I suppose we all knew we would be in this entrenched position in the wake of the biggest anti-board march in the club’s history. But I’m not sure we expected such confrontational attitude, such pettiness, such defiance.
Last weekend’s march organised by the Fan Advisory Board (FAB) and Hammers United was a resounding success. Young and old marched to the directors’ entrance at the London stadium to voice their disapproval of the current regime.
But I sense few were expecting the harnessing of the football media establishment to discredit the aims and actions of fans who want David Sullivan and Karren Brady to step aside and allow professional football administrators to run the club. Or were we really that surprised?
Does the club not see that setting out to sabotage fans' actions with every means possible just looks, well, cheap? Why lower yourselves, West Ham?
Now I have no idea who was sending out these "messages" to belittle the fans' actions, only the traitorous grifters who were encouraged to put a figure of 2 to 3,000 marchers know that. It was instantly ridiculed because anyone on the march, or who have now watched the countless videos on offer, know that was nonsense. Around 10,000 would be nearer the mark.
The more we saw online, from virtually every street corner and high rise, made such a claim utter nonsense. So why did anyone think they would get away with it, without scrutiny?
Then Kelly Cates, hugely respected presenter of Match of the Day, claimed that they had been briefed by someone, assumedly from the club, that 2 to 3,000 was accurate, just to make sure the great British TV watching public knew how futile the marchers were.
Trouble is, Kelly - after something like 25 years of TV and radio - wasn’t fooled. She announced it such a way that undermined the whole idea and then Alan Shearer insisted that West Ham fans had a perfect right to complain about the ownership.
Then we had such perma-tanned buffoonery from someone called Mark Wright on Sky, who I thought was an ugly brute of a centre half who used to play for Liverpool and England. Seems there’s another one, who I, honestly, had never heard of.
I had to google the clown, and then realised he was one of those famous for being famous nobodies from reality TV. Now I’ve never, ever, watched reality TV. I can get more reality and laughs in my own house. But for some reason Sky thought he was an acceptable mouth piece for West Ham fans. How wrong was that?
He rattled on about being friends with the owners, who he claimed had done so much for the club, so what were the fans moaning about. I think it was Vicky Gomersall, another long standing and talented presenter, who somehow held together the programme. Without laughing, I’m sure.
I doubt Wright had the slightest clue what the current campaign is all about, or really cared. There was a nice appearance fee to be had for saying stupid things.
Talksport had another of those phone-ins it’s best to avoid, full of folk questioning what all the fuss was about now we’d won a couple of matches. It’s worth repeating again and again. This campaign has nothing to do with what is happening on the pitch or the new coach.
In fact, when 10,000 or so noisy fans got into the ground they produced one of the best atmospheres in months and roared the side to another morale boosting victory.
But when the dust had settled, it was worth a reality check (not you Mark) on how easy it is for a club, or someone, to mobilise the media TV and radio establishment to believe any old pony shunted their way.
So on we go. The campaign’s ideas have gone full circle now. The organisers have to hold their nerve and concentrate on what their aims were after the vote of no confidence. We’ve had a boycott that saw 10,000 fans refusing to attend the Brentford match, black balloons at Arsenal and Leeds, a sit in after the Newcastle match and then last weekend’s march.
And all the way it seems the club, despite meeting FAB/Hammers United official for two meetings in good faith, have done everything the can to undermine their fans. It has been described as defiant and defensive. It makes them look petty.
Turning up the music to drown out the sit-in chants, asking, allegedly, for Arsenal to ban balloons and banners, being evasive about the Brentford game attendance, kids-for-a-quid and cheap tickets in the posh seats. Even those meetings with fans' officials seemed at arm’s length - we might get an online museum and some rail seating.
But regime change or manoeuvring? No chance, with us being told that Apprentice star Karren Brady is our full time CEO.
As I said, long term observers of this regime expected it to be like this. FAB/Hammers United have been meeting this week to plan their next moves.
The club may be hoping that once the march has been and gone then interest will wain, too many fans reverting back to ‘what’s the point, they are not going anywhere.’ Mode. But this week has also seen the fan groups rallying their support, 10,000 on a march and a worldwide media audience will be the bedrock of future actions. It’s not going away, is it?
In lots of ways it was a good week for the football side of the club. Tomas Soucek now relishing his supersub role, kissing the badge on the line, hurling himself into the fray with another goal and assist while saying he’d love to be a starting player but he’ll do anything for this club. What a guy.
And then there was our outstanding Under 21s destroying a strong Liverpool side on Friday evening. Anyone there, or watching the club feed, know they saw something very special in the 3-0 victory.
It was one of the best displays of passing, possession and controlled football I’ve seen from a youth side. They are now one defeat in ten and the final Under 21 side in the last 32 of the Vertu Trophy - with the draw this week and a final to follow at Wembley.
Now there’s something to aim for, lads.
* Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.
* Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the highlighted author/s and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official policy or position of KUMB.com.