West Ham United are at a crossroads of sorts as a football club.
This season marks their first away from the Boleyn Ground at Upton Park in more than a century, with the Hammers now playing their home games at the Olympic Stadium in Statford.
It’s been a mixed start to life in the new stadium, to say the least, as fans have yet to warm to their new surroundings and the players seem to be having similar issues too.
Many feel that the club, oft-famed for their die-hard supporters, are losing their identity somewhat. The club’s updated crest now includes a mention of ‘London’, supposedly as an attempt to entice foreign fans, and the Irons are now based at the somewhat plainly-named London Stadium.
They even allowed their old stadium to be blown up as part of an action film.
https://twitter.com/CRWorthing/status/780040080559902721
For a fanbase who are so proud of their history – and particularly their East London roots – some of the more hardcore supporters feel like the club are trying to push them out in the pursuit of a more reserved, presumably middle-class market.
It doesn’t help that the club are sending mixed messages to supporters about the etiquette at the new stadium.
Two weeks ago, West Ham were reportedly exploring the possibility of introducing safe standing to the new ground, something which has been banned for teams in English football’s two top tiers since the findings of the Taylor Report into the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 Liverpool fans were killed.
But now the club have apparently instructed stewards to ensure that fans remain seated for the majority of the game, and will kick out any match-goers who are deemed to be ‘persistent offenders’ of the no-standing rule.
Instruction to #WHUSOU stewards: "Persistent standing will be discouraged & in the 1st instance steward will ask customers to be seated' 1/2
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) September 25, 2016
"persistent offenders will be ejected if appropriate and the details of their seat recorded. CCTV will be used to record such matters." 2/2
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) September 25, 2016
The news didn’t go down too well with Hammers fans on Twitter who weren’t going to *stand* any of it…
West Ham United we stand where we want
— David Chapman (@DavidChapman66) September 25, 2016
Really really hope all the West Ham fans stand today, they'll be forced to throw everyone out and be left only with 'customers' #WHUFC
— 1905SE25 (@1905SE25) September 25, 2016
https://twitter.com/LJ_Kent/status/780043712986542080
With the stringent new rules in place for the club’s home game against Southampton, Hammers fans wasted no time showing exactly what they thought of the ‘no standing’ rule.
Really really hope all the West Ham fans stand today, they'll be forced to throw everyone out and be left only with 'customers' #WHUFC
— 1905SE25 (@1905SE25) September 25, 2016
2mins into the match and @WestHamUtd fans chant 'Stand up if you love West Ham' #WHUSOU @itvfootball
— Tyrone Francis (@TJFrancisLive) September 25, 2016
@Cjktuttle Stand up! If you love westham! âš’ pic.twitter.com/9YfHBmvTG9
— Luke Calder (@DrLukeCalder) September 25, 2016
"If you love West Ham stand up," being sung in the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand.
— Tom Roddy (@TomRoddy_) September 25, 2016
Catch up on the first episode of Football Friday Live…
