European Football… It’s better to travel in hope than not to travel at all 27 Dec 201724 Dec 2017 Watching the great Dynamo Tblisi team of the early 1980's is one of my foremost footballing memories. This piece, written in March 2010 captured the trials and tribulations of "exotic"…
West Ham United Open season 8 Aug 2016 It was only fit that West Ham's official opening game in their new home was actually taking place three days after they first played here. After all, having "turned the…
FA Cup… The Long(est) Goodbye 29 May 201630 May 2016 When Bobby Moore virtually turned the lights out at The Boleyn Ground around 11.33pm on Tuesday 10th May, most West Ham fans shed a tear as the fine old stadium…
Upton Park… A fond farewell…sort of 3 May 2016 Humans are rubbish at saying goodbye. We will put something off as long as we can, often kidding ourselves that we will get "one final chance" to say farewell, even…
FA Cup… In God’s Country 17 Aug 2015 The new TV deal signed last season by the Premier League sides meant that this weekend's football coverage started in unusual circumstances with a live Friday night game. With games…
European Football… Just who made the decision to play that side? 8 Aug 20159 Aug 2015 I could be accused of being mellow-dramatic but I believe that last night could have been the last time for a generation that West Ham played in a major European…
European Football… Failing to prepare is preparing to fail 31 Jul 201531 Jul 2015 Two weeks ago I wrote about the lack of tactics and what appeared to be a naivety in the way West Ham approached their first leg Europa League tie against…
European Football… Just bloody shoot! 17 Jul 2015 West Ham United 1 Birkirkara FC 0 - The Boleyn Ground - Thursday 16th July 2015 For the second consecutive Europa League home game, West Ham flattered to deceive against…
European Football… So where could West Ham United be off to next? 17 Jul 2015 The draw for the 3rd Qualifying Round of the Europa League will see West Ham head to either Scotland or deepest, darkest Romania assuming they avoid defeat next week in…
European Football… So where are we going next – Birkirkara FC 11 Jul 201510 Jul 2015 After the low-key win in Andorra it was a relative surprise that our next opponents turned out to be Birkirkara from Malta. After their goal-less draw in Malta two weeks…
Andorra… And so the countdown starts 4 Jul 2015 So after a break of just 5 days it was time to get back into the swing of a new season. And what better way to kick off proceedings than…
Barclaycard Premier League… Will the Europa League be a distraction for West Ham’s most important season? 1 Jun 2015 Like most football clubs, West Ham United fans can be divided into a number of groups. Those who wanted Allardyce to stay (a few), those who wanted him to go…
Barclaycard Premier League… Hammers on Song to hunt the Foxes 20 Dec 201421 Dec 2014 Parkes, Stewart, Walford, Gale, Martin, Devonshire, Ward, Dickens, Orr, McAvennie, Cottee. The best ever West Ham line up? Obviously there's no Moore, no Brooking, no Di Canio and no Dicks.…
Barclaycard Premier League… West Ham on Song to jump into the top three 7 Dec 2014 It's a good time to be a West Ham fan. Yesterday our fellow London rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Millwall all lost, whilst Spurs could only manage a goal less draw…
Barclaycard Premier League… Bigger than the Intertoto Cup 4 Aug 2014 Being a Lewes and a West Ham fan doesn't really give me many opportunities to watch my team play overseas. Going continental means crossing the respective bridges for our league…
The Ball is Round 