England

Football Travel: West Ham United

Please share:
London Stadium, West Ham’s new home.

West Ham United is a club in transition. Since moving out of its much-loved Boleyn Ground at Upton Park into London’s former Olympic Stadium, the club now finds itself as the Europe’s eighth most-attended side. We went along to the London Stadium to have a look for ourselves.

For fans of the old Victoriana of traditional football grounds, the loss of West Ham’s old Boleyn Ground is momentous. The idea of utilising the rebranded ‘London Stadium’ is sound enough, so long as it delivers on its ambition to propel West Ham to the forefront of European football.

At the time of writing, West Ham were struggling and some fans were in open revolt. But given time, West Ham could be very successful with the right investment. The best talent should be attracted to play in such an impressive venue in London, so it could just be teething trouble.

The London Stadium is a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games

The atmosphere at the London Stadium

I went along to the London Stadium for an FA Cup third round replay when tickets were offered for just £10, so the atmosphere was somewhat subdued on a freezing cold January night. The majority of the noise came from the visiting Shrewsbury Town fans, but on a typical Premier League match, you can expect a near full-house nudging 60,000.

I am sure lots of people will compare atmospheres at the intimate, close-knit Boleyn Ground and the expansive London Stadium, where there is quite some distance between the fans and the field of play. Personally, I don’t like a ground where I can’t hear the ball being kicked or the players and coaching staff shouting. A key element of the game is lost for me.

To be fair, I was midway up on a corner section, but there’s plenty West Ham could do to encourage an atmosphere. Just look at other stadiums with an athletic track legacy, like the Stadio Olimpico in Roma, or the Olympiastadion in Berlin, which have awesome curve and tribunes.

How to visit West Ham at the London Stadium

Tickets for West Ham tickets can be purchased from the club’s online ticket office. The price varies according to the category of match, determined by the calibre of the opponents, and where you sit.

The London Stadium is very easily accessible via Stratford station, via the London Underground or overground train from Liverpool Street in the City of London.

Chris

Recent Posts

Football and National Identity in Argentina and Uruguay 

Match day at Boca Juniors' famous La Bombonera [Photo: Chris Lee/Outside Write] In November 2024,…

7 days ago

Podcast: Women and Football Fandom

Fulham Lillies, a women-run fan group for supporters of Fulham FC's women's and men's sides…

1 month ago

Guest Post: A Refugee’s Search for a Home in the Beautiful Game

Pre-match at La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors [Photo: Vedran Dedic] In this guest post,…

1 month ago

Podcast: 100 Years of Umbro

I welcome Alex Ireland back onto the podcast to discuss his new book on Manchester…

1 month ago

Podcast: The Industrial Roots of English Football

My guest is David Proudlove, whose new book Work and Play: The Industrial Roots of…

2 months ago

Podcast: The Fall and Rise of Brighton & Hove Albion

Pre-match at Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium [Photo: Outside Write] My guest is Michael…

2 months ago