Monday, 5 April 2010

Brilliant Support At Goodison Park


Now I did ask HammersFan to write a little something on how exceptional our fans at Goodison were, in the hope that he may get a few people outside his immediate family to like him (kidding HF!), but I decided to do it myself in case his positivity started to rub off on all of us and we began losing touch with reality. So, I’ve sent him away to have a good look at Gianfranco Zola’s celebrations for our two goals whilst asking him to try and ignore the red-head sitting behind our bench. Fingers crossed he comes back smiling for all the right reasons.

Being a loyal fan for clubs that lose more matches than they win is not the easiest thing to do. When we were relegated under Glenn Roeder, my glory hunting friends thought I was mad for continuing to support our club. But that in itself is the difference between fake fans and real ones. Just flicking through photos of our promotion parade on Barking road and Green Street, and remembering the joy of that day, served as a reminder to me that this bad situation we find ourselves in will be followed by a good one, that this trough will soon be followed by a peak.

And supporting your team in adversity isn’t always just blind support, as our fans at Goodison showed yesterday, it works. Playing away, twice we went behind and came back because our fans did not stop singing and cheering. When was the last time we came back twice away against a team fighting for Europe and one that hasn’t lost at home for nine league games in a row? The response of our players was clear to see and their appreciation of the support was evident at the end of the game.

Speaking of playing away, I can’t help but feel had that game been at home, our players would have just surrendered under the pressure and Everton would have ended up comfortable winners. Let’s keep the spirit our fans showed at Goodison and bring it home to Upton Park. I know it’s going to be difficult and will be touch and go if we survive, but let our adversity make us better fans, not bitter fans. Let us fans do our job and let’s see where our team ends up. "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional" - M. Kathleen Casey. Let's not waste time and energy suffering.

If you were at Goodison yesterday, hats off to you, you did us proud.

Stani Army

38 comments:

Hammersfan said...

Bloody hell, you noticed her too Stani. I reckon it was Dr Who's new sidekick, she has travelled back in time to help unravel why West Ham were relegated in the Year of Our Lord 2010. Apparently Sullivan and Gold are a single alien being taking on the shape of an aged grey haired Jew and a tubby East End pornographer. Previously this escaped prisoner took the form of Eggert and Turds, then Nani and Duxbury, then Zola and Clarke. Apparently, for the World to end, West Ham have to be in the fizzy pop and so...

Yeah, the fans were brilliant yesterday. Good post mate.

Perhaps the red head was Zola's motivational ploy? Anybody who scores gets to enjoy her after the game? "Look what I've brought back from Sardinia boys". That would explain why Upson appeared to be sporting an erection in the tunnel before the game!

Anonymous said...

Savvakis said...

West Ham fans are simply the best! One cannot but admire and applaud those loyal fans that travel 250 miles and cheer their team even when we are losing. If anyone was looking for a good reason why we should stay up I can't think of a better one. Just take a look at those fans at Goodison Park yesterday. Good post Stani.

Anonymous said...

never mind the redhead did anyone see a certain t.brown esq sitting next to mr gold.the plot thickens

Savvakis said...

Did you say T. Brown!!! I hope this is an April Fool's joke because if T. Brown came out of the cold then we are really in trouble. This is my worst fear!

Hammersfan said...

Time travel like I said. With any luck Moore, Hurst, Brooking and Peters will run out against Sunderland. Back to Mr King's very first game at Upton Park. 8-0. Hurst scored six, Moore bagged one and Trevor Brooking bagged the other. Grumpy went as a Sunderland fan and, being the glory hunter that he is, nicked a West Ham scarf on the way out. He's been moaning ever since - thought 8-0 was guaranteed every game if you paid to get in!

Anonymous said...

How's your pink sword swallowing going you screaming iron

Hammersfan said...

Is this a dagger I see before me? Put it away man. I keep telling you, I'm not gay and if I was, I'd fancy somebody taller!

Hammersfan said...

My son plays Football Manager and apparently in the 2008-09 version, Brown leads a consortium take over in 2010. Sears ends up playing in Division One. The guys who write the programme make some pretty clever predictions apparently!

Anonymous said...

Hammersfan can not have been at the game, as he is a complete prick. Only real fans that get behind the team go away and he ain't one of them.

Hammersfan said...

Nope I wasn't at the game. Mr Sullivan disagrees with your definition of a West Ham fan. He says there's 1,000,000 of us out there. As great as our support was at Goodison Park, there weren't 1,000,000 there!

TurdsOut said...

The more hits you get the worse it looks - 7 regular posters...........

Check the other Hammer sites - you could learn something WHTID, KUMB and even the .org have more posts and posters

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Anonymous said...

Scott Parker - 87.5% vote as player of the month!

Hammersfan said...

Back under own name then switch to anonymous to post two racist comments. Pathetic and loathsome.

Hammersfan said...

It's a bit like being voted "Healthiest patient in a Hospice" given our performances in March but well done Scotty!

Anonymous said...

7 regular posters amazing. What a great website.

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Hammersfan said...

And back to advertising gay porn. You have been rattled Turds Out. Crawl back down your hole you sad little man.

Fred Davis said...

There are 1,000,000 fans many are in oz but 14,000miles is a bit far to get to the games but what FANTASTIC FANS were at the game, we could clearly hear all the singing and support , made us feel quite homesick !. Keep it going for the other 965,000 especially for those of us in OZ. P.S Does anyone know who the bird was ? (give her Parkers shirt for sat ! )

Hammersfan said...

Lame excuse Fred! Lucas flew back to play! Where in Oz are you?

Deane said...

c'mon Fred I was born in SA immigrated here to watch the hammers been cold wet and miserable ever since
I support any overpaid idiot that pulls on a West Ham shirt sing cheer cajole etc do my level best not too be critical of the poor dears that find it difficult to peform if I voice my discontent after all 50grand a week isn't much motivation
I've been deprived of my right to stand to move to the section where I can join those that are singing etc and now apparently I'm disloyal to express my discontent on a blog that only has 7 regulars and 4 of them are mates of mine anybody know if nockie powell is still offering a grand for me to go home?

TurdsOut said...

A smear campaign will not help you - I do not and have not posted anything sexist or racist here - and suggesting so means you are rattled.

Winston said...

Great article Stani. That's the way. The fans need to back the players up even if we go a goal or two down. The squad needs to be a kill or be killed attitude too, as per the Everton game. Another OZ man in Fred. G'Day matey. The people you meet here. I am 3rd generation Plaistow born. This is where the action is Fred. Thank you HF.

Hammersfan said...

Turds Out, has it occured to you, just for a moment, that if you in any way rattled me, I would simply delete your posts, like I have deleted the pornographic and racist messages? This last one was poster via moderation facility so nobody would ever have known you had posted it except yourself. I take it that this SPECIFIC denial means that you are admitting to all the other posts I have acreditted to you? Odd that the pornographic posts and racist posts all came at the same time as your last post.

Stani Army said...

Cheers Sav, HF.

Of course I noticed her HF! I'm all man and can appreciate a good thing when I see it :) Although I must admit I only noticed her because I have this habit of playing back our celebrations to see who is really passionate (convinced?). Anyway, I'm glad I spotted her and not Upson's erection in the tunnel...HF!? Although it did seem as if he was playing with it throughout the game, particularly for the opening goal.

Loved the players celebrating for the goals and at the end of the game too. Da Costa and Kovac couldn't stop hugging Cole! Great to see.

You're right Sav, they were brilliant. Those fans had every reason not to make that trip. I'm glad the team did something for them.

Maybe Sullivan has managed to convince Brown to put his money back into the club?

Anonymous2043
You cant say that mate. That's an Iain Dale "I'm a season ticket holder in the Dr Martens Stand so am better than you" argument. None of us can say who is more a fan than the other. Certainly, going to matches, or holding a season ticket does not mean you're any more a fan. I've been racially abused a number of times going to our matches. Do you know how it feels to know that there are fans of the team I support that hate me just because of the colour of my skin? It has made me think twice about going sometimes but whether I do or not, does not make me less of a fan. Certainly, their hatred will not dim my love for this club. I was born in East Ham and I will always be a Hammer.

Can't wait for Saturday. Gordan's gonna take some beating though.

Anonymous said...

i love west ham 4 ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and always will. cut me and i will bleed claret and blue wayne the mighty hammers fan.

Anonymous said...

west ham is my life. wayne the mighty hammer.

Winston said...

I don't know Stani. I don't think everybody hates HF. He's been ok with me. Is he a man only his mother could love? Some who come here would not be averse to putting some cement shoes on him & using him as a boat anchor. Everyone has a democratic right to free opinion. At least he sets the cat amongst the pigeons in my opinion. Not like some other blogs, yes yes yes, blah blah blah. It's not like our overpaid fearless leaders in Parliment don't engage in a bit of how's ya father. I am a capitalist pig, it's worked for a long time & sometimes they don't like that cold steel up em Captain Mainwaring, oh no, they don't like it.

TurdsOut said...

"I do not and have not posted anything sexist or racist here" means that I have not posted anything sexist or racist on this blog or any other.

TurdsOut said...

Anyway back to football =

There is still a lot of work to be done and without Parker it will be difficult, time now for Noble to step up to the plate.

This point gained must give us all new belief and fresh confidence... and I for one believe it to be the turning point towards the Great escape Part II and that it will be enough to see us over the finishing line at the end of the season.

Come on you I hope that you do not take our battle cry in vain any more irons!

TurdsOut said...

A challenge for HF - do you think you can go a whole week without saying Fizzy Pop? I'll donate a tenner to charity of your choice if you do.

Hammersfan said...

If it isn't you engaging in the racist and pornographic stuff, I apologise. That's the problem with using multiple IDs. I hope you are right about the Great Escape II. Sadly I have doubts. They are genuine doubts not wind up doubts. I genuinely believe Zola isn't up to the job.

Unknown said...

Good on ya Deane, the Hammers need people like you and thats my point. Check out 128 upperton rd Plaistow e 13 thats where i was born 1946 and the Hammers of today are the same ones the whole of my lifetime. Apart from a purple patch 1964 to 1966 it comes with the shirt. Shame the " chicken run " has seats these days.Have a good day mate.

Stani Army said...

Cheers Sav, HF.

Of course I noticed her HF! I'm all man and can appreciate a good thing when I see it :) Although I must admit I only noticed her because I have this habit of playing back our celebrations to see who is really passionate (convinced?). Anyway, I'm glad I spotted her and not Upson's erection in the tunnel...HF? Although it did seem as if he was playing with it throughout the game, particularly for the opening goal.

Loved the players celebrating for the goals and at the end of the game too. Da Costa nad Kovac couldn't stop hugging Cole! Great to see.

You're right Sav, they were brilliant. Those fans had every reason not to make that trip. I'm glad the team did something for them.

Maybe Sullivan has managed to convince Brown to put his money back into the club?

Anonymous2043
You cant say that mate. That's a Iain Dale "I'm a season ticket holder in the Bobby Moore Stand argument". None of can say who is more a fan than the other. Certainly, going to matches, or holding a season ticket does not mean your any more of a fan. I've been racially abused a number of times going to our matches. Do you know how it feels to know that there are fans of the team I support that hate me just because of the colour of my skin? It has made me think twice about going sometimes but whether I do or not, does not make me less of a fan. Certainly, their hatred will not dim my love for this club. I was born in East Ham and I will always be a Hammer.

Winston,
I think we agree more than you think!

TurdsOut said...

10:19 thanks for that much appreciated

Hammersfan said...

No problems mate.