West Ham Supporter Advisory Board Update

I attended last Monday's West Ham Supporter Advisory Board along with over 100 other members on the 124 strong advisory board.

The full power-point presentation from the evening can be found on the link below 

http://www.whufc.com/staticFiles/8b/b9/0,,12562~178571,00.pdf

Special Guest

Surprise guest of the night was Sam Allardyce who spent around one hour doing a private Q&A with SAB members. My question to Big Sam started with a statement. I said ' I am sure you are aware you weren't everyone's cup of tea when you were appointed but hopefully I speak for the majority of West Ham fans when I say you did a bloody good job last season and your start to this season is none too shabby either' The statement was received with a round applause for Sam's achievements. My following question was 'It is rumoured you entered into a two year contract, if this is true have you started re-negotiating with the board to extend your time as West ham manager'

Sam smiled and said 'It is a 2 year contract which expires at the end of this season but negotiations had not started yet' he then hinted that West ham needed to be sure they had secured premiership survival before a proper deal could be done.

SAB Myths

I know many think the SAB is full of hand picked supporters who agree with the club, or that it is some kind of secret society with funny hand shakes. Others think it is a marketing gimmick that gives lip service to fans views only and is a waste of time.

The club are very clear, it is not and was never intended to be a Supporters Trust. The club is not a democracy and not trying to be like AFC Wimbledon.

However the two Davids understand it is a very stupid business that doesn't listen to it's customers and the advisory board is there to do just that, feed back views of customers who will vote with their custom on match days, season tickets and purchases in the club shop.  

If you attended any of the SAB meetings you would instantly know the hand picked accusation is a complete myth as well. There are plenty of SAB members who don't see eye to eye with the club on a numbers of issues. The idea of the SAB as puppets with the two Davids pulling the strings is frankly laughable. Membership of the SAB includes two committee members of WHUSVIEW who are opposed to the move to the Olympic Stadium.

The Olympic Stadium was not discussed on Monday as the discussions are still at a delicate stage and the club are under strict confidentiality restrictions. However we were promised an emergency SAB meeting when the decision is made (which ever way it goes!)

As for the SAB having no teeth and just a marketing ploy to pay lip service to the fans here are twenty of the things SAB involvement helped changed last season.

1) The 20% discount  for STH promised by previous owners was bought to the attention of the West Ham board by the SAB. The SAB asked us the board to honour the promise.

2) The SAB were consulted on membership and benefits and the (0-6) year membership was launched earlier this season as a result

3) Request for a token gift for ST holders like members. West Ham Pin badges being sent out this season.

4) Viagogo deal came as a result of the SAB to allow STH to sell back tickets.

5) 2 for £20 T Shirt range extended after SAB feedback

6) By the Fans for the Fans extended from SAB feeback

7) Season Ticket holders ability to upgrade to Corporate without re-purchase 

8) Junior ST holders mascots and Christmas party. There will be another one this year.

9) SMS for poor behaviour to be on big screen and in programme

10) More Bubble machines

11) Season Ticket holders Bar (trialed  but unsuccessful) Looking at it again.

12) New Mascot Hammerhead (SAB ‘less scary’ comments effected final look)

13) Brand – ‘Forever United’ was too generic and didn't focus on heritage so it was dropped due to SAB feedback

14) Moore than a Football Club was chosen as new brand from SAB feedback

15) More focus on the crossed Hammers/Irons from SAB feedback

16) Armed Forces offer – this scheme is now up and running

17) More links with Bobby Moore Fund and family

18) Looking into West Ham Loyalty scheme 

19) Move from pints to bottles in bars to speed up serving times

20) Ability for STH to bring along friends at discounted rates and site next to them

New SAB Format in the coming year

Going forwards the SAB will concentrate on four areas with sub groups outside any OS decision which will would involve the whole SAB membership. 


Media Group (New website, fan blog writer, twitter, facebook and research)

Community/Charity (benchmarking, what more could be done, Bobby Moore Fund)

Season Ticket/Membership benefits (research other products, what would we like to add e.g. extra priority day, pack content)

Match day Experience


Names of The 2012/13 Supporter Advisory Board

Keith Alder-Barber
Stuart Allen
Graeme Archer
Satvir Atkar
Steven Barlow
Tony Barritt
Catherine Bayford
Rachel Beagles
Daniel Bloom
Jack Boteler
Tim Boughen
Peter Bruce
Steve Burton
Peter Caton
Will Cheeld
Neil Clack
Daniel Clement
Marcus Clement
David Clements
Andy Connacher
Tina Cowen
Lesley Craig
Colin Crowe
Michael Crowhurst
Stuart Dean
Jill Dower
Tom Dowsett
Neil Duggan
Kevin Dunckley
Gavin Dunstan
Dee England
Saul Ettridge
Michael Evans
Tricia Evans
John Farren
Rob Ford
Paul Fox
Richard Francis
Michelle Gabriel
Jonathan Gaffney
Paul Gibson
Sherrie Goldsmith
David Hall
David Halston
Tony Harries
Graham Hatt
Benjamin Hawkes
Ian Henderson
Jack Hess
Graham Howlett
Craig Hughes
Peter Hunt
Anthony Hyams
Deniz Jaffer
Steve Joyce
Nigel Kahn
Diane Keleghar
John Kemp
Warren Kober
Adrian Leahy
Victor Lindsell
John Llewellyn
Phil Llewellyn
Kevin Markham
Ryan Marsh
Steve Marsh
Neil Martin
Dan Mason
Suzanne Mason
Gerry McCarthy
Norman McGuire
Steve Medhurst
Antoni Miziolek
Darren Morgan
Colin Morris
John Norman
Michael Nuciford
Leigh O'Connor
Cecilia O'Herlihy
Wallace Onnie
John Parry
Jonathan Penfold
Eamon Quinn
Kevin Radley
Paul Reynolds
Paul Richardson
Pete Richardson
Jason Rose
James Rutherford
Steve Ryder
Nigel Salvage
Nick Scott
Barry Shelton
Stuart Slaney
Mark Steele
Terry Stokes
Ben Surdeau
John Sussex
Dave Tate
Mark Taylor
Kishan Teli
Simon Thomson
Eleanor Tilley
Mark Tilley
Stephen Todd
Stephen Trowers
Kathryn Upton
John Walker
Ian Wearne
Sean Whetstone
Anne-Marie White
Peter Whitelock
Nick Wood
Richard Wood
Ali Worth
Ian Wicks
Trevor Wisdom
Daniel Yallop
John Yewman
Jason Zammit

Who scored a hat-trick against 3 different goalkeepers?

On 21st April 1986 in the old Division 1 at Boleyn Ground West Ham beat Newcastle 8 goals to 1!

It is a pub quiz teaser that still baffles everyone except West Ham United fans.

Who scored a hat-trick against three different goalkeepers? 

Answers on a post card!

Of course the answer is Alvin Martin's amazing triple in the 8-1 victory over Newcastle United. 

"It's not often that a centre-half gets a hat-trick and that was probably the worst one anybody has ever scored," confessed the modest Alvin Martin. "But it's in the record books!"

Flying high in fifth spot at the time, John Lyall's soaring side may have gone into the game as favourites, but Willie McFaul's tenth-placed team had just left a massive dent in Chelsea's championship aspirations following their 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge two days earlier.

Some conspiracy theorists later alleged that the Tynesiders' capitulation had been caused by their over-zealous celebrations in the Blackmore pub owned by their London-born skipper - and future Hammers boss - Glenn Roeder.

 But it was obvious to the 24,735 inside Upton Park that their goalkeeper Martin Thomas, who had sat it out at Chelsea with a shoulder injury, was simply still not fit.

On-loan from Hibernian, his replacement David McKellar had damaged his hip at the Bridge and the reluctant Magpies' goalkeeper had no option but to take his place back between the sticks. Within five minutes, he was picking the ball out of the net after Martin volleyed home Alan Devonshire's free-kick into the six-yard box.

The hapless Thomas was then beaten by speculative long-rangers from Ray Stewart and Neil Orr before Roeder inexplicably flicked the ball into his own net. With both his shoulder and pride hurting profusely, Thomas failed to emerge for the second period.

Rookie midfielder Chris Hedworth pulled on the green jersey for the restart but he was soon in trouble, too, after falling awkwardly and cracking his collarbone.

Midway through the half, Martin headed in Tony Gale's flick-on following Mark Ward's corner and as the brave Hedworth returned outfield before subsequently retiring, Peter Beardsley donned the gloves. Although Billy Whitehurst pulled one back for the visitors, Paul Goddard and Frank McAvennie then made it 7-1.

"I only came out to buy a loaf of bread!" bewildered, beleaguered and battered defender John Bailey famously shouted to the South Bank as he guarded his third goalkeeper of the night in readiness for another Hammers' bombardment. Sure enough, with six minutes left, the handling Roeder gave Martin the chance to claim the match ball and make it 8-1 to the Hammers, who were destined to go on and finish their best-ever campaign in third spot.

Despite his later claims that his England team-mate was Beardsley was pulling funny faces at him, the Mexico 86-bound Scouser successfully stroked in from the spot.

"Our normal penalty man Ray Stewart had picked up the ball to take the kick but once the crowd started chanting my name, it became embarrassing not to have it," wrote Martin in Boys of '86. "Afterwards, John Lyall said that goal difference could have counted come the end of the season and that we should have been more professional and still let Ray take it. Everyone was saying: 'C'mon John, it was 7-1 and it was his first hat-trick' I think he went a bit too far that night!"

West Ham United Team on that Day: Parkes, Stewart, Parris, Gale, Martin, Devonshire, Ward, Orr, Dickens (Goddard 80) Cottee, McAvennie

Here is the Youtube video of that magic day

A week in the life of the Olympic Stadium Pantomime

What a week in the Olympic Stadium Pantomime and it is not even the Christmas season yet!

So first story of the week told the future of the Olympic Stadium retractable seating £200 million rebuild was reported to be thrown into doubt after Old Eton boy George Osbourne in the Treasury ruled out handing any of the £377 million London 2012 surplus over to Old Eton boy Boris Johnson for the project. This would leave a £120 Million hole in the current rebuild budget.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9641726/Mayor-of-London-Boris-Johnsons-appeal-for-Games-surplus-fund-to-be-used-in-Olympic-Stadium-rejected-by-Treasury.html

Hot on the heels of that story was that NFL American Football franchise would gazump West Ham to be anchor tenants of the Olympic Stadium. Bizarre story as the bidding process is closed and I sure a third bidding process would be required to make this legal. 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/west-hams-tenancy-of-the-olympic-stadium-1409807

Although the Daily Mail later claimed West Ham would share the OS with NFL.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2226156/West-Ham-share-Olympic-Stadium-NFL-Americans.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Now today news has been reported in the Independent that West Ham have bid £8.08M per year for the 99 year lease committing us to £880M over 99 years.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/west-ham-committed-to-olympic-stadium-bid-despite-huge-financial-implications-8274380.html

To me this is the most concerning of all three stories if true. The richest club in the world Man City pay £3 Million per for their 50,000 capacity state owned stadium and make £8 Million per year profit from the naming rights. However if the Independent story is true we as one of the most debt laden clubs will pay £8M per year with no rights to the naming rights, catering rights or rental from other tenants.

Doesn't sound like a good deal to me (if true)

The result of the bidding process is expected on the 5th December.

Here is a link to my previous post on the Olympic Stadium Story So Far

http://westhamfootball.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-story-so-far-with-west-ham-olympic.html

Everything you wanted to know about Savio Nsereko

Savio Arrested, Deported and Charged

Former Hammer Savio was arrested last Friday on perjury charges over his kidnap claim,  Thai police have said in the Bangkok post.

Savio who now plays for Unterhaching in Germany's Bundesliga , was arrested in a rented room in Pattaya, Thailand.

Police said they were contacted by the German embassy which asked them to help Savio who had made a phone call to his relative in that country to transfer 3,000 euros  to his account claiming that he was abducted in Thailand.

Police said that after receiving the complaint they began their investigation and found that Savio, who arrived in Thailand on Oct 14th, had spent all one million baht he brought with him from Germany.

As a result, Savio then made up the story in the hope that his relative would transfer money to him. Police said Savio would be deported to face charges in Germany on Saturday.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/318384/german-footballer-arrested-in-pattaya

Interpol Search

Just last year it was reported that Interpol were looking for Savio after he went missing in Italy while on loan to Juve Stabia from Fiorentina. He texted his coach to say he would not make training for "personal reasons".

Juve Stabia sporting director Salvatore Di Somma said: 'The player's mother lodged a complaint with Interpol and the police have released a photo of him to try to find him soon. 

He later turned up in London unharmed.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Interpol-searching-for-missing-ex-West-Ham-striker-Savio-of-Juve-Stabia-article799463.html

The £10 Million Deal that Never Was

Savio joined West Ham in January 2009 and reports in the Telegraph story below suggested that we paid £10 million for him. However many believe this was a smoke screen to deflect where the £14 million went after we sold Craig Bellamy to Manchester City. It is thought the exaggerated £9m to £10M package was mainly made up of add ons with West Ham needing to play Champions League football to get anywhere a £10M package. Many believe Savio cost West Ham a more modest £1M to £2M before the swap deal for Da Costa & some cash.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/west-ham/4356613/West-Ham-complete-signing-of-Savio-Nsereko-from-Brescia.html

Nani Sacked

There is possibly more murkiness with the deal  we shall never know with the then West ham Technical Director Gianluca Nani masterminding the deal with his brother in law who was the owner of Brescia who owned Savio. Surely a massive conflict of interest there in anyone's books?  It has been suggested by some online in forums there was something dodgy going on there. Gianluca Nani was dismissed by West Ham in February 2010

The story so far with the West Ham Olympic Stadium Bid

With yesterday's announcement of yet another delay with the Olympic Stadium Decision I thought I would summarise some information & sources I have gathered on the Olympic Stadium bid which is publicly available about the process but may have been lost in the length of time this thing has been running.

All sources have been provided as links with this article.

West Ham Statement today via Associated Press


 “It is now 20 months since West Ham United were initially named as the preferred bidder to occupy the Olympic Stadium post-Games. We are obviously disappointed, that three bids later, a decision has yet to be reached."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/west-ham-remain-committed-to-moving-1373084

SAB 

Although I sit on the Supporters Advisory Board and the Olympic Stadium Committee in particular I have no privileged information about West Ham's bid.

The Olympic Committee within the SAB have only met once on the 23rd February 2012. The presentation and minutes from that meeting are publicly available here on WHUFC.com. 

http://www.whufc.com/page/SupporterAdvisoryBoard/0,,12562~2657489,00.html

There is no scheduled date for the next SAB meeting at present while the bid is in limbo. 

Although I was nominated as the SAB member tasked with collating supporter feedback the report I submitted to the board was no different from 'for and against' feedback you would find on any West Ham forum or discussed in any pub on match days.

There is no secrecy as some would suggest beyond signing a NDA with the club and the OPLC.

The club is still looking for new SAB members

http://www.whufc.com/page/SupporterAdvisoryBoard/0,,12562~2870475,00.html

The question of Retractable Seating

The ongoing debate about Retractable Seating among fans seems strange at times since both Brady and Gold have publicly confirmed retractable seating would be part of our bid. 

Karen Brady confirmed retractable seating in her Sun Column in November 2011

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3930735/Karren-Bradys-football-diary.html

"And if they had taken the time to look they would have seen that the design engineers have 

a solution by placing fans in retractable seats right up to the touchlines, if required, to 

provide a fantastic football solution whilst maintaining the track perfectly for athletics.

That wasn’t possible in stadiums like the old Wembley but technology and the world moves on"

David Gold confirmed retractable seating in this Independent article in January 2012

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/west-ham-move-in-jeopardy-6286691.html

"We are not prepared to have fans sitting 60 yards from the pitch," he said. "We still want 

to move into the stadium but will not do so if the track remains uncovered. There has to be 

some form of retractable seating."

The question about the cost of Re-Development of the Olympic Stadium 

A report in the journal Building Design last month said the cost of turning the stadium into a Premier League ground has risen to £160 million — a huge jump on previous estimates of £75 million.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/turning-olympic-stadium-into-football-ground-will-cost-160m-8152633.html

The cost of building the Olympic Stadium in the first place has been widely reported as £486M. Newham agreed to invest £40M in the redevelopment of the Stadium.

http://www.newham.gov.uk/News/2012/July/NewpartnershiptocreatelocalopportunitiesfromtheOlympicStadium.htm

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDP) formally called the OPLC are thought to 
have initially budgeted just £35M to redevelop the stadium. However it is believed that over £400M of the Olympic contingency budget remains and could possibly be used to fill the short fall if approved by the LLDC & the London Mayor. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17126515

The question of who owns the new Stadium

In July this year The London Legacy Development Corporation and Newham Council announced they have set up a company called E20 Stadium LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) to take long term responsibility for managing the Stadium. 

A 99-year lease will be granted by the London Legacy Development Corporation to E20 Stadium LLP (Limited Liability Partnership).

http://www.londonlegacy.co.uk/new-partnership-to-create-local-opportunities-from-the-olympic-stadium/

The question of how much West Ham may have bid

Last month the Daily Mail reported that West Ham had bid nearly £10M per year to lease the Olympic Stadium.  If true this would be committing West Ham to nearly one billion pounds (£990M) of rental over the next 99 years.

In my personal view the Joint Chairman and Vice Chairman are shrewd business people who 
didn't get where they are in business by over paying for something where there is a limited market and serious competition. I am sure the government don't want a white elephant and I personally hope West Ham would have bid under the market price but I have no privileged information to back that up.

I think most fans have trouble believing Daily Mail stories at the best of times!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2200756/Olympic-Stadium-bid-West-Ham-high--CHARLES-SALE.html

Man City Model of rental

Manchester City FC originally agreed to pay rent for their new stadium to Manchester council derived from match day income, specifically ticket sales. Under their agreement no money was due if the attendance did not top the 32,000 capacity of Maine Road, while half the price of tickets sold above that level would be paid over, after associated costs had been factored in. 

Now Man City have new found wealth they have renegotiated the terms of their 250 year lease. 

An agreement is in place now to switch from the match day revenue model to a flat £3m yearly charge.

This is still an increase on the £2M per year generated on average from the ticket sales model.

They also bought the naming rights last year in a separate agreement worth £2M per year which they sold to sponsor Etihad for a reported £10M per year!

The rental deal certainly appears to work for them by making a £5M per year profit of a stadium they don't own!  Not bad business for the richest club in the world.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/8257210/How-Manchester-City-won-the-stadium-lottery.html

To me this makes the £10M per year West Ham bid claim from the Daily Mail even more bizarre and unbelievable. 

Latest Delay on the decision

The latest delay of a month or two on the Olympic Stadium decision is frustrating to everyone whether they be in the for, against or sitting on the fence camp. It's leaves us all in limbo and the debate rages on with the danger of dividing fans further on this issue.

West Ham Fan of the Week

On our West Ham podcast  called Moore Than Just A podcast http://www.moorethanjustapodcast.co.uk  we are looking for West Ham fans to become fan of the week over Skype for 15 minutes. One of the things we like to ask them is their view on the Olympic Stadium among other West ham related topics.

If you want to share your Olympic Stadium thoughts.

Add us on Skype with username MooreTJAPodcast

You need to be available on a Monday evening around 8pm UK time

Hope to be speaking to some of you soon on the podcast.

Tweet us at @MooreTJAPodcast or Email at MooreThanJustApdocast@live.co.uk if you require more details

written by Sean  @WestHamFootball on Twitter

Paolo Di Canio Guest Blog by @LukeWaugh1988

Being a West Ham fan, I have witnessed many great and not so great players over the years. By far the most iconic to have graced the Upton Park turf in recent years has to be the flamboyant Italian, Paolo Di Canio. His famous goals against Manchester United in the FA Cup and Wimbledon in the league are testament to the skills he possessed as a player. Also, voiced by the majority of West Ham fans, his loyalty to the club in times of struggle and his decision to stay with us when bigger clubs were calling will never be forgotten.

His love for the game and the club itself shone through in his 118 appearances for the Irons and it was inevitable that he was to become the highly rated young club manager he is today. Di Canio may divide opinion amongst football professionals and enthusiasts alike, however, in my opinion; he is a breath of fresh air to the managerial scene, a new breed of manager, for the ever evolving game.

Di Canio was appointed manager of Swindon Town, following the club’s relegation to leagueTwo in the summer of 2011. Seen by many as not a glamorous post for the popular Italian, it should be admired that Di Canio has decided to begin his career as manager with Swindon Town and prove himself in the lower leagues. This was proven in his first season at the club, achieving automatic promotion to League one as champions.

It is clear that to this day, Di Canio still revels in the limelight and he can often be found in altercations with his own players or the media. This shouldn’t be frowned upon as he wouldn’t be the same without them. His playing career was dogged by incidents such as the ‘Alcock affair’ which resulted in an eleven match ban for the Sheffield Wednesday player. Also the west Ham Vs. Bradford City game, which is further evidence of how his passion could sometimes boil over which resulted in Di Canio snatching the ball from ex Hammer Frank Lampard, who had already set it on the spot, and demanded to take it himself (thankfully it went in)

These moments of madness are missed on the terraces of Upton Park and it isn’t rare for many supporters either at the game, the pub, or on the trains to speak of the Italian’s magic on the pitch. I for one would be delighted to see him in the hot seat in the near future at my beloved club, an opinion voiced by many at the club.

So what next for the fury Italian? Many have compared his style of management to the legend ‘Brian Clough’ and Jose Mourinho and there is some truth in these claims. Like Clough and Mourinho, Di Canio is hugely egotistical and I strongly believe that Di Canio thinks he can take Swindon Town to the big time. Whether this is possible only time will tell, however, what cannot be denied is Di Canio’s love for the game and his will to win. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But this is what the game needs, another strong, young manager.

I wish Di Canio well, a true character of the game that undoubtedly will have future success as a manager (hopefully with West Ham) and if not in a manager’s capacity, he still would get into our starting eleven even at the age of 44! A rare talent and an individual who will continue to divide opinion, is Di Canio to be loved or hated?

Guest Blog Article By Luke Waugh 

@LukeWaugh1988 on twitter

Moore Than Just A Podcast: Fan of the week

We are back for a Second season

The West ham podcast called Moore Than Just A Podcast is back for a second season

The podcast can be played or downloaded from http://www.moorethanjustapodcast.co.uk

Or subscribe or download from Itunes itpc://moorethanjustapodcast.podbean.com/feed

This year we have updated the studio with professional microphones and a new mixer desk.

We have already published episodes 1-3 this season and introduced a new feature called Fan of the week.

In the new segment we speak LIVE in the studio to a West Ham fan anywhere in the world via Skype.  To be included and get your 15 minutes fan just add us on Skype by using the Skype name MooreTJAPodcast or email address moorethanjustapodcast@live.co.uk

We usually record the podcast on Mondays around 7.30pm to 9pm

David Gold Question Time with Comedy Voices is back along side Twitter Question Time and a new Coxy Corner Segment.

Get involved with the West Ham podcast via

Moore Than Just A Podcast Facebook page http://www.faceboook.com/MooreThanJustAPodcast

MooreThanJustAPodcast on twitter http://www.twitter.com/MooreTJAPodcast

Presenters:  @GeorgeWhufc @WestHamFootball @WestHamJB @ReeceJ100

Email us at Moorethanjustapodcast@live.co.uk

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