The Official West Ham United Thread.
Discussion
bad company said:
If he can sort his attitude out he's a decent player. Zero pre-season though so he'll probably pick up an injury first time he tries to run and be out for a couple of months
Bound to be lots of teething issues - Food stalls were a debacle in the main. Walked past a couple that had sold out by 7pm. Had to queue for 20 mins for a half-edible sausage
Left 5 mins before the end and jumped on a DLR at Stratford Int and got to WH in time for the 21:58.
They'll get it right after a while.
Left 5 mins before the end and jumped on a DLR at Stratford Int and got to WH in time for the 21:58.
They'll get it right after a while.
Left Maidenhead at 4:30 and got to Stratford around 6pm there’s loads of eating places, bars, coffee shops etc. on the way in through Westfield eat there. As you walk to the stadium it’s all very impressive and a quantum leap different to Green Street – no one used to take pictures of that as they walked along! Queues for programmes were a bit long but I guess they’ll put more sellers around. Not knowing what to expect but inside I was very impressed. Seats have loads of leg room, and are wide, unlike some grounds where the bloke next to you becomes your new most intimate friend! Not only that but my view was perfect sitting in row 7 by one of the corner flags couldn’t be better in fact and no, I didn’t feel a long way away from the players loved it. As for the noise well, I got the impression that somehow it forms an amphitheatre because you could here the singing resounding around the ground, once the season ticket holders get in there and sort out the singing end it will be great!
Now the downside, getting back to the station was a nightmare, they’ve got to sort that out because it was a complete farce, thousands of people being funnelled behind barriers and stuff, perhaps there’s a different tube other than Stratford, I’d rather walk for half an hour than stand in a crowd for 30 mins.
Anyway job done, it’s certainly a leap forward and my fears of it being all too far away from the pitch have been allayed. Crossrail can’t come soon enough for me!
Now the downside, getting back to the station was a nightmare, they’ve got to sort that out because it was a complete farce, thousands of people being funnelled behind barriers and stuff, perhaps there’s a different tube other than Stratford, I’d rather walk for half an hour than stand in a crowd for 30 mins.
Anyway job done, it’s certainly a leap forward and my fears of it being all too far away from the pitch have been allayed. Crossrail can’t come soon enough for me!
Edited by RichB on Friday 5th August 01:04
pincher said:
Bound to be lots of teething issues - Food stalls were a debacle in the main. Walked past a couple that had sold out by 7pm. Had to queue for 20 mins for a half-edible sausage
Left 5 mins before the end and jumped on a DLR at Stratford Int and got to WH in time for the 21:58.
They'll get it right after a while.
Few more thoughts after sleeping on it:Left 5 mins before the end and jumped on a DLR at Stratford Int and got to WH in time for the 21:58.
They'll get it right after a while.
I stayed to the end & then left; heading for Stratford mainline we were funneled out of the stadium & then round the back for the shopping centre - which you couldn't access - there was then a queue to get into Stratford station.
Platform for the mainline was packed. To be fair none of this took very long & as I was on my own by that point I could make decent progress. Fortunately a train for Chelmsford arrived 5 mins after I got to the station.
Sheer volume of people might cause so issues in the future... especially in the rain. After we've lost
Be interesting to see what the approach is on a weekend as presumably there will be some access to Westfield then.
Main downside for me though appears to be lack of options as I'm heading for the mainline - previously at UP I could walk to 4 tube stations & a couple of main line station and make various connections - this enable everyone to be distributed across the area rather than stuck with one option.
I'll have to do some more research & maybe have a wander round on a non-match day to see what options there might be.
Re the food I was surprised at the lack of concession vans outside - presumably the charge to be there's high (don't think that's anything to do w/ WH though).
Walking through the shopping centre (grim place!) at the start I was surprised how few bars there are - all were packed by 18:00, I managed to get a couple of pints in at a place called Bumpkin though.
Stadium conversion / viewing etc all very impressive; atmosphere was very good as well.
Odd to swap Moore & Brooking stand orientation round though.
That massive gap between the pitch & the tunnel will be a proper walk of shame if someone gets sent off though.
Decent seats you've got there Pinch!
RichB said:
Left Maidenhead at 4:30 and got to Stratford around 6pm there’s loads of eating places, bars, coffee shops etc. on the way in through Westfield eat there. As you walk to the stadium it’s all very impressive and a quantum leap different to Green Street – no one used to take pictures of that as they walked along! Queues for programmes were a bit long but I guess they’ll put more sellers around. Not knowing what to expect but inside I was very impressed. Seats have loads of leg room, and are wide, unlike some grounds where the bloke next to you becomes your new most intimate friend! Not only that but my view was perfect sitting in row 7 by one of the corner flags couldn’t be better in fact and no, I didn’t feel a long way away from the players loved it. As for the noise well, I got the impression that somehow it forms an amphitheatre because you could here the singing resounding around the ground, once the season ticket holders get in there and sort out the singing end it will be great!
Now the downside, getting back to the station was a nightmare, they’ve got to sort that out because it was a complete farce, thousands of people being funnelled behind barriers and stuff, perhaps there’s a different tube other than Stratford, I’d rather walk for half an hour than stand in a crowd for 30 mins.
Anyway job done, it’s certainly a leap forward and my fears of it being all too far away from the pitch have been allayed. Crossrail can’t come soon enough for me!
Good views you've got from there Rich. Now the downside, getting back to the station was a nightmare, they’ve got to sort that out because it was a complete farce, thousands of people being funnelled behind barriers and stuff, perhaps there’s a different tube other than Stratford, I’d rather walk for half an hour than stand in a crowd for 30 mins.
Anyway job done, it’s certainly a leap forward and my fears of it being all too far away from the pitch have been allayed. Crossrail can’t come soon enough for me!
Suspect that the weekend's will be worse for queues given how busy the shopping centre gets.
TCEvo said:
Main downside for me though appears to be lack of options as I'm heading for the mainline - previously at UP I could walk to 4 tube stations & a couple of main line station and make various connections - this enable everyone to be distributed across the area rather than stuck with one option.
Exactly, that was my issue. I needed to get back to Paddington so wanted the tube. I thought about walking to Mile End but couldn't figure out how to get there and didn't want to wind up in Eseex! ;-) RichB said:
Left Maidenhead at 4:30 and got to Stratford around 6pm there’s loads of eating places, bars, coffee shops etc. on the way in through Westfield eat there. As you walk to the stadium it’s all very impressive and a quantum leap different to Green Street – no one used to take pictures of that as they walked along! Queues for programmes were a bit long but I guess they’ll put more sellers around. Not knowing what to expect but inside I was very impressed. Seats have loads of leg room, and are wide, unlike some grounds where the bloke next to you becomes your new most intimate friend! Not only that but my view was perfect sitting in row 7 by one of the corner flags couldn’t be better in fact and no, I didn’t feel a long way away from the players loved it. As for the noise well, I got the impression that somehow it forms an amphitheatre because you could here the singing resounding around the ground, once the season ticket holders get in there and sort out the singing end it will be great!
Now the downside, getting back to the station was a nightmare, they’ve got to sort that out because it was a complete farce, thousands of people being funnelled behind barriers and stuff, perhaps there’s a different tube other than Stratford, I’d rather walk for half an hour than stand in a crowd for 30 mins.
Anyway job done, it’s certainly a leap forward and my fears of it being all too far away from the pitch have been allayed. Crossrail can’t come soon enough for me!
I presume from the curvature of the track, that the seats you have are the closest to the pitch? Look forwards to seeing others photos.Now the downside, getting back to the station was a nightmare, they’ve got to sort that out because it was a complete farce, thousands of people being funnelled behind barriers and stuff, perhaps there’s a different tube other than Stratford, I’d rather walk for half an hour than stand in a crowd for 30 mins.
Anyway job done, it’s certainly a leap forward and my fears of it being all too far away from the pitch have been allayed. Crossrail can’t come soon enough for me!
Edited by RichB on Friday 5th August 01:04
TCEvo said:
Decent seats you've got there Pinch!
As for getting away, for me it was fairly painless - along the concourse past the Aquatic Centre and I dived (geddit?
) left to go to Stratford International instead of right to Stratford. Jumped on the DLR and, as I said in my post last night, was at West Ham mainline in plenty of time for the 21:58 down to the Riviera 
This season really is the year where we should try to get together before/after a game here and there for a couple of beers - I'll have my lad with me but I know that sjc also has his son with him usually, so that shouldn't be a problem. I'm also planning on a couple of away games too - Bournemouth anyone?
It would be great to put some faces to screen names
Edited by pincher on Friday 5th August 09:33
RichB said:
TCEvo said:
Main downside for me though appears to be lack of options as I'm heading for the mainline - previously at UP I could walk to 4 tube stations & a couple of main line station and make various connections - this enable everyone to be distributed across the area rather than stuck with one option.
Exactly, that was my issue. I needed to get back to Paddington so wanted the tube. I thought about walking to Mile End but couldn't figure out how to get there and didn't want to wind up in Eseex! ;-) That's no use for me as I want to wind up in Essex!
pincher said:
TCEvo said:
Decent seats you've got there Pinch!
As for getting away, for me it was fairly painless - along the concourse past the Aquatic Centre and I dived (geddit?
) left to go to Stratford International instead of right to Stratford. Jumped on the DLR and, as I said in my post last night, was at West Ham mainline in plenty of time for the 21:58 down to the Riviera This season really is the year where we should try to get together before/after a game here and there for a couple of beers - I'll have my lad with me but I know that sjc also has his son with him usually, so that shouldn't be a problem. I'm also planning on a couple of away games too - Bournemouth anyone?
It would be great to put some faces to screen names
Edited by pincher on Friday 5th August 09:33
I'll do an away game - maybe Southampton or Middlesbrough.
TCEvo said:
Try Pincher's route - Stratford DLR to West Ham & then District Line to Mile End for the Central. That's no use for me as I want to wind up in Essex!
Looking at Google maps it looks like if I follow the signs for Pudding Mill lane DLR and go past that I get to Bow Road station perfect for the Hammersmith & City and just over a mile away. There's a few pubs along there too so I could get an after match pint. Gassing Station | Football | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff