The Boleyn Ground for goodness sake!!! (Upton Park (West Ham FC))

Member Name: salgirl

Product:	Upton Park (West Ham FC)
Date:	12/05/01 (228 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Home of West Ham United

Disadvantages: None

It's a popular misconception that West Ham United play at Upton Park. Correction due. They play at the Boleyn Ground, which happens to be in Upton Park. It's one of those silly things that annoy me, but it's like people who mis-pronounce names, I can't help but correct them.

Upton Park is an area in West Ham, East London. The ground itself is situated just off the Barking High Road or Romford Road, and the main gates are down Green Street. This is the entrance to the West Stand, and the entrance to the East Stand, where the infamous Chicken Run is, can be found after a wander down Priory Road.

The ground is definitely due for it's update. The new stand is currently going up, which will raise capacity from 26,000 to 40,000, and should afford some fantastic views. Can't be much fun for the local residents though, it has to be said.

The Boleyn at the moment is a bit of a windy dinosaur. Very basic, nothing flash but a good atmosphere makes all the difference. The lower West stand has a lot of the wisecrackers in the crowd. They're near to the away fans part of the ground in the Centenary Stand, and much banter is batted back and forth between the two camps. Most of it is good natured, but it can get a bit fruity, to put it nicely. The Bobby Moore Stand is opposite to the Centenary, and usually produces the bulk of the singing, again usually funny, but always stirring. Now the infamous Chicken Run is where you tend to get your real hard core and very vocal critics. I've read of more than one player who's said how intimidating it is running down the wing, past loads of mouths screaming abuse at them. Well, it works on occassion so it can't be a bad thing in my books!

Facilities are okay if you like harking back to the 70's for your comfort, but the Ladies has two loos which are always clean, and the sinks have soap and hand towels, and considering how little thought can go into these amenitie
s (especially as far as Ladies are concerned) then there needs to be a little more forethought for when the new stand is completed. The current general seating arrangement is tight, they'd probably prefer cosy as a description, but it is tight. Just like our Board actually!

The Hammerettes entertain the ogling men during half-time, but I'm usually too busy reading the fanzine Over Land And Sea to take much notice. I've seen them do a few cartwheels and back-flips, to which they'll get roars of approval, so I suppose they're worth their appearance money. If you're a bloke that is. Or one of their Mums.

The half time refreshments are very popular, but I've never indulged in any more than the occassional coffee. Hubby swears by their Chicken Balti Pies, though! Not expensive, especially not as expensive as the stalls outside the ground (and I wouldn't trust them for food either. A good vet could have had my burger walking again with a bit of work) so don't get tempted. Buy inside the ground.

Handy to get to by tube, West Ham underground station is at the top of Green Street, less than 5 minutes walk from the ground. The pubs are always full to brimming on match days before the games, but check which of them will let in away fans. Not many will and certainly the Bolen pub at the corner of Barking High Road and Green Street won't!

It's very East End of London. Nothing fancy with frills, but it's the home of some of the most entertaining football in England, even if it doesn't see all that many successes. Not much trouble at all these days, and I've seen none at all this season, so it's a good place to take the kiddies to. The rules in the ground won't allow for racial chants, swearing and alcohol abuse and I've seen more than one guy being chucked out because he's been too offensive.

So remember. It's THE BOLEYN in Upton Park, East London. Stump your f
riends at trivia quizzes with it!!

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