what is shows is that the idea that they will be given the stadium ('to save tax payers money') is out there. And if one has it others will too. It hides the fact that it was a stadium built with tax payers money and tax payers continue to subsidise running costs.
Prague Addick and colleagues are exposing and challenging this (other thread), but meanwhile one west ham fan at least (thousands more I'd guess) has swallowed some propaganda and thinks giving them the stadium now is the best solution.
Comments
That's it, I'm asking for a tax rebate.
Financially they're in a pretty good position and on the pitch they're not half bad either even if their fans want you to think they're being really hard done by.
See what you have done Prague.
ICF at Gatwick now.
Be prepared:)
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/west-ham-united-board-protest-march-meetings-hooligans-icf-action-group-a8244951.html
Shocking really.
As you take off the plane banks right over the stadium. Just can't resist lifting a finger.
Compare that to the years before the move.
I agree financially they are better off but that only pleases the owner. I frankly don't care how happy owners are with their profits when it comes at the expense of clubs living up to their potential.
They don't make trophy cases at stadiums of the winner of the P&L derby.
Sections on the Lads March stood out for me, but I got called a fascist for daring to question that so I won't say any more.
The stewards and security were bloody awful too, the first few invaders were on the pitch for ages before anyone reacted to them and about 10 people ran on the pitch and then went and sat back in their seats...
He believes west ham will be given the stadium as no one else can do anything with it and that will solve the controversy around the stadium and save the tax payer money.
He sits in the lower Bobby Moore stand. This confused me as he had said demolition work on the Boleyn started the day after they moved out. Fear not, they named a new stand in the new stadium the Bobby Moore, and he has a seat in the lower tier there.
Decent bloke. Shame about his football club.
This has not materialised, and instead [the stadium] is faced with substantial deficits. The cumulative forecast deficit over the first ten years is expected to be in excess of £140m. The March 2017 business plan forecasts the annual deficit to be as high as £20m in 2018, with the most positive year still expected to result in a deficit in excess of £10m".
Accountants Moore Stephens Olympic Stadium Review - November 2017
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/olympic-stadium-review.pdf
I hope the stadium operators pour over the contract and then make it that it isn't what it is.
Here's some other examples of where it's gone okay (or much better than okay): Man City leaving Maine Road; Arsenal's move from the Manor Ground to Highbury; Huddersfield's new stadium; Swansea, vacating the toxic Vetch Field; Leicester City's move from Filbert Street; Brighton (eventually); even Southampton (arguably?). I'd say there's more examples of clubs kicking on or enjoying their time in the sun that they otherwise would than there are of clubs failing in a new ground (when they would actually have more chance of failing if they'd stayed in their old ground anyway, for example Roker and Ayresome Parks).
Prague Addick and colleagues are exposing and challenging this (other thread), but meanwhile one west ham fan at least (thousands more I'd guess) has swallowed some propaganda and thinks giving them the stadium now is the best solution.