Everyday is like Sunday...
- Canning Town Len
- May 20
- 4 min read
Len's West Ham Number 6 - A blog about not going to the football.
Well, the last game at Stratford this season ended familiarly. If it was your last time like me, or the first time like the nice East Asian fella next to me with the enormous bag of branded crap from the gift shop, you should get used to Sunday football.
The news that the Premier League cartel is trying to keep under their hats, at least until season ticket deadline passes, is that 75% of Weekend Premier League fixtures will be played on Sunday, with 50% of those at 2pm. The Sunday 2pm slot is the custard pie in the face for football fans - so why do this?
Well, my friends at Prime Video stuck their fingers up to a silly renewal price for Premier League footy a few times a year. This in turn accelerated an improved value deal for Sky - 215 games next season.
You will be able to choose from a variety of fixtures at 2pm some weekends, with more regularity of the Friday night fixture too.
My point? Bear this in mind when renewing your season tickets please. I realise I'm not gonna talk anyone out of a life-long habit, but I'm here to remind you not to give 'that lot' your money unnecessarily.
It's Graham Potter's Birthday today, and I would personally like to thank him for the two wins at Stratford this season. If you are struggling, it was Leicester and Fulham. What a brave new world we are entering.
Let's briefly look back on Sunday, my last game as a Season Ticket Holder. So many comparables to my very first game against Liverpool in 1978, when we lost against Liverpool and Forest won the League. Well, last Sunday, we lost against Forest and Liverpool won the League.
In 1978, I sat next to my dad, who knew I would want to come back, despite getting relegated. Last Sunday I sat next to a tourist, who judging by his demeanor won't come back. "Is it always this quiet here?" he asked after 20 minutes. In the words of Morrissey, "Every day is silent and grey".
In 1978, at the final whistle, doomed to relagation, the players came back out for a mutual appreciation. You can watch it below - go on 'spies at West Ham' reading, watch and learn:
Look at the terraces full of people seeing it out, to show the players they cared.
Now let's quickly revisit Sunday's contrived 'Lap of Appreciation'.
After 20 minutes, the 3-4 thousand of us that waited for the team to re-emerge from the tunnel, saw the players get the wrong end of the stick. For some reason they seemed to think it was about them, and their families. It wasn't a "walk the hallowed turf experience" purchased from the stadium, you were supposed to show your appreciation to the fans. You know, clap and fucking wave.
It's become the usual arrogant crap we've grown to see at Stratford. Carrying your kids is no excuse not to wave and clap, my dad in 1978 could carry me and repair a puncture on my brother's Rayleigh Grifter at the same time. This lot can barely wipe their own arses.
Not many of them will return for another lap next year and good riddance to them. It may have been confirmation bias, but it looked like only Cresswell, Coufal and Fabianski showed appreciation. All the best to them.
Anyway if you are a fan and still reading, you'v suffered the melancholy, now buy the T-shirt:
Yes! The popular 'Morrissey' painting is now available as a tee from my shop. Special Price and FREE Worldwide Shipping for a limited time. Well, I've got to do something to earn money, and I work harder than those wankers who walked around the pitch on Sunday.
Something else I wanted to mention was the 'SullivanOutathon' on YouTube from Claret & Booze. I want to personally thank Nick and everyone who featured on it. I was too cough ridden to contribute, but I've got loads of stuff to listen to while I paint the next few pieces, and some very interesting stories have come out of it already.
People wont see the point in regards to changing the hierachy, but talking about it is important. Even people like me learn a little something. There is also a petition if you would like to sign it. If you do, remember that you need to verify it from an email that could possibly be in your junk.
This is the problem with online petitions, it can often bring finality to an issue. Don't let that happen. The most effective thing to do is to keep the stories coming, that will bring more awareness and the club don't like it. It's not a coincidence that almost every critical content creator has suffered issues with the club. Check it out yourself if you haven't already - not in one go though! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdIUpnLnyaQ&t=2319s
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Just one more match this season, a trip up the A12 to Ipswich. Until then, short and sweet - thanks for reading!
Like you Len, also my last game at the bowl - for a while at least. But looks like I'll be able to watch the more often on TV - and get more timely information about VAR delays! Unlike you I left at the final whistle. I felt a bit guilty, epecially as it was the farewell for Cress, Fab and Vlad, but after 15 minutes of added time (including that VAR intervention at the end) I couldn't believe that the players didn't stay out on the pitch. What do they do for 20 minutes? Anyway, a sad end to my years as a season ticket holder. Thankfully a friend I sat next to (a friend made through attending West Ham…