Hello, and how are you?
Saturday the 30th of November at 5.30pm (western European time) sees the Mighty Cannon make its way east for a visit to the London Stadium and West Ham United.
I’m sure after the thrashing we gave Sporting CP last Tuesday, the team, club and fans all have a spring in their step as we head over to visit our cockney chums by the Old River Lea. Going into this game at the time of writing this we have a 65% chance of winning, but West Ham are a weird side and certainly won’t lie down and think of England when it comes to us, despite having a mixed season so far (they lie in 14th place) and especially after beating Newcastle. But we are at the potential beginning of a mini- renaissance, and a win will take us a step further forward to where we want to go, so hopefully we can build on what’s been happening in the last three games, and perhaps see some more quick-witted one touch football and more, more, more goals. But I don’t expect it will be easy and as years past have proven, any side can be the slippery banana skin, especially the old Irons?
Its amazing how football has become such a dominating sport. My Dad and Grandfather weren’t into football at all, although Dad did support the Irons for a bit. Mostly they watched Speedway and the Dogs over at Wimbledon Stadium. There aren’t any London Speedway teams now, the stadiums have gone, but pre-war and for twenty odd years or so afterwards it was an incredibly popular sport. Speedway riders were paid more than footballers.
West Ham had a stadium that could accommodate 120,000 people. The massive stadium was built by Archibald Leitch who as you know built Highbury, amongst an endless list of other stadiums and sported an Art Deco entrance that perhaps should have been preserved? Many football matches were held at the stadium but it fell into a poor catchment area and to this day holds the record for the lowest league attendance of only 469, which must have been an a strange experience in such a vast stadium?
Once they had arrived at the Wimbledon Stadium, overwhelmed by all the speedway sights, sounds and smells they would buy a cup of brickdust tea and a cheesecake, not the NY cheesecake, but the one with desiccated coconut on the top. We didn’t call it ‘London cheesecake’ as kids, just cheesecake-although our old Nan Mills, born in the Victorian era made the best brickdust tea. The last time I saw cheesecake was on Bovvy market pre- 2005. Still delicious.
Sadly, Dads hero got killed at West Ham in the early 1950’s when the Dons were visiting, and he didn’t ever get over it. That accident wouldn’t have even happen now, so its even more sad. How many have died in life to pave a way for the safety for others? All those stadiums, fans, riders, competitions, wins losses and accidents and fatalities that were the mainstay of many communities, all (mostly)forgotten now. As mentioned before: fame, obscurity waiting?
I still like watching speedway, I’m not an expert or even mildly knowledgeable either concerning contemporary or historically aspects of the sport, but mostly its the summer Monster-sponsored international competitions I like to follow. Thing is I can’t stand racing of any kind as spinning metal scares the crap out of me, but in true hypocritical form I find speedway really exciting. Of course its changed considerably since the heavy cinder track and gas-goggle days of yesteryear. Its amazing how many other countries are really passionate about it too and how many fans travel from country to country to watch their team or favourite riders.
I started supporting The Arsenal back in the 77/78 season, and although my beard isn’t the longest here on PA, it is a bit grey. Yet after all this time, West Ham still represent something horrible to me: the team that beat us in the 1980 cup final. That boiling hot, uninspired, heavy- atmosphere day. In my mind I can still hear us being heavily taunted towards the end of the game by the West Ham fans: “he’s only a poor little Gunner feather all tattered and torn…” somehow they knew we weren’t going to get back in the match. And we didn’t.
What a season it was, playing all those games(70, a record that exists to this day)an exciting, fascinating, contradictory, heart-breaking season, losing both the finals and the Charity Shield, all those bloody semi-final replays against Liverpool, some of which were epics. Mind you the West Ham / Everton semis were great games too, we might just have easily have played against Everton in the final? I’m sure you guys have lots of your own memories and perspectives of that season and that FAC final? I still have all the programs from the semis lying in our cellar…
“Someone put the lights back on, I’ll love you till all time is gone.You haven’t looked at me, that way in years, but I’m still here.” (Tom Waits ‘I’m still here’)
Trouble is I can’t look at West Ham without thinking of that day. But this is totally illogical. Both clubs have changed, literally nothings the same, except the name? Loss is a part of football and there’s been so many highs since then that really it should mean little or nothing after all these years, but its strange how some games stick in your head more than others, and we carry certain memories and emotions with us until the day we die, illogical or not. Some you just can’t budge?
Anyway, here’s hoping for Wham! Bam! Thank you West Ham!
Well that’s it, lots of bits and pieces that I’m sure have made you feel like going off and collecting stamps instead of reading this tediousness.
Even so, here’s to a great game for us and lucky horses!
COYG and keep on keepin’ on!
Mills