Great day at the 'Ball Park'

Saturday 24 June 2023, Chicago Cubs 9 St Louis Cardinals 1 - National League, Central, London Stadium

Not cheap - but well worth the money - not USA coming to the UK however an American Sport given a British twist. Massive crowd - probably the highest crowd Baseball will see in the regular season this year.

Slow start then the Cubs scored at regular intervals, for what turned out to be an easy win.

The souvenir and American food shops did well as did the British bars! 

West Ham meets rural Essex

 Saturday 24 April 2021, Lawford Lads 3 Sudbury Sports 2 - School Lane, ESBL, Knock out Cup, 3rd Round

Maybe 69 miles from the old West Ham ground, but the village of Lawford, in rural essex, close to the Suffolk border has a link to West Ham. John Lyall the former West Ham manger lived close by when he managed Ipswich and when the pavilion was built it was named after the great man. In 2001 it was opened by another former Hammer in Trevor Brooking.

Today was cup game and Sudbury started favourites, a team linked to AFC Sudbury full of good young players. they soon took the lead but were a bit more fortunate with their second, and went in at the break, two nil up.

The second half, a breeze picked up and the home team went direct, and got one goal back then levelled from the penalty spot, with just 4 minutes left, Lawford bought a sub on who managed to get the winner with his first touch.

New ground but does it need a new name?

Thursday 25 August 2016, West Ham United 0 Astra Giurgiu 1 - Europa League, Play off, second leg - London (Olympic) Stadium

My third visit to the stadium - first two for Athletics and Rugby League and now for football.

First of all it is not perfect for football but the view is OK, transport is OK and people should stop moaning- West Ham got a good deal, the Astra keeper was outstanding tonight and West Ham go out to the Romanian club for the second year running.

But what I did not like the crowd at times were as hostile as they were at Upton Park - not a great place for away fans.

The griynd has been given a West Ham makeover- and that is acceptable but the name?? London Stadium - just waiting for naming rights? But with the Hammers getting such a good deal anyway why not just leave it as the Olympic Stadium?

Struggling on - but with a smile on their faces

Saturday 2 January 2016, Barking 1 Bowers and Pitsea 0, Essex Senior League - Mayesbrook Park

Up the road from Mayesbrook Park, West Ham were celebrating another win and counting down the games till they move to the Olympic Stadium at Stratford. But down in Dagenham, Barking are struggling on in a rundown ground and surviving only because they have a fantastic bunch of club volunteers, the same sort of people you will find at non-league clubs all over the country,

Clubs like this need help from the Government, local councils and the FA, but in most cases they get little help and have to do everything themselves - compare that to West Ham who seem to have been given the Olympic Stadium for peanuts by Boris Johnson (Karen Brady and friends in high places?)

But we should all join together and thank those club volunteers who keep the non-league game going and today we were rewarded with a good game on a wet day where many games fell foul of the weather.

Barking and Bowers were evenly matched in the first half but Barking took a deserved lead in the second half after having most of the ball but they still had to rely on their keeper to give them a win as he was called on to save a late penalty from Bowers.

So thank you the great football people at Barking and Bowers.

We all still love the 2012 Olympics

Saturday 7 November 2015, England 2 New Zealand 9, Rugby League International, Olympic Stadium - Queen Elizabeth Park, London

3 years after the fantastic 2012 Olympics, we still can't get over that great event and any chance people get to either return to or visit Queen Elizabeth Park for the first time - people take it. Cycling, hockey, athletics, swimming and now we have had both Rugby Union and League and next year it will be football dragging back the crowds.

I was fortunate to be able to watch the athletics at 2012 games and was keen to see how they changed the stadium and all i can say is I was very impressed, it was just a pity that the match was disappointing and England could not carry on the good work from last week in Hull.

I am sure both League and Union will be back - but what is obvious is that West Ham have got a very good deal, many will think they have been given a financial boost courtesy of the tax payer ( and a Tory back hander?). But at least the away fans will now be able to see their team play West Ham in comfort.

Feeling a bit more confident

Saturday 4th August 2012, Ipswich Town 3 West Ham 1, Friendly - Portman Road

Now was thinking of missing this game as now an Olympic addict but glad I went as Town put in a great display but don't feel West Ham will last more than one season in the Premier if they play like that.

Hammered the Hammers!

Tuesday 31st 2012, Ipswich Town 5 West Ham United 1 - Portman Road, Championship

I don't know how we scored five - young hungry players?

Good times are back?

Tuesday 27th September 2011, West Ham United 0 Ipswich Town 1 - Championship, Upton Park

The delay is posting is due to shock! We played well- whole team and won at west Ham - great display by the team and great support but the Blue Army- just glad I was there.

Watching from the Long Jump end!

Saturday 26th March 2011 - Ilford FC 2 Brentwood 0, Ryman League Division One North - Cricklefield Stadium



Much talk recently about watching football from an Athletics stadium, well if West Ham fans want to get an idea how it will feel when they move to the Olympic Stadium they should get along to another club in East London - Ilford FC.

Ilford FC play at the Ilford Sports Club - Cricklefield Stadium, and Yes it is an athletics ground, but only 6 lanes, so not as far from the action as you are at places like Brighton.

With no Ipswich game this weekend, I went along to watch them play local rivals Brentwood, and they got a much needed win against a team far higher up the league.

I was met at the turnstile by a man in shorts 9it was nor warm) only to find out later that he was the bloke who did everything- not just the turnstile and the programmes. a crowd of about 50 watched from distance, not so bad from the side but from behind the long jump pit, it did seem like you were miles from the play. But for all that it was a god afternoon out, with both teams trying to pass the ball on a very poor pitch.

So you Hammers fans, get along to Ilford - they need your support, oh and the bloke in the shorts - the only bloke in the world with an Ilford FC tattoo on his leg?



The view from the long jump pit



A stand for one?



Would the player in Lane 6!

Better display today - more positives than negatives

Ipswich Town 0 West Ham United 1, Pre Season friendly, 31st July 2010

A better display today by the blues, with young Hyam showing why Garvan will not be missed. Also a great turnout bu the West Ham fans, must have wanted a day out in Suffolk?

Oh and from an earlier post, there now is a sign by the Sir Bobby Robson Bridge - picture will follow eventually.