Another Bubble Burst (Upton Park (West Ham FC))

Member Name: utero

Product:	Upton Park (West Ham FC)
Date:	20/10/05 (270 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Not too bad to get too, nice stadium

Disadvantages: Cramped underneath terraces

Last season grabbing three points away from home was a pipedream. Far from the doom of being a premiership struggler, there was always the FA cup to look forward to. Instead of being drawn against someone from league one or two, we got West Ham away. We had played them the previous season and both times ended in a 1-1 draw. Needless to say I was less than confident on current form that we would get an easy passage through to the next round. Come final whistle we had lost 1-0 to a late Marlon Harewood goal, back we would go to East Anglia with coaches humming with despair.

Anyway at least this a chance to visit Upton Park, a ground I doubt I’ll be seeing next season based on current happenings on the pitch.

When I was younger I always though West Ham was in West London. Of course it’s actually in the East End of the big smoke. We took the club coach to the game and it wasn’t a bad journey. This part of London isn’t really heaving with some of the traffic flow that you may find in other areas. The ground is clearly visible behind a parade of shops and pubs. Should you be wishing to have a pre match drink or something to east then there are several places within easy walking distance.

The ground has gone through a lot of renovation in recent years. Three sides of the ground are now substantial in size. The East Stand still has to catch up a bit but I’d imagine it would be overhauled if West Ham maintained their top-flight status for a few seasons.

There was a decent police presence around the ground and they were helpful when we were looking for where to go. One of the policewomen would have hit me with her truncheon any time!

As away supporters we found ourselves housed in the lower tier of the Centenary Stand. This stand is located behind one of the goals. The views of the pitch were very good and weren’t obscured in any way. The seats had a good amount of leg room compared to some grounds and the stewarding was relaxed.

Inside the stand is where things take a bit of a downturn. There’s not much open space at the food and drink stand. This means getting a drink can prove to be a bit of a quest. There are also a couple of TV screens in this area, if there’s a match on then people will congregate around here and make it more unbearable. We had to retreat to the corridors underneath the terrace for a bit of breathing space.

Atmosphere wise it was merely adequate. At the time we weren’t doing well and West Ham were in a state of underachievement. The game reflected this with not a lot going on pitch side. It was obviously an FA Cup tie that didn’t inspire hammers fans as the attendance was pretty poor and this didn’t help.

Cost wise I paid £24 to get in. For a London club this wasn’t bad but maybe a lower price may have bought out the crowd and made it a better occasion. Anyway I’d definitely go back some time to Upton Park, hopefully it will be in the top flight but for now I look on at them with envious eyes.

Summary: Beware the bubbles of fate at Upton Park!