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Til Death us do Part......

Til Death us do Part......

Old May 16th 2011, 8:23 am
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Default Til Death us do Part......

Supporting West Ham has always given me a sense of belonging to something good and worthwhile.

When I was a lad, watching the Irons trudge happily victorious from the Upton Park pitch was always every bit as emotionally rewarding for me as watching Andy Dufresne crawl through those sewer pipes on his path to freedom in The Shawshank Redemption.

West Ham winning felt right and proper, we were the good guys, often the underdogs but we played the game beautifully at times and when we were rewarded with the points, it felt like my local heroes were unconsciously doing their bit to support me in my life

And so my love affair with the Hammers began because that's what it was, a love affair, a relationship, a marriage.

West Ham is 'my girl' 'my Doris'....and now years on since I started supporting them, l can look back over the years with fondness, a tear in my eye for the halcyon days. But I can also see it for what it actually is, warts and all.

And my Doris is bloody driving me loopy at the moment. !!

She's refusing to do what I ask her, she's running up bills left right and centre, she ambles around without a care in the World and refuses to put a shift in. I tell her: "Look, you'd better buck your bloody ideas up girl or we'll both be in the sh*t", but of course she takes no notice and just reels out the platitudes as per usual. What can I do? it's way too late to kick her out - and the truth is, I love the very bones off her.

My love and support for West Ham is unconditional like any true love should be, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, til death us do part etc and I don't ask for much in return. Just that the people who run my club repay my unswerving loyalty by making right and honourable decisions and for the players who pull the claret and blue on to do so with some sense of pride, knowing that they are walking in the footsteps of the great and the revered.

Sadly though, with a few notable exceptions, the current batch of talentless ingrates wouldn't know who Bobby Moore was if they tripped over the poor guy's headstone, such is the level of detachment today's footballer has from his club, his club's history and the fans who's hard earned wages keep his 'effin Aston Martin Vanquish topped up with unleaded.

So the other day I told her straight, I said: "Look you extravagant cow, it's time to sell all this expensive crap you've filled our house with, we can't afford it anymore, we've got to pay of all the credit cards and cut our cloth accordingly. We aint made of money and besides, I love you for who you are inside not because you cover yourself in diamonds and designer dresses.

"I've really lost touch with you over the past few years, let's get back to basics and remember why you're the only woman for me and why I'm your ever faithful, ever lovin' old man".

Successful relationships are all about the desire you have to be with someone. As it is with humans, so it is with football.

And that desire has to be reciprocated, it has to be a two way street. Anyone lucky enough to play for my beloved club should desire to do so and display that desire on the pitch just as they did when I first became a West Ham fan all those years ago.

It should be an honour to play for my club, not just something you do because the wages are handsome; players who have that kind of ethos will always be found out in the end.

We have to get back to basics, get rid of all the detritus and find footballers who are full of desire to play for a club with such a proud history, players for whom this is a step up - not something that they feel is intrinsically beneath them. West Ham United should never be a stop gap, it should be a dream come true.

Desire by it's very nature is incredibly infectious but it has to begin with the players. However devoted a football fan is, sooner or later he'll become anaesthetised to the pain of watching half-hearted dross week in week out, it's just basic human survival kicking in. But when there is desire on the pitch, it spreads to the fans and when there is desire in the fans it spreads to their families and friends and then to the local community, and so on.

I knew we were doomed after the first couple of games this season, I've seen us relegated enough times to recognise the signs and yes it hurt like hell to witness at first but after a while I became resigned to our fate and started to take a more objective view

Relegation isn't the end of the World, it's an absolute bloody necessity if we are ever going to get our precious club back on a firm footing. Get rid of the deadwood, get rid of the huge wage bill, find our level, find the players with desire, excite the fans and the community, move into our new stadium with a brand new hunger and work ethic and then maybe, just maybe, fortune won't always find it quite so easy to hide.

Sometimes it's tough loving the Hammers but now it's most definitely time for some 'tough love'.

But one thing is for certain.....we will be back !
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Old May 16th 2011, 8:34 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Where did you get that old yarn from, the Fanzine perhaps? Although you may think you will soon be back, just ask Leeds Utd fans how easy that can be. Sadly I can see Scott Parker moving to another London team and, without him in the heart of your midfield, life down there won't be a bed of roses.
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Old May 16th 2011, 8:42 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by lionheart
Where did you get that old yarn from, the Fanzine perhaps? Although you may think you will soon be back, just ask Leeds Utd fans how easy that can be. Sadly I can see Scott Parker moving to another London team and, without him in the heart of your midfield, life down there won't be a bed of roses.
Maybe not, but I doubt we will ever be in Div Two.....How was it down there by the way, you know, in the days (not too long ago) before you had a bit of money behind you and when City were at their real level ?
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Old May 16th 2011, 8:52 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by BangleMan
Supporting West Ham has always given me a sense of belonging to something good and worthwhile.

When I was a lad, watching the Irons trudge happily victorious from the Upton Park pitch was always every bit as emotionally rewarding for me as watching Andy Dufresne crawl through those sewer pipes on his path to freedom in The Shawshank Redemption.

West Ham winning felt right and proper, we were the good guys, often the underdogs but we played the game beautifully at times and when we were rewarded with the points, it felt like my local heroes were unconsciously doing their bit to support me in my life

And so my love affair with the Hammers began because that's what it was, a love affair, a relationship, a marriage.

West Ham is 'my girl' 'my Doris'....and now years on since I started supporting them, l can look back over the years with fondness, a tear in my eye for the halcyon days. But I can also see it for what it actually is, warts and all.

And my Doris is bloody driving me loopy at the moment. !!

She's refusing to do what I ask her, she's running up bills left right and centre, she ambles around without a care in the World and refuses to put a shift in. I tell her: "Look, you'd better buck your bloody ideas up girl or we'll both be in the sh*t", but of course she takes no notice and just reels out the platitudes as per usual. What can I do? it's way too late to kick her out - and the truth is, I love the very bones off her.

My love and support for West Ham is unconditional like any true love should be, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, til death us do part etc and I don't ask for much in return. Just that the people who run my club repay my unswerving loyalty by making right and honourable decisions and for the players who pull the claret and blue on to do so with some sense of pride, knowing that they are walking in the footsteps of the great and the revered.

Sadly though, with a few notable exceptions, the current batch of talentless ingrates wouldn't know who Bobby Moore was if they tripped over the poor guy's headstone, such is the level of detachment today's footballer has from his club, his club's history and the fans who's hard earned wages keep his 'effin Aston Martin Vanquish topped up with unleaded.

So the other day I told her straight, I said: "Look you extravagant cow, it's time to sell all this expensive crap you've filled our house with, we can't afford it anymore, we've got to pay of all the credit cards and cut our cloth accordingly. We aint made of money and besides, I love you for who you are inside not because you cover yourself in diamonds and designer dresses.

"I've really lost touch with you over the past few years, let's get back to basics and remember why you're the only woman for me and why I'm your ever faithful, ever lovin' old man".

Successful relationships are all about the desire you have to be with someone. As it is with humans, so it is with football.

And that desire has to be reciprocated, it has to be a two way street. Anyone lucky enough to play for my beloved club should desire to do so and display that desire on the pitch just as they did when I first became a West Ham fan all those years ago.

It should be an honour to play for my club, not just something you do because the wages are handsome; players who have that kind of ethos will always be found out in the end.

We have to get back to basics, get rid of all the detritus and find footballers who are full of desire to play for a club with such a proud history, players for whom this is a step up - not something that they feel is intrinsically beneath them. West Ham United should never be a stop gap, it should be a dream come true.

Desire by it's very nature is incredibly infectious but it has to begin with the players. However devoted a football fan is, sooner or later he'll become anaesthetised to the pain of watching half-hearted dross week in week out, it's just basic human survival kicking in. But when there is desire on the pitch, it spreads to the fans and when there is desire in the fans it spreads to their families and friends and then to the local community, and so on.

I knew we were doomed after the first couple of games this season, I've seen us relegated enough times to recognise the signs and yes it hurt like hell to witness at first but after a while I became resigned to our fate and started to take a more objective view

Relegation isn't the end of the World, it's an absolute bloody necessity if we are ever going to get our precious club back on a firm footing. Get rid of the deadwood, get rid of the huge wage bill, find our level, find the players with desire, excite the fans and the community, move into our new stadium with a brand new hunger and work ethic and then maybe, just maybe, fortune won't always find it quite so easy to hide.

Sometimes it's tough loving the Hammers but now it's most definitely time for some 'tough love'.

But one thing is for certain.....we will be back !
Hughton for manager? You're in a similar position to use when we went down.

Sorry to see you go down, but in all honesty all season you've been down there and just haven't had enough quality to stay up.
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Old May 16th 2011, 8:56 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

had to deal with one very sad six year old this morning...shame his father is away as it's difficult to be sympathetic when you know bugger all about footie and care even less, lol...

MM, xx
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Old May 16th 2011, 9:07 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by Spugsy
Hughton for manager? You're in a similar position to use when we went down.

Sorry to see you go down, but in all honesty all season you've been down there and just haven't had enough quality to stay up.
According to talksport, they 'understand' it will be Steve McClaren.....as if my day couldnt get any f***ing worse !
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Old May 16th 2011, 9:08 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by Madam Medusa
had to deal with one very sad six year old this morning...shame his father is away as it's difficult to be sympathetic when you know bugger all about footie and care even less, lol...

MM, xx
and you.....who has eaten with the best of 'em in the pie and mash shop on the Barking Road....how can you not care !
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Old May 16th 2011, 9:22 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by BangleMan
and you.....who has eaten with the best of 'em in the pie and mash shop on the Barking Road....how can you not care !
oh i'm just going to suggest he supports arsenal...he's a closet gooner anyway...

MM, xx
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Old May 16th 2011, 9:30 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by Madam Medusa
oh i'm just going to suggest he supports arsenal...he's a closet gooner anyway...

MM, xx
'suggesting' to your son that he change from West Ham to Arsenal is tantamount to child abuse

**leans forward to reach for the phone to dial Esther Rantzen*
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Old May 16th 2011, 9:33 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Bangleman's right though.......... only sports fans have this, and it distorts our perspectives, and we revel in it. It's the us-v-them aspect (if you stay up, that's good, because someone else has also gone down, which is brilliant, etc).

And we enjoy the misfortune of others ("Bellamy's got a red card!! Yeeees!!!").

You don't get this at, say, the opera or the theatre............. "Pavarotti's out with a sore throat?? Brilliant!!"

As far as West Ham are concerned......... they were "too good to go down", but did, but if they can hang on to a few good players, the Chamionship shouldn't prove too tough for them. Might take a couple of years though.

BUT - Disappointment can be contagious - my lot caught that particular disease a few years ago and are still trying to shake it off..........
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Old May 16th 2011, 10:08 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by BangleMan
Maybe not, but I doubt we will ever be in Div Two.....How was it down there by the way, you know, in the days (not too long ago) before you had a bit of money behind you and when City were at their real level ?
Wait and see. But would you still be getting crowds in excess of 30,000 against the likes of Halifax, York and Shrewsbury? Very doubtful. It shows genuine support when that happens. Manure and Chelski were in the lower divisions not too many years ago, so there is hope for you yet.
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Old May 16th 2011, 10:45 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by lionheart
Wait and see. But would you still be getting crowds in excess of 30,000 against the likes of Halifax, York and Shrewsbury? Very doubtful. It shows genuine support when that happens. Manure and Chelski were in the lower divisions not too many years ago, so there is hope for you yet.
That post just shows what a know nothing twat you really are

The last time we were in the Championship we topped the division for average attendances at 31,164....

It shows 'genuine support' LH when you actually go and watch your team, not sit behind a laptop trying to get a feed of the game, cos you are too f***ing tight to buy the subscription to the channel that shows the games !

And I seem to recall that Citeh were in the lower divisions more recently than Chelsea and Man Utd....oh no, you wouldnt know, cos you dont 'support' your team do you
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Old May 16th 2011, 11:08 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by BangleMan
'suggesting' to your son that he change from West Ham to Arsenal is tantamount to child abuse

**leans forward to reach for the phone to dial Esther Rantzen*
lol, i'd be doing him a favour...

MM, xx
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Old May 16th 2011, 11:43 am
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by lionheart
Manure and Chelski were in the lower divisions not too many years ago, so there is hope for you yet.
LH - You are showing you age . The last time Man U played lower division was 1975.... I know I am a ragamuffin but I wouldn't call 37 years "not too many years ago" in football terms...
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Old May 16th 2011, 12:12 pm
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Default Re: Til Death us do Part......

Originally Posted by Welivehere
LH - You are showing you age . The last time Man U played lower division was 1975.... I know I am a ragamuffin but I wouldn't call 37 years "not too many years ago" in football terms...
What you talking about ? LH has had Y fronts for longer than that !
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