Author: Richard Bennett

Reasons NOT to Be Cheerful (Part 3) – West Ham’s woeful start to the 2025-26 season – will it continue when facing the Club World Champions?

October 19th 1968. Does that date mean anything to you? It does to me. And to Geoff Hurst probably. It was a Saturday that didn’t start particularly well. I was playing football for the school 3rd year team (I think that’s Year 9 in new money). We were a relatively small school with not a lot of boys to pick from. We (Barking Abbey) were at home and lost the game 8-0 to Dagenham County High. How can you remember such detail I hear you ask? The reason is what happened that afternoon.

With my school mates we headed off to Upton Park to watch the Hammers. We were 14 and could go to games without parents, not that we’d have wanted them with us. I’m not sure that you can go without them these days at that age. I remember lining up in the queue to get in. I think it was 2 shillings (10p) to get in but it may have been a little more. The programme cost 1 shilling. We had eaten our hot dogs from one of the stands in Green Street and were always keen to get in early to take our place on the ‘big step’ in the North Bank slightly to the left of the goal about halfway back. We always bought peanuts (tanner a bag) from the vendor who walked round the pitch before the game and at half time. We threw the sixpence down to the pitch and the bag of nuts was duly passed back.

But I digress. The game that day was against Sunderland. What were our hopes? Well we had started the season with six wins in our first eight games. Martin Peters had scored eight goals in those eight games. Geoff Hurst had scored six in the eight games. Those six wins had included a 5-0, 4-0 and a 7-2. We were third in Division One and at one time had topped the league.

We then went nine games without winning prior to the Sunderland game (although to be fair it included six draws). Geoff thought it was about time he overtook his good mate Martin and duly smashed home six goals against the Mackems (I think only the second double hat-trick scored by a West Ham player). Martin didn’t score that day but Trevor (Brooking) and Bobby (Moore) chipped in as we thrashed Sunderland 8-0. Ironically the first goal in the game took half an hour to arrive but once the goals started to flow it became a rout. Our next three home games that season saw us beat QPR 4-3, Leicester 4-0, and Man City 2-1. I remember them all with fondness for different reasons. We finished the season in a very respectable eighth place. Again, in true West Ham fashion we lost the return game to Sunderland at Roker Park 2-1 just nine weeks later. Geoff Hurst inevitably scored our goal. In fact he scored quite a few goals against them in other games too.

When I was young in the sixties I was always bemused by the older generation fondly telling me about how great football used to be in the days of heavy leather footballs held together by laces. They reckoned the game was better when shorts were longer and hair was shorter and players had a maximum wage. I suppose I’ve probably turned into one of them myself – the ‘it ain’t as good as it were in my day’ brigade!

So let me return to last Saturday’s opening day debacle in the North East. Remember we were playing against a side promoted via the play offs with eight newcomers in the starting eleven. An even first half was followed by an absolute shambles in the second period especially when the first goal went in. The 3-0 loss wasn’t just a bad result it was a performance that screamed fragility, collapse, and so many other words that you could insert. There was no bite in midfield, no pace, no power, no plan, no strategy, three central defenders who couldn’t seem to head a football. The third goal was exactly what I warned about in last week’s article – the 3-5-2 system leading to potential problems when the opponents broke forward at speed leaving gaps in the traditional full back areas. I wrote that better teams would exploit a weakness in the system. If Sunderland did then others will follow. There were defensive gaps that you could drive a bus through and attackers who barely threatened (Bowen excepted).

And now we face a home game against the top club side in the world. Well of course they’re not really but they have just won the Club World Cup defeating teams who we couldn’t even get close to at the moment. Our relegation odds collapsed from 7/1 to 3/1 after just the first game and Potter’s odds have shortened to 2/1 to be the next Premier League manager out. Unless he can manage to galvanise the squad and rectify the ‘oh so many’ issues then we are in a season-long survival scrap.

I hate to write this but surely we don’t have a prayer against Chelsea on Friday night. They have the tactical structure, Palmer’s creativity, Pedro’s flair and Caicedo’s midfield bite that gives them a spine that we cannot match as well as a choice of so many players that we can only envy. They have defensive solidity (6 clean sheets in last 10). Our confidence is surely fragile so is there any hope? In the past I would have fancied us under the lights at home but surely the result is just a foregone conclusion in our current state.

Chelsea have won four of the last five meetings between the sides. Their recent form includes victories over AC Milan, PSG and Bayer Leverkusen. Despite a 0-0 draw against an easily underestimated Palace team, who performed so admirably winning the Community Shield a couple of weeks ago, Chelsea did dominate possession (71%) and chances (19-11 shot advantage). Failure to win at home will have stirred them into upping their game this week. Finishing is a potential weakness and despite creating chances they perhaps lack a clinical edge (am I just clutching at straws?). Maresca will be pushing them for sharper execution in front of goal.

I desperately hope that I am wrong. The Opta supercomputer apparently gives us a 22% chance of winning the game. I find it hard to believe that the figure is that high! Come on you irons! Prove me wrong!

Reasons to Be Cheerful (Part 1) – West Ham in 2025-26  

After inheriting a fractured squad mid-season in 2024-25, Graham Potter has now had the chance to begin to shape the team in his image. There have been lots of positives about the spirit, attitude, morale and togetherness of the squad in pre-season. But can the manager’s tactical acumen and calm leadership finally bring cohesion to the club? 

Promising pre-season form doesn’t mean a lot really but in the games I’ve seen then perhaps attacking fluidity is returning, although still there’s plenty of work to be done. These pre-season matches have helped reintegrate key players and build morale which are a crucial foundation for a strong start. 

It’s still early days in the transfer window by West Ham standards as we wait for the end of window bargains! Kyle Walker-Peters arrival on a free offers versatility and Premier League experience. El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague adds youthful energy to midfield and could perhaps turn out to be one of our better buys in recent years. He could provide a new level to our attacking on the left in a similar way to Wan Bissaka does on the right. If the manager wants to play with wing backs (as seems likely) then we might just have an excellent pair. 

Potter’s reputation for nurturing young players could perhaps see a few breakthrough stars this season? Potts has looked the outstanding one in pre-season. Are there more on the horizon? There have definitely been some very encouraging performances from academy products during the pre-season games. Potts, Marshall, Orford, Scales, Fearon, Earthy – they are all prospects. And Guilherme always looks like he could become quite an asset but we haven’t seen enough of him yet. Perhaps Cummings from Celtic or Kante, who has spent a season on loan in France, will be good enough for integration into the first team squad? 

Another positive is that Paqueta’s potential lifetime ban has finally disappeared. (But why did it take so long?). Perhaps we can now see some performances from him that we were all hoping for when he arrived. 

It’s a Mads World but we seem to have acquired a good young goalkeeper who is highly thought of. I don’t know how many we were seriously chasing (so many names were put forward) but we seem to have the one that the goalkeeper coach wanted. Let’s hope he is a successful acquisition. 

It’s not about finishing in the top six — it’s about rediscovering identity and playing with purpose, entertaining the fans and giving it a real go in every game and in every competition. If Potter can mould the squad into a coherent unit we might just surprise a few doubters. But then again we might not! 

Reasons to Worry about West Ham in 2025–26 (Part 2) 

Graham Potter made an unconvincing start; his first season ended in 14th place, with just 43 points, a tally flattered by the poor quality of relegated sides. His tactical tinkering and lack of a settled XI left fans frustrated. If he doesn’t find consistency early, pressure will mount fast. 

Mohammed Kudus, arguably West Ham’s most dynamic attacker (although he was poor last season wasn’t he?), was sold to Spurs. No direct replacement has arrived. Crysencio Summerville is returning from long-term injury, but will he be the one who can fill Kudus’ boots? The obvious midfield gaps that we can all see in lack of pace, mobility and power and a much needed box to box player, preferably two, have not been addressed. At the very least one central midfielder to match the criteria is an absolute must surely! We appear to be after Fernandes from Southampton. If true he would be the best of all the ones I’ve seen mentioned, but will it happen? 

Only four senior additions so far in the transfer window: Diouf, Walker-Peters, Hermansen and Wilson. Only two needed a transfer fee payment and on the face of it they are likely to be good value for the money. Also, Walker-Peters is a decent versatile acquisition, and I know why Wilson has arrived although he is not really one for the future!  

The squad still lacks a reliable striker, with last season’s goal output among the lowest in the league. Fullkrug and Wilson may have proven goalscoring records but they have proven injury records too. A younger, more prolific striker to assist the ageing duo is another must! Perhaps Marshall can step up, it would be great if he can (I do hope so) but it is a big ask. 

Wing-backs (which Potter seems to favour) are pushed forward aggressively. Wan Bissaka and Diouf will be key in creating width and overloads. But this leaves space behind though which is a tactical risk if transitions aren’t managed well. Early days but there was evidence in the pre-season games in America that this could be an issue that needs to be addressed. Everton and Bournemouth could both have made more of this. Better teams might!  

Opta’s supercomputer predicts West Ham to finish 16th, with a 22% chance of relegation, reflecting the squad’s stagnation in recent times compared to improving rivals. In short, we feel like a club in transition, a work in progress but perhaps without the urgency or clarity to make the transition successful. I hope we can step forward but if Potter can’t galvanise the squad quickly, we could find ourselves in the type of scrap that we thought we’d left behind a few years ago. A poor start could set the tone for another season of struggle. 

As a West Ham fan I know we will never win the Premier League

Premier League football is no fun anymore with the vast differential in money available leading to predictability.

The Premier League has become a financial juggernaut, but the gap between the top clubs and the rest has stretched to a point where competitiveness feels like an illusion. When a handful of teams can outspend entire leagues it’s no surprise that some of the magic gets lost. Underdog stories become rarer, and the league becomes predictable.

It’s interesting how the same financial might that brings in the world’s best talent and global attention can also erode the soul of the sport for long-time supporters. Loyalty, local identity, and the joy of unexpected triumphs can get drowned out by branding and billion-pound transfer sagas.

As a West Ham fan I know at the beginning of every season that cup competitions are our only opportunity to win trophies. Sometimes I have despaired when we haven’t even seemed to make the effort to try to succeed in those. I have been fortunate to witness successful FA Cup wins in 1964, 1975 and 1980 as well as a couple of European trophies in 1965 and 2023. Not a lot to show for almost 70 years of following the team. A near miss in the 2006 FA Cup Final too, as well as in the 1981 League Cup final when we were possibly one of the best second tier sides that there has ever been. And I’ll never forget our amazing run in the 1975-76 European Cup Winners Cup competition where we lost in the final, but the quarter final and semi final second legs at Upton Park were two of the greatest games I’ve witnessed.

Our best ever league season was of course 1985-86 when we finished third in the old First Division just four points adrift of winners Liverpool after being in contention right up until the final week. We might have even been champions with a better start to that campaign – we only won one of our first seven games and languished in 17th place at that point. But there is no chance of a repeat of that season 40 years ago. The best we can possibly hope for in the league is to qualify for European competition. So many clubs can qualify now – we have 9 teams from England playing in one or other of the three available competitions next season. I cannot see any way that we can compete for the Premier League title.

So I racked my brains to try to consider what potential reforms could restore competitiveness in top flight football? There are a few that I have often heard floated that could inject some much-needed balance back into football, especially in the Premier League. Several sports have implemented reforms that significantly improved competitiveness, fairness, or sustainability. Here are a few examples:

  1. Salary Caps / Redistribution of Broadcast Revenue: One of the most debated ideas. A ceiling on player wages, like in American sports leagues, could help level the playing field. The National Football League (NFL) in the USA introduced a hard salary cap in 1994, ensuring teams couldn’t spend beyond a set limit on player wages. Combined with equal sharing of TV revenue, this has helped maintain parity—any team can realistically compete for the Super Bowl. The Premier League currently splits TV revenue more evenly than some leagues, but there’s still a disproportionate benefit to finishing higher. A more socialist approach could help smaller clubs grow sustainably. But with global competition and the Premier League’s appeal, enforcing this without causing talent drain would be tricky, and probably impossible.
  2. Competitive Balance Tax: American Basketball (NBA) and also Major League Baseball impose a luxury tax that penalises teams that exceed a spending threshold, redistributing funds to lower-spending teams. It wouldn’t stop spending but might redistribute its impact.
  3. Draft System The NBA and the NFL use a draft system that gives weaker teams first pick of new talent, helping to balance the league.
  4. Tighter Financial Fair Play (FFP) Rules: FFP exists, but surely it lacks teeth. Stronger regulations with real consequences for overspending might rein in runaway budgets. At the moment some clubs spend vast sums on new recruits that the majority of Premier League teams cannot compete with. Not surprisingly this makes the strong teams stronger.
  5. Squad Size & Loan Limits: Big clubs stockpiling talent and loaning out dozens of players distorts competition. Capping squad sizes and loans could force more even distribution of quality players.
  6. Fan Ownership or Influence Models: Inspired by Germany’s 50+1 rule. This rule ensures that club members (usually fans) hold a majority of voting rights, preventing external investors from taking full control. It’s credited with preserving club identity and financial responsibility, even if it limits spending compared to the Premier League.
  7. Formula 1 – Budget Cap (2021): To reduce the dominance of wealthier teams, F1 introduced a cost cap on team operations. It’s already led to closer racing and more unpredictable outcomes, with mid-tier teams occasionally challenging the front-runners.

These reforms weren’t always popular at first, but many have stood the test of time. If football took a page from these examples, it might just rediscover some of its lost unpredictability. Of course, the real challenge is that the very clubs most resistant to reform hold the most sway. Still, the soul of the game relies on the thrill of the unexpected. Unfortunately, Leicester 2016 was a one-off, it won’t happen again.

Adapting successful reforms from other sports to the Premier League probably isn’t possible – but it could be transformative if only it could be achieved. Here’s how some of the systems might be tailored (watered down!) to fit football’s culture and structure:

1. Salary Cap with Flexibility: A hard cap like in the NFL might clash with the global football transfer market, but a soft cap with luxury tax—like the NBA—could work. Wealthier clubs could still spend big, but they’d pay a hefty penalty for doing so. That tax revenue could then be shared with lower-tier clubs or reinvested in grassroots development.

2. Draft-Style Youth Allocation: While a full American-style draft might feel out of place, the Premier League could introduce a mechanism for sharing standout academy talent. For example, smaller clubs might get priority access to players released by top-tier academies or receive compensation tied to playing opportunities they provide young players.

3. 50+1-Style Governance: Replicating Germany’s 50+1 rule might be a tough sell politically and commercially but encouraging greater fan ownership or mandating supporter representation on club boards would help bring accountability and reconnect clubs with local communities.

4. Enhanced Revenue Sharing: The Premier League already shares a portion of broadcast revenue, but tweaking the formula to provide more meaningful support to lower-revenue clubs could make a big difference. For instance, increase the base share for all teams and reduce performance-based bonuses slightly to even things out without removing incentives.

5. Cost Control Through Squad Caps: Clubs could be limited not just by spending but by total squad value or squad size. This would prevent talent hoarding by the biggest clubs and ensure more players get competitive minutes across the league.

6. Centralised Contracting for Young Talent: Adapting the Irish rugby model, the FA or Premier League could centrally contract a pool of national youth or U21 players. These players could be distributed based on developmental needs, ensuring both top-level experience and competitive balance.

Of course, any of these changes would require buy-in from stakeholders—owners, players, fans, and governing bodies. But if the goal is to make football more open, more exciting, and more equitable, there are definitely paths forward. But as I wrote before we are too far down the road and there are too many reasons why it won’t happen.

Clutching at straws I wondered if a handicapping system as in horse racing could be implemented? It’s a fascinating idea, and not as far-fetched as it might sound at first. In horse racing, handicapping works by assigning different weights to horses based on their ability, aiming to equalise their chances of winning. Theoretically, a similar system in football could involve performance-based disadvantages for stronger teams to level the playing field.

Here’s how a football version might look:

  • Points Handicaps: Start dominant teams with a points deficit at the beginning of the season. It’s radical, but it would certainly shake things up.
  • Transfer Restrictions: Limit the number or value of incoming transfers for top-performing clubs, effectively “weighing them down” in the market.
  • Fixture Difficulty Weighting: Adjust scheduling so stronger teams face tougher fixtures earlier or more frequently away from home.
  • In-Game Constraints: This would be controversial but imagine limiting substitutions or squad depth for top clubs in certain matches.

Of course, the challenge is that football isn’t a closed system like horse racing or American sports leagues. It’s global, with interconnected competitions and massive commercial interests. Any artificial constraint would be seen as undermining meritocracy and would spark legal challenges.

Still, the spirit of handicapping – engineering unpredictability and fairness – is something football desperately needs. Maybe a hybrid model, like enhanced revenue redistribution or dynamic squad caps based on recent success, could capture that essence without breaking the game.

A handicapping-style system in football would be a radical shift from tradition, but if implemented thoughtfully, it could offer several compelling benefits—particularly for restoring competitive balance and reinvigorating fan engagement. Here’s how:

1. Increased Unpredictability: By design, handicapping would reduce the advantage of dominant clubs, making outcomes less predictable. That unpredictability is what keeps fans glued to their seats—think of the buzz around surprise title runs like Leicester’s in 2016.

2. Renewed Relevance for Mid-Table Clubs: Clubs outside the elite would feel they have a genuine shot at silverware or European qualification. That alone could re-energise fanbases, attract better players to smaller clubs, and create a more dynamic league overall.

3. Rewarding Long-Term Planning Over Just Spending Power: If the system penalises consistent overperformance or overspending, clubs would need to be smarter focusing on scouting, youth development, coaching, and chemistry rather than just flexing financial muscle.

4. Boosted Viewer Interest: Global audiences tune in for drama and storylines. A more level playing field would mean more meaningful matches and tighter title races, which boosts engagement, TV ratings, and revenue for everyone.

5. Revived Romanticism of the Game: Football has always been about hope – the belief that any club can dream big. A handicapping system could help restore that spirit, making football less like a billionaire’s playground and more like a battleground of passion and grit.

Of course, implementing it fairly would be a tall order—defining the metrics, avoiding legal challenges, and maintaining meritocracy. But philosophically? It taps into something a lot of fans yearn for: the feeling that anything is possible again.

If only some of these ideas were adopted in a small way it might help, but has it gone too far now? There’s a sense among many fans, including me, that football’s drift into a money-dominated spectacle has passed the point of no return. The financial stakes are so enormous, and the power so concentrated at the top, that even small reforms feel like drops in an ocean of imbalance.

But I wouldn’t say it’s too far gone – almost but not totally, not yet. Could small changes still be possible? Football still has its grassroots, its local heroes, and a global fan base that genuinely cares about the integrity of the sport. If enough pressure comes from fans, regulators, and smaller clubs, meaningful changes could still happen. It might not be a revolution, but even incremental changes like stronger FFP enforcement or better revenue sharing can start nudging things in the right direction.

If it has really gone too far now (and if I’m honest with myself it probably has) then it speaks volumes about how disconnected the upper echelons of football have become from the people who helped build it: the fans. When billion-pound ownerships and corporate interests dictate the rhythm of the game, it’s easy to feel like voices from the stands are just background noise.

But even small ripples can make waves. The fan protests that helped derail the European Super League weren’t backed by billions—they were powered by sheer passion and public pressure. The 50+1 conversations in the UK? Sparked by fans. Even safe standing and more equitable ticket pricing have gained traction in some clubs thanks to persistent grassroots lobbying. Maybe it won’t flip the pyramid overnight, but change doesn’t always need to be seismic.

As well as supporting West Ham in the Premier League I like to watch lower league and youth football, The Premier League has the best players of course but the excitement is missing because of the predictability. There’s something raw and beautifully human about lower league and youth football—where matches aren’t drowned in glitz, but crackle with real tension, local pride, and moments of unexpected brilliance. It’s football in its purest form, unfiltered by billionaire ownership or endless VAR delays. Unpredictability is the heartbeat of sport. The feeling that anything can happen. When it’s missing, even the most technically flawless performance can feel sterile.

There’s magic in seeing a teenager curl one top corner for the Under 15s or watching a non-league side grind out a win in front of 500 fans who know every chant by heart. No fireworks show required—just graft, heart, and the echo of hope in every tackle. – it’s football with soul. You’re watching young players develop before your eyes, where every pass and goal actually means something deeply personal to the community. It’s not about megastars or multi-million-pound sponsors—it’s about belonging. That feeling when a small crowd roars like it’s 60,000 strong, or when a player claps every hand on the touchline because those faces actually mean something. That’s football at its most human.

The Premier League may have the flash, but lower league and youth football feels more authentic, more grounded. There’s no corporate gloss just muddy boots, raw talent, and a crowd that claps for effort as much as for goals. I have been rediscovering the joy of football not in superstars, but in the passion of a local lad sprinting down the wing in the rain, or a promotion campaign that means everything.

And yet even now as I reflect on this article I still get a buzz in anticipation of the new football season that is approaching. I still want to see West Ham really performing well at the top level. I still read the ridiculous articles every day that suggest we are going to buy x/y/z and laugh to myself. I enjoy the summer sport, the cricket, especially the test matches, the Open, Wimbledon, horse racing on the flat, and this year the Women’s Euros. But nothing beats watching football at all levels. And despite the predictability of the Premier League I’ll still be hoping for a successful season for West Ham just as I have every year since 1958. But one thing is for sure. We won’t be challenging to win the Premier League. I’m afraid we won’t even come close.

So why was 2024/25 a horror season for West Ham? 

All season Geoff and I have been writing articles with our thoughts on why West Ham’s season has been so poor and so uninspiring, putting forward our theories. But my friend Stefan King, a massive fan of both West Ham and the band Queen, who also writes horror stories, insists that we have got it all wrong. He sent me his most recent short story to read. He certainly has a very vivid imagination. I thanked him for his work of fiction and he sent me a one word reply. “Fiction?” I’ll leave you to make up your own mind.  

“Boleynian Rhapsody – Hammer to Fall” 

A tale of profound dread, psychological turmoil, and an ancient force with an insatiable thirst for pain, all cloaked in claret and blue. 

The 2024/25 season was not just bad; it was horrific; it was apocalyptic. West Ham didn’t merely lose games; they deteriorated; they decayed from the inside out. The rot wasn’t confined to the results; it permeated the walls, the players’ bodies, and the air. 

No one dared to voice it, but something or someone had followed them from the Boleyn Ground. When they demolished the old Boleyn stadium to make way for nearly a thousand dwellings, they believed they were moving forward; progress, the next level, corporate boxes; they would become the best team in the country, in Europe, in the world. But some things, some very ancient things, resent being forgotten. How dare they move! 

Legend has it that the Boleyn witch, Anne Boleyna, had a son. A creature that was born wrong, all teeth and shadow. They imprisoned him in the tunnels beneath the Upton Park pitch, feeding him rats. He was born under a blood moon, a night when the veil between worlds was thinnest. He was a creature of darkness, with eyes that glowed like embers and a voice that could freeze the soul. Anne hid him away, knowing that the world would never accept him. She taught him her secrets, and together, they wove a web of power beneath the Boleyn Ground. Every time the Hammers won, they said it was him—howling beneath the turf, sated by the sacrifice. It was dismissed as East End folklore. 

Anne Boleyna was no ordinary witch. She was born in the 16th century, a time when fear and superstition ruled the East End. Her mother, a healer, was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake. Anne, then a child, watched in horror and vowed revenge. She grew up learning the dark arts, mastering spells that could bend reality and summon spirits. Her reputation spread, and soon, she was feared and revered in equal measure. She passed it all to her son. 

For a time after the stadium move all was well. Nothing outstanding but it was always going to take time. Then David Moyes had some spectacular results and led them into Europe. Unbelievably a European trophy was secured. But then everything unravelled. The victories ceased, and the nightmares came to the fore. Moyes couldn’t stop the decline, and by the end of 2023-24, he was gone. 

A new head coach arrived—Julen Lopetegui from Spain. By November, every player was plagued by night terrors. One gouged his own thigh with a fork muttering, “I must bleed for the badge.” Others vanished during an away trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. One lost his mind. Security footage showed his ghost wandering onto the pitch alone in the dead of night. He was rarely seen in good form again. 

December arrived with a visit to Leicester. A goal down in under two minutes. Another defeat. Some of the travelling West Ham supporters turned on manager Julen Lopetegui, jeering at him towards the end of the game. Home or away it made no difference. The season was turning into a nightmare. 

The year ended with a 5-0 home defeat to Champions-Elect Liverpool. Fans began disappearing before the end of the game. At first, it was those seated in the Trevor Brooking Stand. Then entire rows throughout the stadium. Empty seats, still warm, coats and phones left behind. The official explanation? “Evacuations due to a fire alarm.” But nobody heard an alarm. The footage revealed something else, figures crawling up from the touchline. Pale and long-limbed, wearing kits from the ’60s. Former players. Faces familiar from grainy black-and-white films, but distorted. Skin stretched too tight. Eyes set too deep. Moving with that horrible jerky grace, like puppets at the end of rusty wires. 

Then came the fog. It rolled in one day during training, low and dense, smelling like you wouldn’t believe. It was thick and oppressive, wrapping around the players like a shroud. Once it touched someone, they were never the same. They spoke strangely, moved differently. One player bit a goalpost and laughed and laughed until his jaw unhinged. Another began scratching marks into the dressing room tiles. The fog carried whispers, voices from the past, echoing through the corridors of the London Stadium. It was as if the fog was alive, a force that fed on fear and despair. 

The players’ experiences grew increasingly harrowing. Night after night, they were tormented by visions of the witch and her son. Some players reported seeing shadowy figures lurking in the corners of their rooms, whispering secrets in a language they couldn’t understand. Others woke up with unexplained bruises and scratches, as if they had been in a struggle. The team doctor was baffled, unable to find any medical explanation for their symptoms. 

During training sessions, the players moved like automatons, their eyes vacant and their movements stiff. They spoke in hushed tones, afraid to voice their fears. One player, in a fit of desperation, tried to flee the stadium, only to be found hours later, wandering the streets of Stratford, muttering incoherently about the witch’s curse. Another player, who was once the star striker, refused to step onto the pitch, claiming he could hear the witch’s laughter every time he touched the ball. What chance of him ever scoring any goals again? 

The head coach was found in his office one morning, kneeling within a circle of matchday programmes, that he refused to leave. He had written one phrase over and over on the whiteboard: “She demands the chant. I can’t leave the circle until she hears the chant.” But what chant? He didn’t know the chant.  

It surfaced once, on a social media recording by a fan before the servers mysteriously crashed: “Come on you Irons, bleed for her name, forge us in fire and burn in her flame.” The clip was deleted within minutes. The fan who uploaded it went missing. His flat, newly built above the old Upton Park pitch, was found empty except for a claret and blue scarf tied into a noose and a puddle of water on the floor—still rippling, forever rippling. 

A new head coach arrived. But did things improve? By April, the club was dead in the water. But not relegated. They would fight another day. But what would 2025-26 bring? Fortunately, Ipswich, Leicester, and Southampton were also having nightmares. 

It was as if, for one whole season, West Ham United had never existed. But the London Stadium still stands. You can hear it at night. That chant. Warped and slow, echoing out into the empty Stratford streets and the surrounding Olympic Park. 

Some say if you get too close, you’ll see lights on in the stands at night when the stadium is empty. You’ll hear boots on the turf. A final match being played in the shadows, for no one and everyone. They say the witch watches from the boxes now. Forever smiling and waiting for kick-off. 

The great Queen song “Hammer to Fall” can be heard repeatedly through the PA system. 

But the Hammer never truly falls. 

It just waits to rise again. 

The curtain will fall on West Ham’s season with a visit to Portman Road

It was only Nottingham Forest for heaven’s sake! Having said that, I’ve got to give them some credit for the astonishing achievement of qualifying for European football next season. Who would have guessed it? Last season they finished in seventeenth place. This time they have more than doubled their points tally from the last campaign. We could still end up there (17th) if we don’t win at Ipswich and both Manchester United and Tottenham defy the odds to finish their poor domestic seasons and beat Aston Villa and Brighton respectively, both of whom still have something to play for.

Forest could even still qualify for the Champions League, and it will probably be a disappointment, albeit slight, if they don’t after holding one of the qualifying places for so much of the season. Nevertheless, any European qualification is good as we know from a couple of seasons back. How we would love to be there again! A Conference League spot would be a decent consolation though, but with their last game coming up at the City Ground against an inconsistent Chelsea side, they will be confident of making the premier European competition.

Watching last weekend’s game against Forest I didn’t believe that we were ever going to score a goal after the first minute. But our captain, Jarrod Bowen was on the pitch and his wonderful touch and finish five minutes before the ninety were up and all of a sudden Forest looked nervous. West Ham finally came alive. At least there were some better attacking options on the pitch by then compared to the defensive nine we started the game with. With a small amendment to a quote by (in my opinion) the best football writer of all, Brian Glanville, who died recently, until the changes, “our midfielders seemed to wander around the pitch like well-intentioned dinosaurs”.

Eleven minutes was held up on the board but Forest’s time-wasting display with players laying down like sleeping lions, and more weird and pointless VAR checks, meant that it turned out to be another 21 minutes. In truth it should probably have been even more but another game was kicking off shortly and the people at Sky were getting nervous. Despite some promise in those final minutes the only real chance came when Sels pulled off a fine save from Fullkrug’s header.

And what about the officials? Recently the standard in so many games I’ve watched has left a lot to be desired. This game was no exception. I really hate to be critical as it is a massively difficult job. They may well understand the rules but so many of them don’t really seem to understand the game.

Graham Potter suggested it was an even game. Really!? He said we came up a bit short. A bit?! The Premier League Match Centre said that the referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR, with Milenkovic in an onside position and Dominguez in an offside position but deemed not to be impacting on play. It took me about 20 seconds at most to see that when the picture was shown on the screen. But why did it take them six minutes? I’m afraid that is just not spectator friendly. In fact it is a disgrace. Was it the late Bill Shankly who once said “if a player is not interfering with play or seeking to gain an advantage then what the hell is he doing on the pitch?” or something like that. But then the offside rule like the handball rule and several others really needs to be looked at further, don’t they?.

The defeat brought the curtain down on a miserable season with spectators at the London Stadium enduring a torrid time with just five wins in nineteen games. We beat Ipswich, Manchester United, Fulham, Leicester and Wolves. Teams currently occupying 19th, 16th, 10th, 18th and 14th places.

Every summer is important in preparation for the season to follow, and this one even more so with mounting unrest surrounding Graham Potter and increasing pressure on the board as frustrations grow among the fanbase, many of whom appear to have serious doubts as to if he is the right man for the job. Four wins in eighteen matches since taking over from Lopetegui doesn’t even match the record of his sacked predecessor and they are statistics that take us back to the days of Avram Grant. He doesn’t seem to be able to turn things around or get the new manager bounce that sometimes happens. We’ll have to see if he can do better with some players of his own choosing.

The slow, lethargic style with lots of short, sideways and backward passes that may pad out the possession statistics is leaving fans bored. Not to mention the fact that we are among the worst team in the league for shots and goals since Potter was appointed. The atmosphere at the London Stadium is flat which doesn’t bode well for season ticket sales ahead of the crucial summer window in which West Ham have made it clear (according to some?) that they have little money to spend without selling players first. Apparently, Sullivan only wanted to give our new boss a six month contract but was persuaded otherwise (with Everton waiting in the wings to give him a longer contract?). If there is any truth in that I wonder what the position would be now? It’s not hard to guess. I’m sure Everton are really pleased with the effect Moyes has had (so far anyway).

So here we are facing an away trip to Portman Road to close the season. Relegated Ipswich are the only team that we have put four goals past, in fact we only managed three once (Fulham). Our opponents will be up for it, hoping to end the season on a high and with a possible chance of moving up one place and the extra (£3 million?) that would bring them to boost their finances for their return to the Championship. We too have the incentive of possibly finishing above Wolves and also remaining above Manchester United and Tottenham, adding more funds to the kitty. But how much enthusiasm is there in the players? Ironically at least two of the departing players, Coufal and Cresswell had decent games against Forest and really looked up for it.

There are likely (and need) to be big changes in personnel in the summer. Two players who may go but I’d like to keep are Guilherme and JWP. In his (very limited) cameos Guilherme has shown to me that he possesses potential and looks like the type of player we need. He is still young I know but why hasn’t he been given a bit more of an opportunity?

Unlike most fans I believe there is a place of JWP in the team. I appreciate some of his limitations, but I would see him in a role similar to a quarterback in American football. His striking of a deadball is an asset, but I believe his inclusion in the team would work if he is supported in midfield and attack by players with pace, (not Soucek, Paqueta, Alvarez, Rodriguez etc). Also, if Soucek is retained for his ability in both penalty areas, then again it would only seem to work for me if he too is supplemented by skilful attacking footballers with pace.

It will be interesting to see if any of our loanees who return, or academy players, can stake a claim for a place in the squad if they are good enough. Apparently, Potter has said he wants to reduce the size of the squad, so I guess that should mean one or two places for these players if they are up to it. Scarles, Casey, Orford, Kelly, Marshall, Earthy, Potts. Perhaps a couple of these? Perhaps others? I’ve no idea but it would be sad if none of them come through wouldn’t it?

My player of the season? No surprise it has to be Wan Bissaka by some distance. What a buy he has turned out to be. Bowen has done well once again too. Nobody else really stands out for me. I’m looking forward to the return of Summerville next season as I believe he has great potential.

So, another summer of big changes, wondering who will leave and who will arrive. Yet again I wonder if we can get it right this time? Who knows?

A Tale of Two Cities – London v Nottingham; West Ham v Nottingham Forest, the final home game of a season that many fans would like to forget

Last week I looked for inspiration in writing my article to my good friend Bill Shakespeare. It worked in that we won our first game following eight winless matches. So once again I turn to another good friend, this time Charlie Dickens. I gave him some background to this week’s game and he has written this week’s preview for me. He begins with an extract from a book written by one of his ancestors and then goes on with his thoughts written in a similar style ……

An extract from the first paragraph of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities 1859, 

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us”

“Pairs of contrasting words in the opening lines could be interpreted to illustrate the disparities between the fortunes of West Ham and Nottingham Forest as the season draws towards its conclusion. It was the best of times for Nottingham Forest. It was the worst of times at West Ham United. It was a season of light at the City Ground, it was the season of darkness at the London Stadium. It was the spring of hope for Forest aiming for the Champions League, it was the winter of despair for the Hammers who were fortunate that there were three very poor sides who would be relegated to the Championship. In Nottingham they have everything before them, at West Ham we do not know what we have before us.

Our team, West Ham, a team of valiant spirits, find themselves in a state of relative tranquility, with no fresh injuries to report before the anticipated visit of Nottingham Forest. The unfortunate Crysencio Summerville remains sidelined, grappling with the affliction of a hamstring injury, I don’t think we’ll see him again before the new season dawns. The resilient Michail Antonio, too, who is on the mend from a grievous broken leg; will we see him in a claret and blue shirt again? Nottingham Forest, too, face their own trials, with forward Taiwo Awoniyi convalescing after an abdominal surgery, after an unfortunate and potentially life-threatening collision with a goal post last weekend which will undoubtedly raise calls for assistant referees to flag for offside more promptly. The surgery, according to the esteemed head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, has proceeded favourably. The fate of Murillo and Callum Hudson-Odoi, both beset by hamstring woes, hangs in the balance, awaiting assessment before the impending contest.

West Ham, in their storied history, have triumphed in five of their six Premier League home encounters with Nottingham Forest, succumbing only once. Yet, the Reds stand on the precipice of a historic achievement, poised to complete their first league double over the Hammers in forty-one years. The Irons, steadfast and resolute, have remained unbeaten in eight home meetings with Forest in both league and cup, a streak that commenced in the distant February of 1999. The most recent victory, a 2-0 triumph over Manchester United at Old Trafford, has ended a disheartening run of eight winless games, rekindling hope and ambition.

Graham Potter’s side, emboldened by their recent success, aspire to secure consecutive top-flight victories for the first time since February, when they had vanquished Arsenal and Leicester. The Hammers, on the cusp of drawing four top-flight home games in succession for the first time since April 1985, are determined to uphold their proud record of not losing their final home league fixture in any of the past seven campaigns, a period marked by five wins and two draws.

Jarrod Bowen, a player of remarkable prowess, has been directly involved in six goals in his last six Premier League outings, finding the net four times and providing two assists. His ambition to score in four successive league games at the London Stadium would mirror the feat last achieved by Jesse Lingard in April 2021.

Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, have tasted victory only once in their last six Premier League encounters, drawing twice and suffering three defeats. Nevertheless, their prowess on the road is undeniable, having secured nine top-flight away victories this season, second only to the champions, Liverpool, who have won eleven. Forest’s triumph over Burnley at Turf Moor at this juncture last season has set the stage for their quest to win their final away league game in consecutive campaigns for the first time since the seasons of 2006-07 and 2007-08 in League One.

Anthony Elanga, with ten top-flight assists to his name this term, stands on the brink of equalling Bryan Roy’s Premier League club record of eleven assists in a single campaign, a record that has stood since the 1994-95 season. Chris Wood, too, has etched his name in the annals of Forest’s history, becoming only the second player to score twenty Premier League goals for the club in a single campaign, a feat last accomplished by Stan Collymore, who netted twenty-two goals in the 1994-95 season.

The current form guide, a curious and unexpected revelation, shows the East Londoners with the upper hand, possessing six points to Forest’s five. Historical encounters, totalling 121 to date, hark back to an FA Cup game in 1911, and also give a slight edge to the Hammers with 48 wins to 47, with 26 draws.

A victory in this game guarantees that West Ham will finish above both Manchester United and Tottenham, one of whom surprisingly shall play in next season’s Champions League, following their defeats on Friday night. This is but one incentive. Such a triumph would secure us 15th place at the very least in the final table. Depending upon results elsewhere, we could even ascend to 13th place, a position we have only achieved in seven weeks of this dismal season.”

Thanks Charlie. I enjoyed that. I may call upon you again.

Manchester United v West Ham – For Amorim: Much Ado About Nothing, For Potter: All’s Well That Ends Well

It should have been easy. Sitting down with three games of the season to go, last week at home to a Europa Cup finalist, this week away to the other Europa Cup finalist. It should have been boiling up to a thrilling climax to the season. But no, quite frankly I don’t think I am the only one who has lost interest and can’t wait for it to end. But wait indeed, I have an article to write.

For Amorim the game is Much Ado About Nothing. For Potter, yes it has been a winter of discontent but he hopes to make it good in the summer transfer window and he is hoping that that All’s Well That Ends Well. So, being stuck for inspiration I turned to my friend Bill Shakespeare to see if he could write something to thrill the reader. “The task is a difficult one, my friend Richard,” was his first reply. “Manchester United have nothing to play for, West Ham have been rubbish, and I know nothing of this game you call football.”

“Bill,” I replied “thou dost protest too much. What if I pay you twenty sovereigns and give you an insight into the match, the injuries and the form?”

“As you like it” he said, “but don’t tell anyone I wrote it as the mere mention of my name makes the readers eyes glaze over, inducing not so pleasant school flashbacks”.

Two teams both alike in 15 and 17,

At Old Trafford where we lay our scene…..

Act I: The Injured Warriors

Scene I: Manchester United’s Camp

Enter Ruben Amorim, the head coach, with Harry Maguire.

Ruben Amorim: Oh noble Maguire, thou art weary and wounded, Rest thee now, for thy valor hath been proven. The Europa League’s triumph, a testament to thy might, Yet, in this battle, thou shalt not fight.

Exit Harry Maguire.

Ruben Amorim: Chido Obi, return to the fray, For midweek’s absence, thou shalt repay. But alas, de Ligt, Zirkzee, Martinez, and Dalot, Still sidelined, their presence not forgot.

Enter Chido Obi.

Chido Obi: Coach Amorim, I stand ready to serve, With strength renewed, I shall not swerve. The Europa League’s absence, now behind, In this Premier League clash, my place I find.

Scene II: West Ham’s Camp

Enter Edson Alvarez, returning from injury.

Edson Alvarez: Three games I missed, my back in pain, But now I return, to fight again.

Enter Crysencio Summerville on the balcony.

Graham Potter: Crysencio, Crysencio, wherefore art thou Crysencio?

Crysencio Summerville: Who’s there? Is that you boss? Our strength shall not wane, In this battle, our hopes shall gain. For West Ham’s glory, we shall cheer, with courage and pride, we persevere. I’m getting better, my fortune’s mixed. But best of all the hamstring’s fixed!

Enter Michail Antonio

Michail Antonio: Though we are absent, our spirits remain, In West Ham’s heart, we shall sustain. With Crysencio, my friend, together we stand, Supporting our team, with a helping hand.

Act II: The Battle of Statistics

Scene I: The Head-to-Head Clash

Narrator 1: Manchester United, unbeaten at home, For sixteen games, West Ham’s hopes they comb. Thirteen wins, three draws, last four without conceding, The Hammers’ victories, a rare proceeding.

Narrator 2: Yet, West Ham’s recent triumphs, three of four, As many victories as in twenty-eight before. A league double, they seek to complete, Since 2006-07, a historic feat.

Scene II: Manchester United’s Struggles

Narrator 1: Eight Europa League wins, Amorim’s pride, But in the Premier League, six victories denied. Six games without a win, a dire streak, Since 1992, their longest, too bleak.

Sixteen league losses, a season’s shame, Eight home defeats, a tarnished name. Since 1962-63, such woes they faced, A campaign of sorrow, their hopes displaced.

Scene III: West Ham’s Woes

Narrator 2: Eight league fixtures, without a win, A longer run, since 2011’s sin. No comeback victories, a tale of despair, Southampton and Ipswich, the only other pair.

Four away wins, clean sheets they keep, Sixteen games on the road, so often they sleep. Fourteen points from fifteen, Potter’s reign, Only relegated clubs can match the pain.

Narrator 3: Potter’s record against Manchester United, Unbeaten in three, his hopes ignited. A victory at Old Trafford, Brighton’s delight, in August 2022, such a memorable night.

Act III: The Final Showdown

Scene I: The Battle Begins

Enter Manchester United and West Ham players on the field.

Narrator: The stage is set, the warriors ready, Manchester United and West Ham, steady. A clash of titans, a tale of might, Who shall emerge victorious, in this fight?

Enter Ruben Amorim and Graham Potter, the head coaches; they shake hands.

Ruben Amorim: Potter, thy team shall face defeat, For at Old Trafford, we shall not retreat. Our home, our fortress, our pride, In this battle, we shall not be denied.

Graham Potter: Amorim, thy words are bold, But West Ham’s spirit, strong and old. We seek a double, a historic feat, In this clash, we shall not retreat. So shaken as we are, all’s well that ends well

The players confront each other, tensions rising.

Ruben Amorim: West Ham, beware, for we are strong, At Old Trafford, we belong. Our history, our legacy, our might, In this battle, we shall fight.

Graham Potter: Amorim, thy words are fierce, But West Ham’s resolve, thou shalt not pierce. Our determination, our will, our fight, In this battle, we shall unite.

The whistle blows, the battle begins.

Narrator 4: The stage is set, the warriors clash, Manchester United and West Ham, in a flash. A tale of might, a tale of pride, Who shall emerge victorious, in this ride?

Well, what do you think of Bill’s efforts? A bit over the top I reckon. It’s hard to get excited but thanks Bill, you’ve done your best.

West Ham v Tottenham: 17th v 16th: The Underachievers Derby

This weekend, the London Stadium will host a high-stakes clash between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur. It’s always high stakes for the fans of both our clubs when we meet. Both teams find themselves in unfamiliar territory, languishing near the bottom of the Premier League table. With Graham Potter and Ange Postecoglou under immense pressure, many pundits have written that this match could define their seasons and their futures. I don’t believe that the one game will define either.

For the first time in Premier League history, West Ham and Tottenham meet while we are both are at such low points. We sit precariously in 17th place, officially the worst team outside the relegation zone. Well it would be really precarious were it not for Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton. Thank heavens that the three already relegated clubs have performed so poorly this season. Tottenham, just one spot above us in 16th, have lost a staggering 19 games this season—more than any other non-relegated side. A solitary point separates the two underachieving clubs, making this encounter a must-win for local derby pride for the fans, but it won’t change the fact that it has been a disastrous season for both.

Speculation is rife that Ange Postecoglou will be sacked this summer, even if Tottenham manage to salvage their season by winning the Europa League. Such a triumph would end Spurs’ long trophy drought and secure Champions League qualification. They have already reached the semi-finals and just have to overcome Norwegian champions Bodo / Glimt (what kind of name is that?) over two legs, before facing either (underachieving) Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao in the final. But even that may not be enough to save Postecoglou’s job. The axe seems ready to fall, with Daniel Levy reportedly preparing for a managerial change, or so we continue to read.

Graham Potter’s tenure at West Ham has been nothing short of disastrous. Since replacing Julen Lopetegui, who left the team in 13th place, Potter has overseen a dramatic decline. The Hammers have won just three of their 15 games under his leadership, culminating in a humiliating 3-2 collapse against Brighton after leading 2-1 going into the last few minutes. Have you read Geoff’s review of that game? ‘Careful What You Wish For: Is This David Sullivan’s Self-Fulfilling Prophecy’. This defeat mirrored Tottenham’s earlier capitulation to the same opponent (Tottenham actually threw away a 2-0 lead), highlighting the shared struggles of both clubs.

Looking at current form for both teams, in the last six games we have a matching record points-wise. Both of us have collected just three points from those games, West Ham with three draws and three defeats, Tottenham with one win and five defeats. Our North London adversaries rarely do drawn matches having shared the spoils in just four of their 34 games so far, less than any team in the top flight. At least they have a positive goal difference for the season as a whole having scored far more goals than we have but with similar goals conceded figures.

Only Wolves (of the non-relegated teams) have conceded more than the two of us. While I have highlighted current form just take a look at what Wolves have achieved under their new manager Vitor Pereira. They currently top the 6-game form league with six wins and 18 points. In fact it’s better than any team in Europe’s top 5 leagues. All this talk about the fact that progress takes time! It doesn’t necessarily have to. It hasn’t taken that long in Wolverhampton. And isn’t part of our problem the fact that this ‘takes time’ talk enters the players minds and becomes part of the reason behind underperformance? Potter keeps on about this being a long rebuilding job, and I get that in some ways, but taking us from thirteenth to seventeenth is just not on.

Potter’s focus on performances over results has frustrated the fans, who demand more than just effort. His post-match comments often emphasize competitiveness, but such platitudes won’t suffice if the team fails to deliver against our bitter rivals this weekend. A win against Tottenham could be the turning point Potter desperately needs, but another lacklustre display might seal his fate. He won’t get sacked if we lose on Sunday, but a poor performance will lead to the fans turning further against him.

While both clubs have bigger historical rivals—Millwall for West Ham and Arsenal for Tottenham—the intensity of the clashes has grown in recent years. Former Tottenham defender Kyle Walker recently described the West Ham rivalry as more passionate than the North London Derby, a sentiment that resonates with our fans, even if the Tottenham fans believe otherwise.

This match is about more than just points; it’s about pride and setting the tone for the future. As West Ham fans, we are known for our high standards and deep football knowledge, and we won’t tolerate mediocrity. As Craig Bellamy once said, “(West Ham) they’re the most knowledgeable fans of all the teams I’ve played for. You can’t kid them. They expect effort, skill, and resilience. They’ve been brought up on Bobby Moore.”

For Postecoglou, this game may be one of his last chances to leave Tottenham on a high note. Of course, winning the Europa League is probably his key ambition, but the Thursday / Sunday / Thursday fixtures effect (as we know from experience) could work against them and add to our chances of winning the game.

For Potter, it’s an opportunity to prove he can begin to lead us out of our current malaise. The fans will forgive him (a little) if we win this game (such is the over-emphasis given to local derbies), but they are already beginning to queue up questioning if he is the right man to lead our club. He really lost it showing more emotion than before when speaking after the Brighton defeat. Players speaking out following games suggests that the dressing room is divided. No evidence of the ‘we are all in this together attitude’ that you normally hear when clubs are struggling.

As the Premier League season nears its conclusion, can we begin to have some hope for what the next campaign will bring? There’s much to do over the summer. That seems to be a recurring theme at West Ham.

Graham Potter is currently facing challenges. Can he find the solutions to improve the situation?

Is he experiencing major difficulties, or are there minor issues that need addressing? Did he misjudge the size of the task? Is he up to it? The outcome remains uncertain.

Geoff reviewed our home draw against Southampton earlier this week, a game against a team that was relegated with seven games of the season remaining. I only saw the highlights. We became just the fourth team to fail to beat them on their travels this season after their win at Ipswich and draws at Fulham and Brighton, our opponents this Saturday.

Brighton sits in mid-table (10th) on 48 points and is one of five clubs who will finish between eighth and twelfth. Bournemouth (8th) has 49 points, Fulham and Brighton have 48, Brentford 46, and Palace 45.

The Premier League this season is separated into five distinct groups. The top pair comprises Liverpool and Arsenal. The next group of five (the “nearly teams”) are separated by just four points; Manchester City with 61, Forest 60, Newcastle 59, Chelsea, and Villa both 57.

Well behind the mid-table group are the “real disappointments,” consisting of Everton, Manchester United, Wolves all with 38 points, Tottenham with 37, and ourselves with 36. The three teams promoted last season have not performed well and are on their way back down.

A table I saw recently shows the points tally of each club in the Premier League compared to this stage last season. Everton has the same points as last time, while seven teams are worse off: Wolves (-5), Villa (-6), Arsenal (-8), West Ham (-12), Manchester United (-15), Manchester City (-18), and Tottenham (-23). We are 12 points below where we were at this stage last season, although we finished in the top half (9th). Forest is at the top of this particular table being 28 points better off.

I’ve just been reviewing Graham Potter’s media conference in advance of our trip to Brighton this Saturday. He began with the injury situation confirming Alvarez will still be sidelined with a back injury while Wan-Bissaka should be back. That’s good news.

He said he “understands the fans’ frustrations” at recent results: “We’re not playing how we want to play but to look at the bigger picture, it’s not so straightforward to change things. You have to accept things and be up for the challenge. I want to support the players, who have been brilliant, and we’ll fight together.” So the players have been brilliant eh?

He emphasised that in the games before he arrived (for the last two seasons he probably meant) the team conceded a lot of goals. His inference here was that they have now tightened up at the back and have been competitive. But not successful it seems.

When asked about our habit of conceding late goals, Potter said: “It’s a number of factors. It’s very complicated. When we came in, we were conceding early goals, and now it’s late goals, but it’s very tough for very different reasons.” What kind of answer was that!

Potter was also asked about Fullkrug’s comments afterlast weekend’s draw: “Sometimes you have to understand that after a game, everyone’s emotional. It should be that way, but when you’re a leader you have to accept the emotion and put things in perspective. Niclas wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s entitled to his opinion. For me, it’s better to have conversations in private. You have to be able to be honest and to think about the team as well.” I think he was saying (in a roundabout way) that he wasn’t too pleased!

These pre-match media conferences often feature responses that may seem bland.

I do wish Potter success and a productive transfer window. He has faced challenges since arriving at London Stadium, but it remains to be seen how his tenure will progress.

Remembering 50 years ago when West Ham won the FA Cup

(Prior to facing rock bottom Southampton this weekend we take a trip down memory lane with a nostalgic look back at the 1974-75 season)

After a 4-0 opening day defeat at Manchester City to begin the 1974-75 season West Ham only won one game in the first seven matches and were bottom of the league. This led to a managerial change and long-standing coach and former player John Lyall became the team manager under the guidance of Ron Greenwood.

A big change at Upton Park at a time when Britain was in the midst of a double-dip recession and change was present everywhere. At the time colour TVs had only been here for a few years enabling us to watch the three channels available, BBC1, BBC2, and ITV. A new 22-inch colour TV cost £259 (inflation adjusted to the present this is approaching £2000!), and we could watch a brand new comedy series (Fawlty Towers), but the internet, mobile phones, (even the Premier League!) and many other aspects of modern life as we know it now were still some years away. Petrol costs at the time had risen rapidly and had now reached around 17p per litre, although it was still sold in gallons at the time, and we could buy a brand new Ford Cortina for £1,765. A pint of beer set us back around 28p, a newspaper around 5p, and the average house price was around £12,000.

But, back to football, and we needed changes on the pitch if we were to progress after the dismal start. Billy Jennings and Keith Robson were bought and this had an immediate effect when they were teamed up with Bobby Gould in a front three which was immediately successful when all three scored (Jennings and Robson were on their debuts) when Leicester City were thrashed 6-2, Birmingham 3-0 and Burnley 5-3. Our new recruits had scored nine goals between them in their first three games together.

Five wins in September and October were followed with an unbeaten run of nine games from the beginning of November until Boxing Day as we rose to fifth in the First Division. That was the highest placing we managed in the season as we then began what was traditionally known as West Ham coming down with the Christmas lights as we gradually descended the table to finish thirteenth.

Looking back at the season we can see how things have changed in the last fifty years. The 22 team first division saw Derby County crowned as champions for the second time in four years (ironically they too only recorded one win in their first seven games), and teams such as Ipswich, Stoke, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Burnley and QPR all finished in the top half. Newcastle, Arsenal and Tottenham (like ourselves) all finished in the bottom half and Chelsea were relegated alongside bottom club Carlisle. Just look at the league tables to see where Carlisle are now! (second from bottom of league 2 and likely to be relegated from the football league). Manchester United were a second division team, as were this weekend’s opponents Southampton who finished 13th.

We did face Southampton that season though in the third round of the FA Cup at the start of a memorable cup run. Gould and Lampard scored our goals in a 2-1 victory at the Dell. In Round 4 we were drawn against third division Swindon Town but we could only draw 1-1 at home (Jennings) before winning the replay away 2-1 (Brooking, Holland). And 2-1 was once again the score when we defeated QPR at Upton Park with goals from Holland and Robson to earn a quarter-final tie at Highbury.

There had been a surprise signing just before Christmas that season when a young Alan Taylor was signed for £45,000 from fourth division Rochdale. He had only four substitute appearances before he was chosen to start at Arsenal and he scored twice as we once again scored two goals to win the game 2-0.

We were now in the semi-final and having seen all the games up to this point I remember travelling with Geoff to Villa Park on April 5th to witness one of the most drab games of football we had ever witnessed as both ourselves and Ipswich played out a 0-0 bore draw. The replay was at Stamford Bridge the following Wednesday when in snowy conditions we were outplayed by high flying Ipswich but somehow once again won the game 2-1 with Alan Taylor scoring twice again. Ipswich were a top team at the time finishing third that season just two points behind champions Derby.

Fifty years ago this Saturday (19th April) I had to miss the home league game against Coventry City as I was getting married on the day. We lost the game 2-1, the eighth game in a run of nine league games where we had failed to win. A honeymoon in Majorca was kept to one week to enable me to be back for the final on May 3rd where for the sixth round of cup football in a row we once again scored two goals in a 2-0 win against second division Fulham who had Bobby Moore and Alan Mullery in their side. Alan Taylor made history scoring two goals that day to follow his two goals in the quarter- final and semi-final.

This Saturday we face already relegated Southampton who are rock bottom with 10 points and looking to pick up more to avoid the unenviable record of being the worst team in Premier League history. Our league position is not much better than theirs – following our late 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last weekend we have slipped to 17th, immediately above, and thankful for, the three teams who are so far below us. (See Geoff’s article reviewing the game). I agree with most of his excellent review but personally I wouldn’t want Alvarez replacing JWP. We are, however, just three points below Everton in thirteenth, so a successful run in our final six games of the season could possibly elevate us into 13th, the exact position we occupied 50 years ago.  

But this time around we don’t have a Cup Final to look forward to, and I suspect most of us as West Ham fans are just looking forward to the end of this poor season, the summer transfer window, a clearout, some new faces, and with renewed hope for a better campaign starting in August.