The Boleyn Ground Remembered - A place to reminisce

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  • Init ;biggrin
  • My first game at Upton Park was in August 1973, I was 6. My dad drove us to his mates mums in Forrest Gate [it was their regular meeting place]. Dads mates mum spoiled me rotten with cake and fizzy pop [we didn’t have fizzy pop at home]. I was introduced to dads mates uncle who had an operation for cancer and talked through a hole in his throat. This was the best day ever! Cake, fizzy pop and a man who talked through a hole in his throat!

    Little did I know!!

    Dad used to park in the car park of the school next to the ground ‘because he knew a bloke’. The image that comes to mind whenever I think about Upton Park is the one from this day, memories of games from then are a bit mixed up but this one is crystal clear. The old west stand and the porter cabin shop, that’s my West Ham. Dad got me a scarf [which is in my keep sake box in hid loft] and we went in I’m sure up some steps into a bar but this memory could be mixed up with other games. I was allowed another fizyy pop and by 2:30 was off my face on sugar and e numbers, over excited and on the verge of tears. I do remember the smell of boiled burgers, a unique smell that I’ve been unable to find anywhere else [thank goodness] lol.

    What is burned in my mind is that feeling in my belly and up my spine when I we stood in front of our seats as the ground sang bubbles. My dad checked his watch was dead on 3pm [in line with the refs] and the match started. All I could hear for the next 90minutes was Johnny Lyalls claret and blue army changed relentlessly from the north bank.

    I was sunk. I fell in love that day when I was far too young to have any idea of what being in love means.


    ;scarf
  • I may be 11000.00 miles away, but it's 7.40pm, and my stomach is full of butterflies. I wish with all my heart that I could be there just one more time.
    My late dad took me to my first game, at home against Sheffield United in 1964, it was love at first sight.
    My best wishes to all of you that are going, and to those of you who are not.
    COYI.......wherever you are, always. ;hug
  • West Ham family ;hug
  • krapnotpu said:

    I may be 11000.00 miles away, but it's 7.40pm, and my stomach is full of butterflies. I wish with all my heart that I could be there just one more time.
    My late dad took me to my first game, at home against Sheffield United in 1964, it was love at first sight.
    My best wishes to all of you that are going, and to those of you who are not.
    COYI.......wherever you are, always. ;hug

    Krapnotpu, can you let us know what the score is in 90 minutes time please.
  • Not BG but WH factoid:

    On this day... in 1980
    1980: Paul Allen became the youngest man to date to play in an FA Cup final at

    Wembley, aged 17 years and 256 days, as West Ham beat Arsenal 1-0.

    coyi
  • Working from home today

    ;whistle

    By all accounts Alvin Martin won't be at the game tonight he's got another function booked and was very tight lipped as to why he had the conflict

    ;hmm
  • Isn't that a £60 a head do at a bar / club with a meal and erm Alvin Martin?
  • My first game at Upton Park was 1981 vs Southampton taken to it by my dad and my brother Richard 父 Harber I was 7 I remember standing in the south bank and the noise,the singing the swearing was fantastic we won 4-2.

    I remember the crowd singing EVERY players name until they acknowledged us before ko, the cacophony of noise as the game kicked off and going ballistic with each goal and not getting told of for shouting and being noisy (which people may have noticed I still like to be loud) I remember asking my dad why we called David Cross "bicycle" until I was informed through them pissing themselves laughing that they were singing "PSYCHO" not cycle!

    I was hooked from then on, I was a hammer (for my sins) I've spent most of my life it seems at that sacred holy ground watching some genius talent in the likes of Brooking, Devonshire, Bonds, Parkes,Martin,Rio,Di Canio, McAvennie, Ashton the list goes on & on.

    I was there for Cottee's debut against the yids, Di Canio's wonder goal against Wimbledon, The 4-1 destruction of Liverpool in the league cup when Ince came to the public eye, I was at our first foray back in Europe against Osijek of Croatia, all the playoffs & cup final since etc etc

    I've travelled the length and breadth of the country supporting this team, it gets in your blood like a poison you can't cure, it's more addictive than crack! It's ridiculous sitting there watching some of the worst football that I've ever seen but we also play some of the best stuff you've ever seen.

    watching Brooking Devonshire or Di Canio doing things that take your breath away leaving you screaming for more and just privileged to have witnessed it.

    Being a Hammer is one of the biggest roller coaster rides you could ever go on but it's by far the best ride you could wish for.

    I've cursed my old man and brother for getting me involved with the club at times because it can be painful watching Titi Camara waddle around the pitch in a West Ham shirt helping getting us relegated for what seems the umpteenth time, but then we do the double over cheatski that year and I forget the bad times cos there's just enough great to keep me going.

    Tonight is going to painful to leave the ground where my mum & dad's ashes are scattered, where I met my wife, where I've laughed n cried, where I have spent time with 30,000 or so other members of this West Ham family every other week.

    Goodbye my dear friend Upton Park ;hug

    image
  • and I've just remembered, talking with you, that as a kid I could not understand why they put a shop in the north bank. How would people buy stuff when a game was on... ;lol ;doh
  • MrsGrey said:

    Not BG but WH factoid:

    On this day... in 1980
    1980: Paul Allen became the youngest man to date to play in an FA Cup final at

    Wembley, aged 17 years and 256 days, as West Ham beat Arsenal 1-0.

    coyi

    factoid form sir_ian.

    Beaten later by Millwall player Mark McCammon (aged 17 years and 119 days)
  • ;quaver We hate Millwall and we hate Millwall
    We are the Millwall haters ;quaver
  • ;biggrin

    He thinks they did it deliberately
  • Out here have a live 90 min show from the Boleyn..
    Trevor Sinclair , Dean Ashton & Don Hutchison in Sir Trevor Brooking stand.. It's great and somewhat sad
  • IronHerb said:

    Isn't that a £60 a head do at a bar / club with a meal and erm Alvin Martin?

    Yep that's the one, considering he featured heavily on one of those videos I think the BT one then I'm surprised he's not there tonight


    image
  • ;yercoat
  • my first visit sometime in the late 60s losing to Leeds 1-0 about three weeks after beating them 7-0 in the League Cup. Typical. Sissons falling into the Chicken Run after being upended by someone while flying down the wing. Lots of old men in caps and overcoats. One year as a season ticket holder in the 1970s, saw the Cup run and the final, then getting to the Boleyn whenever I could from whichever country I was living in at the time, saw them score a lot of goals in the 1980s then more goals and disappointments afterwards. But this is the best time for a supporter for nearly 50 years, so maybe it's the time to move on to a top ground. We're 1-0 up against the Mancs at half time. I've seen that our players are doing their best, and they may yet win and round off a brilliant season (the only one in which I never made it back) Never mind. Thanks to the Boleyn, never to be forgotten, but now the future, and new triumphs and disasters no doubt. ;poppy
  • ;ccole
  • Who is the woman doing the after show?
  • Bianca Westwood who works for Sky and does soccer Saturday reports
  • It was a great show afterwards..
    1st time I've seen the cockney rejects perform .....
    But what a last game and farewell ..
    You'll never be forgotten
  • Indeed, so many memories, first game was back in 1978 against Swindon in the league cup under lights.

    The atmosphere under lights was always special - unforgettable

    Used to get a pint of prawns and some crab sticks on the way back to the car as treat, but only when we won.

    Really, really wish I had been there tonight- my last visit to the ground was against Southampton last season when they whooped us 3-1

    We were shocking that day

    ho hum

    COYI
  • edited May 2016
    Just got this email from a Scottish mate (Rangers supporter) - thought I'd share.
    Well done on your teams performance last night. What a game, and advert for the Premiership.

    Even sitting at home hairs on back of my neck were standing up with the atmosphere. Sure you have some great memories of Upton Park. Glad I did get the chance to go there, 40 odd years ago v Wolves.

    Even myself as a kid remember how WHU played the game. Clyde Best, the late great Sir Bobby Moore. My first ever English team strip was WHU away, remember that one, sky blue with the 2 claret stripes across the middle ?

    WHU Board have done a great job acquiring the Olympic Stadium, and the way they have taken the fans with them is genius.
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