I’m an Everton fan and the Boleyn was one of my favourite away days. Was gutted to see another traditional ground go. The new stadium is awful for watching football in imo
Sadly Goodison will be going soon as well. Agree, went to watch West Ham 1 vs 1 Liverpool a couple of years ago, the London stadium is rubbish viewing as the angle of the seating is too low
I’m a football romantic from Cologne, Germany. I love West Ham and visited the old ground in the summer. I was shocked to see that there was nothing to commemorate the old ground. It’s such a shame. Hopefully something will be put up in the future. It would be a shame to lose the history so irresponsibly. Btw you should visit 1. FC Köln some day! Love the videos!! 🐐⚒
Yes it was a great football ground i was a police officer in London in the 80's and used to police many grounds including boleyn.. Oh and by the way my mother was from braunschweig.. Loss eintracht.. 😉
@@briancohenthepfjmassive.4769 everton's owner couldn't agree with the person who owned the land and decided to move elsewhere. Then liverpool bought the ground. This happened 130 years ago. What's your point?
One of my favourite recent memories of Upton Park was Millwall, League Cup in 2009. It's a real rivalry, nothing manufactured and authentic as it comes. An amazing atmosphere that night, evil feel, and unique in English football. Rivals the intensity of Rangers and Celtic. The Boleyn Pub was always rammed. Sticky floors, long queues, singing area and a sink full of piss. I miss the old girl.
@@TheFamousMileEnd yeah fair play, I'm honestly very happy we're staying put at Fratton Park. It's being made safer and in keeping with the history of the ground. I'm yet to go to West Hams new ground but hopefully one day we'll be back in at least the Championship.
@@andycole366 The new ground is slowly starting to feel like home, but because of the supporters. The ground itself still isn't for for purpose as a football ground, in my opinion. I don't think any club that has moved has really benefitted from it, apart from Man City, and they struggle to sell out.
I was a season ticket holder during the eighties, I still used to attend whenever I could during the following years and wish we were still there, but I think that the atmosphere at the new ground was poor in the early days because we were playing so badly, so it was no wonder the atmosphere was crap, this season is going well and the atmosphere has got way louder so maybe we can make it feel like home after all
I hope they can do something to make the pitch closer to the fans. I've not been but from TV footage it always looks like that would improve the atmosphere at the London stadium massively
@@chilldude30 they have moved the seats closer to the pitch behind the goals but the same definitely needs to be done to the stands along the sides, that would improve the atmosphere a fair bit, mind you there was about a twenty yard gap from the old East stand and West stands to the pitch at Upton Park.
Ngl west ham would be so loud in a proper stadium because you have to gaps between two of your stands and the gaps in the pitch. You've got to remember you have a massive stadium and only 62k seats and the size of that stadium should be 90k. You had a class atmosphere at upton park
As an arsenal fan it really is hard to get over moving from a class stadium to a modern one like the Emirates. Can't beat the days at Highbury and was lucky enough to get to a few games there when I was younger. I'm from Edinburgh so sadly couldn't go as much as I would have liked to plus I was a kid. My dad however had a season ticket at Highbury from 75 up to early 90s before moving to Edinburgh.
The issue wasn't the football on display, it was the disconnect from fans to stewards. At the time the stadium agreement didn't allow West Ham to provide the security team, it was all done via the London Council. So they kept having security guys used to doing Taylor Swift concerts try deal with football fans and it just didn't work. Hands down for the first 2 years London Stadium was the least enjoyable as an away fan. It's a very good away day now.
It's quite sad to see these old stadiums with so much history and character being torn down and replaced by lego block buildings. The saddest one was seeing old Wembley stadium that hosted so many great finals and concerts being replaced by a cold looking monstrosity.
@@nigeljones1969 To be fair, as iconic as the old Wembley Stadium was, it was even more shit. A dog track and seating that sloped at a saucer-like angle, affording shit views, mostly unprotected from the elements. And those cold concrete walkways that looked and felt like a run-down inner city council estate. New Wembley may have no character and no soul, but it's not a shithole. I know what a shithole stadium is like - I've been to the old Wembley!
As a Chelsea fan, this kinda makes me sad for West Ham. I know I shouldn't really say that given the fact we don't really get along but I feel the atmosphere is not the same at London stadium as it was at Upton. I also feel a sense of sorrow for the guy who used to watch games from his balcony 😅
As a Chelsea fan. This was are favourite away game Upton park. It had roasted peanuts horse shit queen's market. Kids sitting on tower blocks. The bill garner welcome party. Black eyes. Great atmosphere. Chicken run. Next to us. No mobiles. Good banter. And pure dislike of each other but in some chalk and cheese way. On England away games a mutual respect. Now we have waxed beards. Plastic water bottle and chair throwing clowns. Who'd get ironed out by the young kids sitting on the tower blocks if it came to old day minerals. God bless bill and the boys all the best cfc northstand. When hickeys coach comes over the hill with 50 geezers ready to kill 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇬🇧💯
They lost their soul leaving Upton Park. It’s even more sad seeing what they’ve managed to do at Spurs where they’ve managed to not only keep the stadium in the community but made a world class venue. I understand the logistics and need to expand/move for the good of the club but I still feel like more could’ve been done to stay at The Boleyn
@@rajorn2223thats his whole point, it isn’t about tourism, its about real fans seeing the team, but I know what you mean. However, the Spurs ground actually does have loads of tourists because of Son and because it’s a club with global reach generally
These older stadiums, whether partly still standing, or just the place that new buildings stand on, hold the real heritage/history of our national sport. Long may they remain part of footballs hearts!!
Essex Tottenham fan here, loved going to Upton Park proper old school ground, Always had respect for the club, sadly the new ground is a reflection of a corporate business decision. Maximising profit over tradition and heritage. My West Ham mates would go back in a heartbeat.
I’m also a football purist love the old Football stadiums such as Upton Park the old Highbury et cetera when teams moved to new stadiums they lose a lot of the character the history that has been built up over a hundred years Very sad to see a lot of fantastic old grounds now as building site
My team hearts just upgraded the old ground rather than move. So we glad we did. Could've had a more modern stadium with better facilities etc but we would have lost our soul. Even better atmosphere at the stadium now
A very nice and interesting video. I haven’t been back to that area since our last match there in 2016, so this was interesting to see. I attended the Boleyn from my very first match there in 1972 v Man Utd, until the very last match before we moved in 2016, also, coincidentally, against Man’ Utd. I’ve been a season ticket holder at the London Stadium ever since we moved. I know that many fellow West Ham supporters never wanted the move, but, to be Frank, we had outgrown the old stadium and the area and moving to the new stadium was the next logical step. Instead of a lop sided 35,000 capacity stadium in the middle of terraced houses and shops without scope to build bigger, we are now in a 60,000 capacity stadium that is near to full most matches. The Upton Park area also became incredibly congested on match days, bearing in mind that it was built in Victorian times when horse and carts were the main mode of transport. With regard to the pub losing takings, I’d also say that the demographics of the area have changed with many locals not wanting to drink alcohol as part of their culture. Many old pubs in that area have closed for similar reasons. The local pubs and businesses really only made money from approximately 20 home matches per year, with the footfall of football supporters being in the area. Many West Ham fans mainly commute in to matches from Essex and beyond.
I'm Atletico Madrid fan and I know how it feels when your team moved from one stadium to another one ,both situated in different areas.I remember watching West Ham matches on TV when they played at Upton Park.The invironment was much better than at the Olympic Stadium
I can only imagine being a football fan in London in the 70-80s, all those teams and historical venues 9 out of 10 times available to just show up and watch a game. Add to this, the different special vibes of the surrounding areas. Lost forever...RIP
Remember going to Upton back in the 80's, the year we(Man City)got relegated. Last game of the season, thought there was gonna be carnage when you got on the pitch and headed for our end. You just started clapping. Even got clapped all the way back to the station. Surreal day, never forget it.
We were all heartbroken for years mate but I think now we are playing well and experiencing Europa, the atmosphere has taken a turn, the fans are getting behind the boys more with each game, and it’s finally starting to feel like home ⚒️
I was pleasantly surprised watching West Ham v City on Sunday, the atmosphere was electric. It weirdly reminded me of the old Wembley. Obviously I still prefer Upton Park, but if Hammers fans are up for it , it doesn't make difference where they play
Had many memorable games watching Forest at the old ground, especially through the 80s. Great atmosphere. I’m so happy we are redoing our main stand and staying put. I loved all the old grounds.
I'm only 13 so I'm am so privileged to say I have been to a game at Upton park I went once it was against West brom a 1-1 draw and that was also the time I met club legend Trevor brooking I would love to still be in Upton park but the London stadium is a great stadium with an amazing atmosphere
Will miss going to the Upton Park ground for the rest of my life. Nothing will ever compare to that feeling of coming out of the railway station and turning right, straight into Green Street....Just To be hit by the buzz that's doing strange things to your senses.......It makes me tingle even now when I think about it!....Would love to do that walk again.
That Boleyn pub looks way cool. Thanks for showing us that. It was the best part of the video. So the working class Hammers have moved uptown and are now Sir West Ham United, lords of Stratford, the new Earls of Oxford. They did lose something along the way. The menace, the power of the fans at Upton, maybe. But they are playing well and that covers up a lot of sins.
Villa fan here, but stumbled across this content and loved every minute. Would love to see a Villa Park showing, the buildings and history around the ground is outstanding!
It’s not only sad but actually kind of strange that there’s absolutely no trace of Upton park left. Would it not be more expensive real estate if they kept the facade like they did at highbury? Instead they’ve constructed possibly the most boring looking block of flats I’ve ever seen
The big difference Chris is that the two main stands at Highbury were listed buildings as they were seen as fine examples of Art Deco. The developers were legally required to keep the facades.
I was there today. I had a chat with someone that lived in one of the flats. He said the names of the blocks are names of former players and the circle in the middle is the former centre circle. The monument also represents the bubbles. However I totally agree that there should be more to represent the history of Upton Park.
You must have been inside flats in Knightsbridge and Holland park and Swiss cottage if those flats were boring mate. Not sure what you expect in Newham it's a working class area. Area still has the place showing hammers and our world cup winners captain
Went to upton park years ago to watch aston villa play west ham.it was the last game of the season.the place had a great atmosphere.proberly the best away game I have ever been to.
I'm a Chelsea fan but I worked in Upton Park for about 8 matchdays and I can honestly say the atmosphere was great at Upton Park. I wish I could of bottled it and opened it up at Stamford Bridge because it doesn't come close.
I'm a Manc (blue side) and was living in London in 2013. Spent New Years Eve in the Queens, probably one of the best New Year's I've ever had. My old fella always had a soft spot for the Hammers and we had a walk down to check out the ground too. Great club and a reminder of our days in Moss Side.
Great video. As a West Ham fan I’ll never not be sad about leaving Upton Park. Doesn’t surprise me the owners of the club have not taken care of preserving the area the old ground was on. Irresponsible for no signage to show the centre circle, not showing where the bench is, etc. I’ll never go back there as it would tarnish my great memories of that place. Long live the Boleyn. ⚒
I’m a lifelong West Ham fan from SW London, spent the 70s 80s to early 90s at Upton Park, mainly on the old North Bank. Such a shame there’s nothing left but I recognise those 60s looking sandy coloured flats we saw near the end . Incidentally I used ti drink in The Queens by the Queens Market.
I was born and raised in Barking - two stops down the District Line from Upton Park. When I was young, me and my brother would walk from Upton Park to Barking town centre via East Ham. This was after standing for at least two hours watching a football match. How young and fit I was back then! We lived on a housing estate and so got a bus home for the last bit. I'm now old and live abroad. The last time I was at Upton Park, I sat high up in the West Stand and could see the tower of Barking Town Hall quite clearly from there. Very nostalgic. Unfortunately, we lost at home to Spurs. Well, you can't have everything, can you?
Went there with Ipswich plenty of times ,always a great atmosphere and loved how close the pitch was to the fans.Seen some cracking games there ,although most of the times we came away empty handed.A fantastic 2-2 play off game the atmosphere was unreal, and in 85 / 86 West Ham basically sent us down in a 2 - 1 defeat .Oh and John Lyall what a legend he got a bang average Ipswich team and got us promoted in just one full season ,a great man all round.
Even as a Liverpool fan I can see the great history with West ham and the old ground, the local council should've been proud of the ground and left a fitting tribute to a great old ground!
Those apartments certainly didn't look like affordable/council housing, so doubtless it was just another case of dodgy local councils selling out to private property developers. That being the case, I can well see that circle of grass being their "compromise" memorial - they wouldn't actually want to attract football fans into their high-end development so ensure there is nothing to mark the location out as such.
Though I'm an Arsenal fan, I would sometimes venture out to Upton Park and watch the odd game there. I can recall a game when Lawrie Leslie the Hammers goalie was injured and because it was pre-substitute days had to play out on the wing so they wouldn't be a man short. As it was such a long time ago my memory keeps telling me that he actually scored a goal, but maybe I'm being fanciful and perhaps a West Ham fan can correct me if I'm wrong. Another incident I recall was when Ian Ure Arsenal's Scottish centre half deposited Johnny Byrne into the crowd which naturally didn't go down too well with the home fans!
Went to school in Hackney. Mr Leslie was my sports teacher. Didn't tell us that one. But always taught us the most important thing was to enjoy yourself and the game. Great man.
I went to the game - Leslie came back on with his had bound up - I think later diagnosed as a broken finger. I remember him running the right wing channel and putting in cross after cross eventually converted by the West Ham forwards. I don't remember him actually scoring but he came really close in a 3-3 draw .
@@Maccaspion Fantastic memories. Do others remember the days when retired players had regular jobs? For example, Leighton James. Wales, Swansea and Burnley winger, had a milk round after retiring. Neil Webb.. England, Man Utd, midfield, worked as a postman after retirement. Not forgetting Eric Cantona and Vinnie Jones, both actors, and of course, Neville Southall, Wales & Everton goalie, and one of the best in the world in his day, returned to his job as a bin man (haha). See Neville's book, "The Binman Chronicles" 2015. excellent autobiography, which makes it clear he wasn't a binman. Neither did he ride his bike from North Wales to Bellefield,Liverpool for training with Everton. He had moved to Liverpool and cycled to training, but his fellow players assumed he still lived in Wales, hence the story. Not forgetting Jan Molby, the Liverpool genius midfielder from Denmark, is a professional teacher of the Scouse Language. Readers may guess that the later entries have a got a bit silly.
Going down there with the Villa in the 80's and 90's it was only ever referred to in the media TV/Newspapers as 'Upton Park' loved it down there......its the only game the boys in claret and blue could never lose!!
"For some reason" which was likely passed under the table in a brown envelope, the council wouldn't allow West Ham to increase their crowd capacity but were fine with building a bunch of flats there.
As a Wrexham fan, I fondly remember our FA Cup draw at West Ham’s old ground (we won the replay at The Racecourse). It was a proper old ground where the crowd were intimidatingly close to the pitch; the exact opposite of their new stadium.
I’m also a Wrexham fan, I get worried at how long we’ll keep hold of The Racecourse. I know we’ve got the Kop to redevelop but pushing close to sell outs in Non league means we’ll be limited if and when we go up the leagues.
I live there. Miss the old stadium. They’ve knocked it down now. There’s still some West Ham memories. Like the Fish and chip shop (Ercans), statue of Bobby, spray paint on a side wall of West Ham and a few more things. They haven’t left much memories of the old stadium which is sad.
Great video mate, really relaxing watch and was great to learn about the history of the area and the club. Classic football grounds will always beat the modern grounds like the Emirates and London Stadium.
Most of the people in charge of football and football clubs (not fan owned clubs) and certainly the FA are not football fans. Football clubs are not just 11 players on the pitch or cooperate boxes there is a social history to them when people use to only have Saturday afternoons and Sundays off, football was their escape from a hard life none of the modern luxuries we take for granted nowadays and it is sad when things like Upton Park is shown so much disrespect to all the people who have followed West Ham over the decades. Modern stadiums don't have the atmosphere like the old ones are and are so expensive that a lot of people just can't afford to attend.
What a sad state I'm no west ham fan but I can see how much been at that ground meant to the fans, west ham fans have never been the same since moving into the Olympic ground.
Still miss Upton park, south bank ,north bank the chicken run, fond memories from George parris , non stop running to the pure class of Di canio, coyi!, Everywhere we go !!!
Really enjoy the content! Your question about post Upton Park business was a bit off considering it's apparent that moving to the new stadium 🏟...was a gut punch for that area.
Memories flooding as a westham fan who had a season ticket at Upton Park for over a decade and to answer your questions the feeling I felt when we left Upton Park was heart break and my favourite memory there’s a few but it has to be the last game at Boleyn when we beat united reid to win it for us against united ⚒
Really enjoyable watch. The kind of thing I'd do myself. Such a shame they haven't left anything of note to celebrate the history. What shocked me most was the fact that they refused WHU planning permission to expand and get what replaced it is far far bigger than the grounds footprint. Been to the new one for the tour and hated it. So far from the pitch. They deserved better.
I lived at Elm Park in the 70s while serving in the RAF and worked in MOD London. I saw some great games at Upton Park; Celtic FC Testimonial, Man Ure v WHU with Moore, Peters, Best Charlton et al.. Great days. I used to love going shopping there - I remember an Elvis Memorabilia shop also. Time goes on. Great atmosphere at the old ground.
As someone who grew up not far from there, it is a real shame they haven't done more to commemorate the old ground. It had a beautiful facade which could have been updated to maintain the nostalgia. But they haven't kept a shred of evidence of the ground and it beggars belief. Surely that would have been a good USP when it came to selling those crappy new builds? Should have taken a leaf out of Highbury's book.
Really gutted when we left UP, so much so that I haven't even set foot in the London Stadium & probably won't any time soon. On a different note, really enjoying your videos young man. Keep up the good work👍👍
Liverpool were able to buy the houses around their ground, partly due to the fact the value of them is minimal. Terrace house in Liverpool were being sold for as little as a £1 in recent years so the cost to a club like Liverpool made sense. For clubs like Arsenal and West Ham, being in London, the value of house around the ground are astronomical so would not have been a viable or financial option. I am a Arsenal fan and would have loved my team to have stayed at the iconic highbury stadium, but as fans we were sold a dream by the club that developing the Emirates would turn us in to a team to compete with the best in the world. Well that never happened thanks to selling out to Kronke. Sad to see so little left of West Hams ground, Arsenals stands are grade 2 listed so the club was forced in to keeping them and developing the old highbury. I'm glad they did, gives me a place to to back and reminisce of better times 😏🙄
Those houses being sold in Liverpool for £1 were in Toxteth which is 4 miles away from anfield stadium, the houses where not cheap and it cost millions to buy out those houses
We bought a lot of property in an around the Tottenham High Road to be able to stay.on the same site and build the best stadium in the world! No easy feat - some local businesses held out Still miss the old grounds though - all unique with their idiosyncrasies. RIP The Chicken Run, The Shelf, The old Shed etc...
Your saddest video yet! Purely based on the fact that the ground has been completely wiped from history. I went for a walk around and took some photos just before they started the demolition job. So glad I did. Only went once for a match in 2009.
As an away fan Upton Park was always a good visit. Used to love going there win, lose or draw. The football was good, smashing atmosphere and fans the salt of the earth. Seems everything changed when the new board got hold of things. Playing some decent football now but I feel sorry for the fans with the current regime.
The final game at the Boleyn was the best of my life, I’m only 15 and have a lot to experience but been a season ticket holder for 10 years now and couldn’t appreciate West Ham more
That's why I like what Real Madrid is doing and has been doing. Just keep on upgrading the stadium and keep on making it fit what the club needs presently. That's why the soul of the Santiago Bernabéu will always be alive. Clubs around the world should continue this.
Real Madrid have the luxury of being able too. Most at least English clubs historic stadiums are/were built in housing districts literally right across the road from them. They can't just expand as they please, they need cooperation from the residents and council.
@@ElainaMaruyama The Santiago Bernabeu is also right in the middle of the city but they have been able to pull it off. Probably because the city council knows how much in turn the stadium can provide back to the city.
Much prefer the Highbury development, they kept the history, you can visit the marble halls, see the art deco facades, and the emirates is only just around the corner. They kept it in the community. Feel so gutted for West Ham fans, it’s a massive historic club I’ve always admired, and fans deserve better.
As a west ham fan, at the time, we were ok with moving stadium because we were promised that the extra revenue generated from the move, would help us get champions league football.
Hi buddy, great video and super weird there’s nothing to say it was a football stadium. Also what camera do you use and how to you spin it around so easily? Thanks
Cheers Lee! It's not like Highbury where there's loads to see! I use a GoPro Hero 7 with a 'shorty' holder. Not bad for vlogging. Getting a bit old and tattered now so it'll probably need updating soon but it still does the job!
@@FootyAdventures yeah Highbury they’ve tried to keep the feel of it. I’m shocked by West Ham. Thanks buddy keep up the good work your vlogs are class man. 👍🏻
The demographics of the area around Upton park means that it means very little to the local community, it's traditional support doesn't live around there anymore due to mass immigration which is why they've been forgotten about so quickly
@@markclarke9370 it had started to be that way but it still have a native British community too, it was only just starting to die out, other areas like Stratford, plastow, canning town etc also had a working class English community, mostly gone now, pre 1960s Upton park was over 90% white English You seem arrogant yet clueless at the same time Mark, how did you learn that?
was a terrific stadium, saw last game Olof Melberg played for AVFC where every away fan received a replica shirt (2-2). Certainly miss away days like this, passion never to be repeated
I don't have a problem with clubs changing stadiums. I always enjoy the away games for Spurs and Arsenal and the London Stadium is a great venue (I went during the Olympics after winning a free ticket) but as a football stadium I don't like it. Your so far away from the pitch whereas at most grounds you feel like your next to the pitch or on top of it which adds to the atmosphere imo
Being an Everton fan, I'm glad we will be remembering Goodison and ensuring the memories remain. It's sad that the Boleyn ground has almost been wiped from existence and nothing really remains of the stadium or the surrounding areas
As a relatively young foreign West Ham fan I was only able to attend a few games at Upton Park but the atmosphere inside the stadium and around green street was amazing. I was also able to stay at the hotel inside the stadium once which was really cool.
Still gutted…nearly fifty years going over the Boleyn. Don’t see meself ever going to the ‘bowl’. Here’s one. Anagram of West Ham United….. ‘THE NEW STADIUM’. Amazing ah? Just like the irons.⚒
I emailed the club a while ago suggesting a West ham festival on green street every summer to celebrate the history, revisit the boleyn area and have stalls /events for nostalgia and fans to get together for a whole weekend. A bit like the Dickins festival in Rochester every year.
As a proud Evertonian living down South, in my opinion, the BEST London stadium by a country mile was Boleyn Ground... a proper club unlike some others in our capital... NSNO 💙💙💙
CLUB INFO: Name: West Ham United Football Club Nickname(s): The Irons, The Hammers, The Cockney Boys, The Academy of Football Short Name: West Ham Founded: 29th June 1895 as Thames Ironworks (126 Years Ago), 5th July 1900 as West Ham United (121 Years Ago) Ground: London Stadium, London, England (Capacity: 60,000) Owner(s): David Sullivan (38.8%), Daniel Kretinsky (27%), David Gold (25.1%), Albert 'Tripp' Smith (8%), Other Investors (1.1%) Co-Chairmen: David Sullivan, David Gold Current Manager: David Moyes Current League: Premier League Latest Finish: 6/20 Premier League Other Info: THEY ARE MASSIVE!!!
as an Everton fan I've always had a big respect for west ham united . it was sad to see Upton park go. i remember west ham winning the fa cup in 1975 v Fulham . plus i think that was the same season west ham beat Everton 3-2 in a cup quarter final the great Billy bonds scoring the winner after bob Latchford got Everton back from 2-0 down to 2-2 . great memory's. great vid keep them coming
I always thought Anne Boleyn was only 18 or 19 when she was executed - I mean, if you go into an old people's home and get together five residents, say, with their combined age they'll take you back to the days when Henners and Anne were walking the streets of London. Well, Hampton Court Palace anyway. It's literally so recent in the grand scheme of things, yet we were still so primitive. Crazy how far we've come in five centuries, but tragic for loads of people like Anne who got caught up in it.
As a West Brom Fan I'm glad the Hawthorns which has been modernised over the years to meet regulations and had seating capacity changes between 28 - 25K average around 26K is still around where the original groud was built 121 years ago.
As a Tottenham fan with no great love of the Hammers. I sympathise with you lot as a football fan who enjoyed a few NERVOUS trips over to your patch .Upton Park was A PROPER football ground with PROPER PEOPLE.There is a video on TH-cam somewhere talking to a woman who ran a pub which on a Saturday was banged out with you lot.She said her takings were around five grand on a Saturday and since the move she was lucky to take 400 quid.. No love for you lot but I respect your loss.
Been a season ticket holder for well over 20 years, I haven’t been back to Upton Park since our last game against Man U. It really upsets me to see the images of those awful flats standing in the place of our wonderful old home. The whole thing was a massive stitch up and only benefited our greedy owners, it was all about money and there was no regard for the fans or businesses that have evaporated since the move.
My 1st WHU match was the Wembley cup final against Preston NE in 1964...aged ten. Like any older, loyal, fan of a football club it of course hurts that the history & memories have been erased. But that isn't the saddest part.....back then, in the 60's, this club was so firmly rooted right there, in that community, that it wouldn't have been imaginable, not to any fan, that it could ever be up rooted. Lord no!....the slightest hint of such a plan would have had Dagenham Ford on strike & a 24/7 guard/vigile by thousands around the stadium! But 50yrs later the so called `fans` threw it away.....for the empty promises of so called success/glory.....so for me losing the ground doesn't make me half as sick to the stomach as the gaining of the gutless/plastic fans that made it possible.
Go pass the old ground everyday on the bus on the way to college and miss seeing the stadium like I did when I was a kid sad to see just houses there now could’ve kept it for something else but I think the London stadium is slowly becoming a new home just a matter of time
West Ham did well out of that move to the London Stadium. A purpose built stadium that cost them virtually nothing to convert for football purposes plus the money they got for Upton Park. Shocking how they weren't allowed to develop Upton Park for football, but virtually unlimited construction for flats was granted, but then, why would you be too concerned when there's a 50,000+ stadium just up the road ready to move into for virtually nothing?
@@hewhoknowsknowsRaising the pitch and covering the athletics track didn't cost the millions it would have cost to build a new stadium which they desperately needed though.
Me and my dad have had season tickets at the new ground for about 4 years and the atmosphere is really good and much better than when we first started going. But I never went to the Boleyn sadly I remember going to get my kits when I was younger but that was about it. My dad used to go to games at Upton Park from the early 80s to the early 2000s and he describes the atmosphere as intimidating and the ground as a fortress. It's nice to see the LS start to become a fortress and a proper home for the club especially with our great home record ⚒
@@jeffrawe6486 thanks for commenting. I've got magazine called ex hammers that has a good article about him. It says in it that he suffered a break and kept playing and actually set up a goal by driving forward. He got 5 Scotland caps and would've played in the 9-3 game but got injured playing for airdrie and was replacedby Frank Haffey. He was raging and said there was no way he would've let in 9 goals. 😆 He is actually a descendant of a guy in Scottish history called Alexander Leslie who all British ground warfare is based in his strategies. He was the leader of the first British professional army. I wonder if that's where he gets his bravery from. Look up Alexander Leslie and you'll see he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. Forget all that William Wallace stuff, he is te real deal. I'm digressing but he comes from brave lineage. Thanks
@@jeffrawe6486 wee point. Weirdly before I knew any of this, west ham were the only English team I had a sift spot for. I even bought the 86 away top with iveco as the sponsors. I just loved their style of play and had read about their academy and it's philosophy of playing. Southampton lately, but no team hsd came close to producing the players west ham have. Look at the last twenty years. Cole, Carrick etc scores of them. The hibs thing is a joke because I'm a Hearts fan...
I was at Upton Park for the West Ham Vs Norwich FA Cup Quarter Final in 1989 supporting Norwich. I was also at Villa Park for Norwich Vs Everton in the Semi-Final on that terrible day of that _other_ match. OTBC.
Your stuff is absolutely brilliant. As a Pompey/Kilmarnock fan (strange, eh?), the old Upton Park footage (including the pub) is really heartbreaking . I went there a couple of times - even dared to whistle the 'pompey chimes' coming out the tube station ????? Back to my native Glasgow and your meanderings round a late night Ibrox Stadium are so wonderful. I'll have to check out any references to Killie and Rugby Park?? Wishing you all the success your channel deserves.......
Pint in hand walking down the toilet corridor looking at old photos. This is the content we signed up for!
🤣🙌
The picture is Clyde Best Not Eusebio.
Bloody hell man !!
@@cliveellis3328 Close enough 😂
@@FootyAdventures You middle class melt!
@@michaelcooper9705 melt? Oh look it's Malcolm Dyer 🤣👍
I’m an Everton fan and the Boleyn was one of my favourite away days. Was gutted to see another traditional ground go. The new stadium is awful for watching football in imo
Sadly Goodison will be going soon as well.
Agree, went to watch West Ham 1 vs 1 Liverpool a couple of years ago, the London stadium is rubbish viewing as the angle of the seating is too low
fellow evertonian here too, and we will lose a historic stadium. Benefits to the new one, just need a good team to get ready to play there now
Mine too. shame goodison is going my roker park long gone. Good luck in your new stadium.
@@michaelwray1034 Sunderland?
@A-level Maths Solutions I wasn't there but from the videos.... Wow
I’m a football romantic from Cologne, Germany. I love West Ham and visited the old ground in the summer. I was shocked to see that there was nothing to commemorate the old ground. It’s such a shame. Hopefully something will be put up in the future. It would be a shame to lose the history so irresponsibly.
Btw you should visit 1. FC Köln some day!
Love the videos!! 🐐⚒
You get the impression that the council hold some grudge for whatever reason.
Yes it was a great football ground i was a police officer in London in the 80's and used to police many grounds including boleyn.. Oh and by the way my mother was from braunschweig.. Loss eintracht.. 😉
@@blootoofblue6951 they should commemorate it in bengali
I actually got engaged in Köln beautiful city, have since moved from UK to the Pfalz, ashame Köln is so far away
Absolutely correct, the history has been brushed under the carpet, terrible really.
Fucking disgraceful, there needs to be way more memorials to the old ground. LFC fan as well, and mate we're bloody lucky to have kept ours.
Fans should have boycotted the Olympic Stadium. The fans haven't left West Ham, West Ham left West Ham.
same with chelsea
how did you acquire anfield again? up the toffees.
@@briancohenthepfjmassive.4769 everton's owner couldn't agree with the person who owned the land and decided to move elsewhere. Then liverpool bought the ground. This happened 130 years ago. What's your point?
@@LKeet6 wrong. Everton fans built it up by volunteering to improve the ground. Liverpool stole the ground they walk on.
One of my favourite recent memories of Upton Park was Millwall, League Cup in 2009. It's a real rivalry, nothing manufactured and authentic as it comes. An amazing atmosphere that night, evil feel, and unique in English football. Rivals the intensity of Rangers and Celtic.
The Boleyn Pub was always rammed. Sticky floors, long queues, singing area and a sink full of piss.
I miss the old girl.
We all miss the old girl. Cracking away day Upton Park 👌
@@andycole366 From a Pompey fan, that's high praise. Fratton Park is another proper ground.
@@TheFamousMileEnd yeah fair play, I'm honestly very happy we're staying put at Fratton Park. It's being made safer and in keeping with the history of the ground. I'm yet to go to West Hams new ground but hopefully one day we'll be back in at least the Championship.
@@andycole366 The new ground is slowly starting to feel like home, but because of the supporters. The ground itself still isn't for for purpose as a football ground, in my opinion.
I don't think any club that has moved has really benefitted from it, apart from Man City, and they struggle to sell out.
Celtic fan, not even close pal.
I was a season ticket holder during the eighties, I still used to attend whenever I could during the following years and wish we were still there, but I think that the atmosphere at the new ground was poor in the early days because we were playing so badly, so it was no wonder the atmosphere was crap, this season is going well and the atmosphere has got way louder so maybe we can make it feel like home after all
I hope they can do something to make the pitch closer to the fans. I've not been but from TV footage it always looks like that would improve the atmosphere at the London stadium massively
@@chilldude30 they have moved the seats closer to the pitch behind the goals but the same definitely needs to be done to the stands along the sides, that would improve the atmosphere a fair bit, mind you there was about a twenty yard gap from the old East stand and West stands to the pitch at Upton Park.
Ngl west ham would be so loud in a proper stadium because you have to gaps between two of your stands and the gaps in the pitch. You've got to remember you have a massive stadium and only 62k seats and the size of that stadium should be 90k. You had a class atmosphere at upton park
As an arsenal fan it really is hard to get over moving from a class stadium to a modern one like the Emirates. Can't beat the days at Highbury and was lucky enough to get to a few games there when I was younger. I'm from Edinburgh so sadly couldn't go as much as I would have liked to plus I was a kid. My dad however had a season ticket at Highbury from 75 up to early 90s before moving to Edinburgh.
The issue wasn't the football on display, it was the disconnect from fans to stewards.
At the time the stadium agreement didn't allow West Ham to provide the security team, it was all done via the London Council.
So they kept having security guys used to doing Taylor Swift concerts try deal with football fans and it just didn't work.
Hands down for the first 2 years London Stadium was the least enjoyable as an away fan. It's a very good away day now.
It's quite sad to see these old stadiums with so much history and character being torn down and replaced by lego block buildings. The saddest one was seeing old Wembley stadium that hosted so many great finals and concerts being replaced by a cold looking monstrosity.
I agree , Wembley is shit now
I'm a coventry fan and our old ground is now a kids playground in a housing estate with no plaque or anything
I wish they’d at least kept the white twin towers so that there was…. Something of it’s history left
NEARLY REACH THE SKY: th-cam.com/video/vXaSJ-93Bbo/w-d-xo.html
@@nigeljones1969 To be fair, as iconic as the old Wembley Stadium was, it was even more shit. A dog track and seating that sloped at a saucer-like angle, affording shit views, mostly unprotected from the elements. And those cold concrete walkways that looked and felt like a run-down inner city council estate. New Wembley may have no character and no soul, but it's not a shithole. I know what a shithole stadium is like - I've been to the old Wembley!
As a Chelsea fan, this kinda makes me sad for West Ham. I know I shouldn't really say that given the fact we don't really get along but I feel the atmosphere is not the same at London stadium as it was at Upton. I also feel a sense of sorrow for the guy who used to watch games from his balcony 😅
I'm sad for Chelsea also now that's its a play thing for a Russian chap rather than a proper football club. You can't buy that.
@@jotgrewal4390 a an 18 year plaything. He's a proper fan of the club other than those other mugs that own the other 5 in the so called “big 6”
@@JOHNNYCFC18 he's a proper fan? Only since he brought the club don't try to repaint history.
As a Chelsea fan. This was are favourite away game Upton park. It had roasted peanuts horse shit queen's market. Kids sitting on tower blocks. The bill garner welcome party. Black eyes. Great atmosphere. Chicken run. Next to us. No mobiles. Good banter. And pure dislike of each other but in some chalk and cheese way. On England away games a mutual respect. Now we have waxed beards. Plastic water bottle and chair throwing clowns. Who'd get ironed out by the young kids sitting on the tower blocks if it came to old day minerals. God bless bill and the boys all the best cfc northstand. When hickeys coach comes over the hill with 50 geezers ready to kill 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇬🇧💯
They lost their soul leaving Upton Park. It’s even more sad seeing what they’ve managed to do at Spurs where they’ve managed to not only keep the stadium in the community but made a world class venue. I understand the logistics and need to expand/move for the good of the club but I still feel like more could’ve been done to stay at The Boleyn
People who aren't familiar with Tottenham need to realise it's still isn't the place for tourist even if that new Stadium is there 😂😂
It was The Boleyn not Upton Park
We don't want to be in the 21st century
@@rajorn2223thats his whole point, it isn’t about tourism, its about real fans seeing the team, but I know what you mean. However, the Spurs ground actually does have loads of tourists because of Son and because it’s a club with global reach generally
What you really need to understand is that the new Tott stadium looks like a toilet seat. Genuinely it just does.
These older stadiums, whether partly still standing, or just the place that new buildings stand on, hold the real heritage/history of our national sport.
Long may they remain part of footballs hearts!!
Essex Tottenham fan here, loved going to Upton Park proper old school ground,
Always had respect for the club, sadly the new ground is a reflection of a corporate business decision.
Maximising profit over tradition and heritage.
My West Ham mates would go back in a heartbeat.
Love the way that our tour guide walks past a giant West Ham mural at 10:59 and doesn't seem to notice it. 😁
How did he miss it and he needs to learn to pronounce the Boleyn!
It's behind you. 🤔
@@mrperfect_1992 not that mural, the one of Billy Bonds and Trevor Brooking
Or the fact that the mural at the end is next to the old West Ham United Supporters Club building 🤦♂️ Clueless
Posh boy newbie....probably buys those naff half-half scarves too lol
I’m also a football purist love the old Football stadiums such as Upton Park the old Highbury et cetera when teams moved to new stadiums they lose a lot of the character the history that has been built up over a hundred years Very sad to see a lot of fantastic old grounds now as building site
Totally agree with u
Agreed. Would be devastated if the ibrox main stand was demolished.
:)
My team hearts just upgraded the old ground rather than move. So we glad we did. Could've had a more modern stadium with better facilities etc but we would have lost our soul. Even better atmosphere at the stadium now
@@scottwhitley3392 definitely. I'm glad we stayed at Tynecastle as well. Imagine a soulless thing out by the airport etc? Rubbish
A very nice and interesting video. I haven’t been back to that area since our last match there in 2016, so this was interesting to see.
I attended the Boleyn from my very first match there in 1972 v Man Utd, until the very last match before we moved in 2016, also, coincidentally, against Man’ Utd. I’ve been a season ticket holder at the London Stadium ever since we moved. I know that many fellow West Ham supporters never wanted the move, but, to be Frank, we had outgrown the old stadium and the area and moving to the new stadium was the next logical step. Instead of a lop sided 35,000 capacity stadium in the middle of terraced houses and shops without scope to build bigger, we are now in a 60,000 capacity stadium that is near to full most matches. The Upton Park area also became incredibly congested on match days, bearing in mind that it was built in Victorian times when horse and carts were the main mode of transport.
With regard to the pub losing takings, I’d also say that the demographics of the area have changed with many locals not wanting to drink alcohol as part of their culture. Many old pubs in that area have closed for similar reasons. The local pubs and businesses really only made money from approximately 20 home matches per year, with the footfall of football supporters being in the area. Many West Ham fans mainly commute in to matches from Essex and beyond.
Thanks. Enjoyed reading that 👍
I'm Atletico Madrid fan and I know how it feels when your team moved from one stadium to another one ,both situated in different areas.I remember watching West Ham matches on TV when they played at Upton Park.The invironment was much better than at the Olympic Stadium
I can only imagine being a football fan in London in the 70-80s, all those teams and historical venues 9 out of 10 times available to just show up and watch a game. Add to this, the different special vibes of the surrounding areas. Lost forever...RIP
Remember going to Upton back in the 80's, the year we(Man City)got relegated. Last game of the season, thought there was gonna be carnage when you got on the pitch and headed for our end. You just started clapping. Even got clapped all the way back to the station. Surreal day, never forget it.
We were all heartbroken for years mate but I think now we are playing well and experiencing Europa, the atmosphere has taken a turn, the fans are getting behind the boys more with each game, and it’s finally starting to feel like home ⚒️
Evolve or die. West ham have evolved and are now better than ever.
Still pretty shocking they destroyed the stadium and the history takes away from the club and london together
I was pleasantly surprised watching West Ham v City on Sunday, the atmosphere was electric. It weirdly reminded me of the old Wembley. Obviously I still prefer Upton Park, but if Hammers fans are up for it , it doesn't make difference where they play
@@waz3128 very true mate. Love you city lot class fans. Well done on the league us West Ham were rooting for ya ⚒️⚒️🤝
Had many memorable games watching Forest at the old ground, especially through the 80s.
Great atmosphere. I’m so happy we are redoing our main stand and staying put. I loved all the old grounds.
I'm only 13 so I'm am so privileged to say I have been to a game at Upton park I went once it was against West brom a 1-1 draw and that was also the time I met club legend Trevor brooking I would love to still be in Upton park but the London stadium is a great stadium with an amazing atmosphere
You went round the houses tube journey wise… one stop from Stratford to West Ham & then 2 to Upton Park.
Will miss going to the Upton Park ground for the rest of my life. Nothing will ever compare to that feeling of coming out of the railway station and turning right, straight into
Green Street....Just To be hit by the buzz that's doing strange things to your senses.......It makes me tingle even now when I think about it!....Would love to do that walk again.
That Boleyn pub looks way cool. Thanks for showing us that. It was the best part of the video. So the working class Hammers have moved uptown and are now Sir West Ham United, lords of Stratford, the new Earls of Oxford. They did lose something along the way. The menace, the power of the fans at Upton, maybe. But they are playing well and that covers up a lot of sins.
Villa fan here, but stumbled across this content and loved every minute. Would love to see a Villa Park showing, the buildings and history around the ground is outstanding!
It’s not only sad but actually kind of strange that there’s absolutely no trace of Upton park left. Would it not be more expensive real estate if they kept the facade like they did at highbury?
Instead they’ve constructed possibly the most boring looking block of flats I’ve ever seen
You seen what was built on man city's old ground
Some shit council estate
You obviousĺly haven't moved around much or lived in what is boring flats in life mate. There is if you walk around alot of past around the old ground
The big difference Chris is that the two main stands at Highbury were listed buildings as they were seen as fine examples of Art Deco. The developers were legally required to keep the facades.
I was there today. I had a chat with someone that lived in one of the flats. He said the names of the blocks are names of former players and the circle in the middle is the former centre circle. The monument also represents the bubbles. However I totally agree that there should be more to represent the history of Upton Park.
You must have been inside flats in Knightsbridge and Holland park and Swiss cottage if those flats were boring mate. Not sure what you expect in Newham it's a working class area. Area still has the place showing hammers and our world cup winners captain
Went to upton park years ago to watch aston villa play west ham.it was the last game of the season.the place had a great atmosphere.proberly the best away game I have ever been to.
Great vid Sam. You caught well, the sadness of leaving a ground.
I'm a Chelsea fan but I worked in Upton Park for about 8 matchdays and I can honestly say the atmosphere was great at Upton Park. I wish I could of bottled it and opened it up at Stamford Bridge because it doesn't come close.
I'm a Spurs fan and use love away games at Upton Park, proper classic old stadium. Been to the new stadium and it's just not a patch on it!
I'm a Manc (blue side) and was living in London in 2013. Spent New Years Eve in the Queens, probably one of the best New Year's I've ever had. My old fella always had a soft spot for the Hammers and we had a walk down to check out the ground too. Great club and a reminder of our days in Moss Side.
This is devastating, looking at what was the ground and pitch. I am a fan and have not been to see them play since living the Boleyn.
Great video. As a West Ham fan I’ll never not be sad about leaving Upton Park. Doesn’t surprise me the owners of the club have not taken care of preserving the area the old ground was on. Irresponsible for no signage to show the centre circle, not showing where the bench is, etc. I’ll never go back there as it would tarnish my great memories of that place. Long live the Boleyn. ⚒
I’m a lifelong West Ham fan from SW London, spent the 70s 80s to early 90s at Upton Park, mainly on the old North Bank.
Such a shame there’s nothing left but I recognise those 60s looking sandy coloured flats we saw near the end . Incidentally I used ti drink in The Queens by the Queens Market.
I was born and raised in Barking - two stops down the District Line from Upton Park. When I was young, me and my brother would walk from Upton Park to Barking town centre via East Ham. This was after standing for at least two hours watching a football match. How young and fit I was back then! We lived on a housing estate and so got a bus home for the last bit. I'm now old and live abroad. The last time I was at Upton Park, I sat high up in the West Stand and could see the tower of Barking Town Hall quite clearly from there. Very nostalgic. Unfortunately, we lost at home to Spurs. Well, you can't have everything, can you?
Did you make the traditional East London To Essex move and where are you now, my friend? :)
Went there with Ipswich plenty of times ,always a great atmosphere and loved how close the pitch was to the fans.Seen some cracking games there ,although most of the times we came away empty handed.A fantastic 2-2 play off game the atmosphere was unreal, and in 85 / 86 West Ham basically sent us down in a 2 - 1 defeat .Oh and John Lyall what a legend he got a bang average Ipswich team and got us promoted in just one full season ,a great man all round.
The Boleyn has always had a special place in my heart ❤️
Even as a Liverpool fan I can see the great history with West ham and the old ground, the local council should've been proud of the ground and left a fitting tribute to a great old ground!
Those apartments certainly didn't look like affordable/council housing, so doubtless it was just another case of dodgy local councils selling out to private property developers. That being the case, I can well see that circle of grass being their "compromise" memorial - they wouldn't actually want to attract football fans into their high-end development so ensure there is nothing to mark the location out as such.
London Stadium is such a souless arena. Also, shame to see amazing old ground turned into a ugly apartment complex
I think people will take your criticism more serious if you never had a fucking Thomas the bastard tank engine as your profile
@@Bouncer1908 It's actually Gordon so...
More soul when you are in 4th place and have a future than a dead club heading for championship.
Them apartments house ppl duhhh
@@Genevasplaytime That sounds like West Ham with their yo yo history and no they will never be a top 4 club!!
Though I'm an Arsenal fan, I would sometimes venture out to Upton Park and watch the odd game there. I can recall a game when Lawrie Leslie the Hammers goalie was injured and because it was pre-substitute days had to play out on the wing so they wouldn't be a man short. As it was such a long time ago my memory keeps telling me that he actually scored a goal, but maybe I'm being fanciful and perhaps a West Ham fan can correct me if I'm wrong. Another incident I recall was when Ian Ure Arsenal's Scottish centre half deposited Johnny Byrne into the crowd which naturally didn't go down too well with the home fans!
Went to school in Hackney. Mr Leslie was my sports teacher. Didn't tell us that one. But always taught us the most important thing was to enjoy yourself and the game. Great man.
I went to the game - Leslie came back on with his had bound up - I think later diagnosed as a broken finger. I remember him running the right wing channel and putting in cross after cross eventually converted by the West Ham forwards. I don't remember him actually scoring but he came really close in a 3-3 draw
.
@@Maccaspion Fantastic memories. Do others remember the days when retired players had regular jobs? For example, Leighton James. Wales, Swansea and Burnley winger, had a milk round after retiring. Neil Webb.. England, Man Utd, midfield, worked as a postman after retirement. Not forgetting Eric Cantona and Vinnie Jones, both actors, and of course, Neville Southall, Wales & Everton goalie, and one of the best in the world in his day, returned to his job as a bin man (haha). See Neville's book, "The Binman Chronicles" 2015. excellent autobiography, which makes it clear he wasn't a binman. Neither did he ride his bike from North Wales to Bellefield,Liverpool for training with Everton. He had moved to Liverpool and cycled to training, but his fellow players assumed he still lived in Wales, hence the story. Not forgetting Jan Molby, the Liverpool genius midfielder from Denmark, is a professional teacher of the Scouse Language. Readers may guess that the later entries have a got a bit silly.
That boleyn pub looks amazing. Really ornate and beautiful. Love the etched windows and mirrors etc
Very impressed with you naming all those flags!
I worked at Upton Park for a while. Loved the area as it had real character; used to get pie and mash from this local cafe which was unrivalled.
Going down there with the Villa in the 80's and 90's it was only ever referred to in the media TV/Newspapers as 'Upton Park' loved it down there......its the only game the boys in claret and blue could never lose!!
"For some reason" which was likely passed under the table in a brown envelope, the council wouldn't allow West Ham to increase their crowd capacity but were fine with building a bunch of flats there.
As a Wrexham fan, I fondly remember our FA Cup draw at West Ham’s old ground (we won the replay at The Racecourse). It was a proper old ground where the crowd were intimidatingly close to the pitch; the exact opposite of their new stadium.
I’m also a Wrexham fan, I get worried at how long we’ll keep hold of The Racecourse. I know we’ve got the Kop to redevelop but pushing close to sell outs in Non league means we’ll be limited if and when we go up the leagues.
I live there. Miss the old stadium. They’ve knocked it down now. There’s still some West Ham memories. Like the Fish and chip shop (Ercans), statue of Bobby, spray paint on a side wall of West Ham and a few more things. They haven’t left much memories of the old stadium which is sad.
Great video mate, really relaxing watch and was great to learn about the history of the area and the club. Classic football grounds will always beat the modern grounds like the Emirates and London Stadium.
Most of the people in charge of football and football clubs (not fan owned clubs) and certainly the FA are not football fans. Football clubs are not just 11 players on the pitch or cooperate boxes there is a social history to them when people use to only have Saturday afternoons and Sundays off, football was their escape from a hard life none of the modern luxuries we take for granted nowadays and it is sad when things like Upton Park is shown so much disrespect to all the people who have followed West Ham over the decades. Modern stadiums don't have the atmosphere like the old ones are and are so expensive that a lot of people just can't afford to attend.
What a sad state I'm no west ham fan but I can see how much been at that ground meant to the fans, west ham fans have never been the same since moving into the Olympic ground.
Still miss Upton park, south bank ,north bank the chicken run, fond memories from George parris , non stop running to the pure class of Di canio, coyi!, Everywhere we go !!!
Really enjoy the content! Your question about post Upton Park business was a bit off considering it's apparent that moving to the new stadium 🏟...was a gut punch for that area.
Memories flooding as a westham fan who had a season ticket at Upton Park for over a decade and to answer your questions the feeling I felt when we left Upton Park was heart break and my favourite memory there’s a few but it has to be the last game at Boleyn when we beat united reid to win it for us against united ⚒
Really enjoyable watch. The kind of thing I'd do myself. Such a shame they haven't left anything of note to celebrate the history. What shocked me most was the fact that they refused WHU planning permission to expand and get what replaced it is far far bigger than the grounds footprint. Been to the new one for the tour and hated it. So far from the pitch. They deserved better.
I lived at Elm Park in the 70s while serving in the RAF and worked in MOD London. I saw some great games at Upton Park; Celtic FC Testimonial, Man Ure v WHU with Moore, Peters, Best Charlton et al.. Great days. I used to love going shopping there - I remember an Elvis Memorabilia shop also. Time goes on. Great atmosphere at the old ground.
As someone who grew up not far from there, it is a real shame they haven't done more to commemorate the old ground. It had a beautiful facade which could have been updated to maintain the nostalgia. But they haven't kept a shred of evidence of the ground and it beggars belief. Surely that would have been a good USP when it came to selling those crappy new builds? Should have taken a leaf out of Highbury's book.
Really gutted when we left UP, so much so that I haven't even set foot in the London Stadium & probably won't any time soon. On a different note, really enjoying your videos young man. Keep up the good work👍👍
Liverpool were able to buy the houses around their ground, partly due to the fact the value of them is minimal. Terrace house in Liverpool were being sold for as little as a £1 in recent years so the cost to a club like Liverpool made sense. For clubs like Arsenal and West Ham, being in London, the value of house around the ground are astronomical so would not have been a viable or financial option. I am a Arsenal fan and would have loved my team to have stayed at the iconic highbury stadium, but as fans we were sold a dream by the club that developing the Emirates would turn us in to a team to compete with the best in the world. Well that never happened thanks to selling out to Kronke. Sad to see so little left of West Hams ground, Arsenals stands are grade 2 listed so the club was forced in to keeping them and developing the old highbury. I'm glad they did, gives me a place to to back and reminisce of better times 😏🙄
Might want to look a bit further into why those old beloved homes were so cheap after Liverpool destroyed that community over 30 years.
Those houses being sold in Liverpool for £1 were in Toxteth which is 4 miles away from anfield stadium, the houses where not cheap and it cost millions to buy out those houses
We bought a lot of property in an around the Tottenham High Road to be able to stay.on the same site and build the best stadium in the world! No easy feat - some local businesses held out
Still miss the old grounds though - all unique with their idiosyncrasies. RIP The Chicken Run, The Shelf, The old Shed etc...
Your saddest video yet! Purely based on the fact that the ground has been completely wiped from history. I went for a walk around and took some photos just before they started the demolition job. So glad I did. Only went once for a match in 2009.
As an away fan Upton Park was always a good visit. Used to love going there win, lose or draw. The football was good, smashing atmosphere and fans the salt of the earth. Seems everything changed when the new board got hold of things. Playing some decent football now but I feel sorry for the fans with the current regime.
The final game at the Boleyn was the best of my life, I’m only 15 and have a lot to experience but been a season ticket holder for 10 years now and couldn’t appreciate West Ham more
That's why I like what Real Madrid is doing and has been doing. Just keep on upgrading the stadium and keep on making it fit what the club needs presently. That's why the soul of the Santiago Bernabéu will always be alive.
Clubs around the world should continue this.
Real Madrid have the luxury of being able too. Most at least English clubs historic stadiums are/were built in housing districts literally right across the road from them. They can't just expand as they please, they need cooperation from the residents and council.
@@ElainaMaruyama The Santiago Bernabeu is also right in the middle of the city but they have been able to pull it off. Probably because the city council knows how much in turn the stadium can provide back to the city.
Much prefer the Highbury development, they kept the history, you can visit the marble halls, see the art deco facades, and the emirates is only just around the corner. They kept it in the community. Feel so gutted for West Ham fans, it’s a massive historic club I’ve always admired, and fans deserve better.
The area doesn’t look very safe to me, I’d be a bit nervous walking around there.
Just come across this channel and really liked it football , stadium , history and even the pub spot on
As a west ham fan, at the time, we were ok with moving stadium because we were promised that the extra revenue generated from the move, would help us get champions league football.
Hi buddy, great video and super weird there’s nothing to say it was a football stadium. Also what camera do you use and how to you spin it around so easily? Thanks
Cheers Lee! It's not like Highbury where there's loads to see!
I use a GoPro Hero 7 with a 'shorty' holder. Not bad for vlogging. Getting a bit old and tattered now so it'll probably need updating soon but it still does the job!
@@FootyAdventures yeah Highbury they’ve tried to keep the feel of it. I’m shocked by West Ham. Thanks buddy keep up the good work your vlogs are class man. 👍🏻
Cheers man, likewise! Keep the content coming 🎥 hopefully catch you at an arsenal game at some point!
The 'Eusebio' sighting in the photos was actually Clyde Best and Ade Coker
How sad the entrance to the Upton Park stadium was beautiful xx
The demographics of the area around Upton park means that it means very little to the local community, it's traditional support doesn't live around there anymore due to mass immigration which is why they've been forgotten about so quickly
The community was like that in the 80s to be fair it had and had no bearing whatsoever 🙄
@@markclarke9370 it had started to be that way but it still have a native British community too, it was only just starting to die out, other areas like Stratford, plastow, canning town etc also had a working class English community, mostly gone now, pre 1960s Upton park was over 90% white English
You seem arrogant yet clueless at the same time Mark, how did you learn that?
was a terrific stadium, saw last game Olof Melberg played for AVFC where every away fan received a replica shirt (2-2). Certainly miss away days like this, passion never to be repeated
I don't have a problem with clubs changing stadiums. I always enjoy the away games for Spurs and Arsenal and the London Stadium is a great venue (I went during the Olympics after winning a free ticket) but as a football stadium I don't like it. Your so far away from the pitch whereas at most grounds you feel like your next to the pitch or on top of it which adds to the atmosphere imo
Being an Everton fan, I'm glad we will be remembering Goodison and ensuring the memories remain. It's sad that the Boleyn ground has almost been wiped from existence and nothing really remains of the stadium or the surrounding areas
Sadly they left Upton Park. Great video
As a relatively young foreign West Ham fan I was only able to attend a few games at Upton Park but the atmosphere inside the stadium and around green street was amazing. I was also able to stay at the hotel inside the stadium once which was really cool.
Still gutted…nearly fifty years going over the Boleyn. Don’t see meself ever going to the ‘bowl’. Here’s one. Anagram of West Ham United…..
‘THE NEW STADIUM’. Amazing ah? Just like the irons.⚒
Just go mate, it's great ⚒️
I emailed the club a while ago suggesting a West ham festival on green street every summer to celebrate the history, revisit the boleyn area and have stalls /events for nostalgia and fans to get together for a whole weekend.
A bit like the Dickins festival in Rochester every year.
And I bet they never bothered replying to it.
As a proud Evertonian living down South, in my opinion, the BEST London stadium by a country mile was Boleyn Ground... a proper club unlike some others in our capital... NSNO 💙💙💙
Obviously never went to the den then
@@AB-kx4nc Dead ground about a quarter full every game and awful atmosphere ⚒⚒😂
@@niallfoley6711 😏
@@AB-kx4nc The Den was ok if you were nostalgic for Prisoner of War camps.
@@stevecooksley home is home and that's what it should be
I miss The Boleyn,I went regularly back in the 80’s and 90’s and before the Taylor report,proper old School ground and I loved it.⚒😭😭
CLUB INFO:
Name: West Ham United Football Club
Nickname(s): The Irons, The Hammers, The Cockney Boys, The Academy of Football
Short Name: West Ham
Founded: 29th June 1895 as Thames Ironworks (126 Years Ago), 5th July 1900 as West Ham United (121 Years Ago)
Ground: London Stadium, London, England (Capacity: 60,000)
Owner(s): David Sullivan (38.8%), Daniel Kretinsky (27%), David Gold (25.1%), Albert 'Tripp' Smith (8%), Other Investors (1.1%)
Co-Chairmen: David Sullivan, David Gold
Current Manager: David Moyes
Current League: Premier League
Latest Finish: 6/20 Premier League
Other Info: THEY ARE MASSIVE!!!
Cheers for watching again Rhys!
@@FootyAdventures Of course 💪
4 tinpots in their entire history - MASSIVE 😂😂🤣🤣😂😂
@@parklane8315 Who do you support?
as an Everton fan I've always had a big respect for west ham united . it was sad to see Upton park go. i remember west ham winning the fa cup in 1975 v Fulham . plus i think that was the same season west ham beat Everton 3-2 in a cup quarter final the great Billy bonds scoring the winner after bob Latchford got Everton back from 2-0 down to 2-2 . great memory's. great vid keep them coming
I always thought Anne Boleyn was only 18 or 19 when she was executed - I mean, if you go into an old people's home and get together five residents, say, with their combined age they'll take you back to the days when Henners and Anne were walking the streets of London. Well, Hampton Court Palace anyway. It's literally so recent in the grand scheme of things, yet we were still so primitive. Crazy how far we've come in five centuries, but tragic for loads of people like Anne who got caught up in it.
You got mixed up with Katherine Howard
@@jamesli9380 So I did, thanks for correcting me on that one
Whenever I go to London………….I always make a point to go into the Boleyn. Great pub
Excellent flag knowledge to go with the football content! 👏👏👏
it was a Libiyan flag not Afghanistan tho
@@PartSeventeen looking for someone to point that out.
As a West Brom Fan I'm glad the Hawthorns which has been modernised over the years to meet regulations and had seating capacity changes between 28 - 25K average around 26K is still around where the original groud was built 121 years ago.
Your flag knowledge 💪💪💪💪 great wee switch up of content Sam, did u get a ticket for the bankies v Annan game yet lol
Bankies v Annan on a West Ham video, quality cross section of football....loved Clydebank in panini stickers in the 90’s 👍
@@scarlettpimpernel4130 love all football ❤️ and I'm from Clydebank lol Mon the paper hankies
As a Tottenham fan with no great love of the Hammers. I sympathise with you lot as a football fan who enjoyed a few NERVOUS trips over to your patch .Upton Park was A PROPER football ground with PROPER PEOPLE.There is a video on TH-cam somewhere talking to a woman who ran a pub which on a Saturday was banged out with you lot.She said her takings were around five grand on a Saturday and since the move she was lucky to take 400 quid.. No love for you lot but I respect your loss.
Great vid I wish I was at the Boleyn Ground.
Love going here as a Brighton fan and being 3 nill down in the first 15 mins and leaving 20 mins into the game. What a time
Been a season ticket holder for well over 20 years, I haven’t been back to Upton Park since our last game against Man U. It really upsets me to see the images of those awful flats standing in the place of our wonderful old home. The whole thing was a massive stitch up and only benefited our greedy owners, it was all about money and there was no regard for the fans or businesses that have evaporated since the move.
Totally agree.
It was a real shame when they moved, that club and ground were a perfect match for each other.
My 1st WHU match was the Wembley cup final against Preston NE in 1964...aged ten. Like any older, loyal, fan of a football club it of course hurts that the history & memories have been erased. But that isn't the saddest part.....back then, in the 60's, this club was so firmly rooted right there, in that community, that it wouldn't have been imaginable, not to any fan, that it could ever be up rooted. Lord no!....the slightest hint of such a plan would have had Dagenham Ford on strike & a 24/7 guard/vigile by thousands around the stadium! But 50yrs later the so called `fans` threw it away.....for the empty promises of so called success/glory.....so for me losing the ground doesn't make me half as sick to the stomach as the gaining of the gutless/plastic fans that made it possible.
Go pass the old ground everyday on the bus on the way to college and miss seeing the stadium like I did when I was a kid sad to see just houses there now could’ve kept it for something else but I think the London stadium is slowly becoming a new home just a matter of time
West Ham did well out of that move to the London Stadium. A purpose built stadium that cost them virtually nothing to convert for football purposes plus the money they got for Upton Park. Shocking how they weren't allowed to develop Upton Park for football, but virtually unlimited construction for flats was granted, but then, why would you be too concerned when there's a 50,000+ stadium just up the road ready to move into for virtually nothing?
West ham owners did well out of the move, there's a differenc.
A purpose built Stadium.....yeah for athletics!
@@acr9705 As a club they don't seem to have done to badly. Improving every season for the last few years.
@@hewhoknowsknowsRaising the pitch and covering the athletics track didn't cost the millions it would have cost to build a new stadium which they desperately needed though.
Me and my dad have had season tickets at the new ground for about 4 years and the atmosphere is really good and much better than when we first started going. But I never went to the Boleyn sadly I remember going to get my kits when I was younger but that was about it. My dad used to go to games at Upton Park from the early 80s to the early 2000s and he describes the atmosphere as intimidating and the ground as a fortress. It's nice to see the LS start to become a fortress and a proper home for the club especially with our great home record ⚒
I was chuffed to learn that my mums cousin played for them and won Hammer of the year in 1960. Lawrie Leslie. Goalkeeper.
Sadly he also played for Hibs...
I remember Lawrie Leslie playing for West Ham, typical Jock he was brave as a lion….. as l recall he suffered a broken leg.
@@jeffrawe6486 thanks for commenting. I've got magazine called ex hammers that has a good article about him. It says in it that he suffered a break and kept playing and actually set up a goal by driving forward.
He got 5 Scotland caps and would've played in the 9-3 game but got injured playing for airdrie and was replacedby Frank Haffey. He was raging and said there was no way he would've let in 9 goals. 😆
He is actually a descendant of a guy in Scottish history called Alexander Leslie who all British ground warfare is based in his strategies. He was the leader of the first British professional army. I wonder if that's where he gets his bravery from. Look up Alexander Leslie and you'll see he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. Forget all that William Wallace stuff, he is te real deal. I'm digressing but he comes from brave lineage. Thanks
@@jeffrawe6486 wee point. Weirdly before I knew any of this, west ham were the only English team I had a sift spot for. I even bought the 86 away top with iveco as the sponsors. I just loved their style of play and had read about their academy and it's philosophy of playing. Southampton lately, but no team hsd came close to producing the players west ham have. Look at the last twenty years. Cole, Carrick etc scores of them.
The hibs thing is a joke because I'm a Hearts fan...
Them concrete pillars u said had no relevance to Upton Park were actually where the garages around the back of the ground used to be mate
Great video as usual. Nice timing as WHU are doing well this season. (From a Rangers fan).
WATP
@@jlyo1991 We Are The Pretenders
@@Skive_67 nice one
@@jlyo1991Agreed! R T I D.
1st Euorpean team to reach 150 o history and 55 champions get it right up yeah 😘🤣
Used to be a regular in the 80’s, standing in the West Side. Had a few pints in The Queens, The Boleyn and The Supporters Club over the years.
Upton Park was a proper stadium , I went as away fan when following Norwich and West Ham scored 94th minute and was hit by a bottle 😂
I was at Upton Park for the West Ham Vs Norwich FA Cup Quarter Final in 1989 supporting Norwich.
I was also at Villa Park for Norwich Vs Everton in the Semi-Final on that terrible day of that _other_ match.
OTBC.
Your stuff is absolutely brilliant. As a Pompey/Kilmarnock fan (strange, eh?), the old Upton Park footage (including the pub) is really heartbreaking . I went there a couple of times - even dared to whistle the 'pompey chimes' coming out the tube station ????? Back to my native Glasgow and your meanderings round a late night Ibrox Stadium are so wonderful. I'll have to check out any references to Killie and Rugby Park?? Wishing you all the success your channel deserves.......