Date: Saturday 9 August 2025
Time: 11am – 1pm
Location: London Stadium
Attendees
Club Staff
Lee Woodcock (LW), Fan Engagement Manager
Ruth Kennedy (RK), Matchday Safeguarding Manager
Megan Carruthers (MC), Marketing Events and Experiential Manager
Kerry O’Shea, (KOS), Fan Engagement Lead
Club Guests
Matt Jarvis, Current Club Ambassador and Former Player
JSB Members
Martha
Archie
Erin
Ethan
Joey
Austin
Apologies
Stanley
Emilia
Ayesha
George
Agenda
Introduction and You Said, We Did
Icebreaker Activity
Fan Advisory Board Effectiveness Review
JSB Actions & Updates
New Actions
Matt Jarvis Q&A
1. Introduction and You Said, We Did
The Club welcomed the Junior Supporters’ Board (JSB) back for the meeting and gave an update on the recruitment process for next season. The Club thanked the JSB for their hard work and contributions throughout the season.
The group reviewed a ‘You Said, We Did’ segment, looking back at the projects completed across the season, including:
Hammerhead and Bubbles matchday locations
Reintroduction of the Hammer Collectables
Junior Hammer Fan Competitions
Junior Hammer Matchday Guide
Junior Hammer matchday programme pages
New Junior Hammer branding
Junior Hammer Workbooks
Junior Hammer matchday information on the WhatsApp Fan Information channel
2. Fan Advisory Board Effectiveness Review
The JSB Fan Representative on the Fan Advisory Board (FAB) gave an update on the work of the FAB. The Representative explained the purpose of the FAB and highlighted recent successes, including ticketing improvements such as concessions and price freezes.
They outlined the FAB’s goals for the future, which include expanding outreach to a wider fanbase, potentially increasing the number of meetings and board members, and establishing three new working groups. The group discussed the results of a recent fan survey, which received 7,700 responses. Feedback from the survey showed a desire to improve the matchday experience, including reducing queuing times, addressing the long walk from the station to the stadium, improving stewarding and enhancing food and drink options.
The FAB is also looking at ways to strengthen the Club’s cultural identity, with a particular focus on celebrating West Ham’s East End heritage.
3. JSB Actions & Updates
JSB 1/5-23-24 - Review Hammerhead and Bubbles locations and timings on matchday and communicate this to young fans.
The Club confirmed that different locations for Hammerhead and Bubbles are being trialled, including appearances at fan activations. These timings and locations have been added to the Junior Hammers matchday guide and the website. The mascots currently appear outside the Club Store for 15–20 minutes pre-match.
JSB members suggested that Hammerhead and Bubbles could appear outside food outlets or near the music area, but noted that space is limited in those areas. It was also suggested that a dedicated photo area could be created, so fans know exactly where to find them rather than searching around the stadium.
JSB 1/5-24-25 - Hammer Collectables
The Club confirmed that Hammer Collectables have returned and JSB members were given the latest cards during the meeting. Members liked the designs and the inclusion of both a Club legend and a current first-team player, saying it helps younger fans learn about West Ham legends as well as the current squad.
JSB members suggested that distribution points should be made clearer, with a potential option to hand them out alongside matchday programme sellers, supported by clear signage.
JSB 1/2-24-25 - Adding Junior Content to the West Ham United Fan Information WhatsApp Channel
The Club confirmed that a Junior-specific FAQ has been created and will be posted on the Fan Information WhatsApp channel - most members in the room confirmed they use WhatsApp.
JSB members suggested exploring Snapchat as an alternative platform to communicate with junior fans, noting that TikTok is less popular among this age group. Younger children often use YouTube, but older juniors do not.
JSB 2/2-24-25 - Making It Easier for Junior Hammers to Attend Matches – Matchday Guide
The Club confirmed that the new Junior Hammers matchday guide will be ready for the Chelsea fixture, members were happy with the design. It was noted that supporters under 13 are required to print their tickets, as they cannot be scanned from a phone, even if transferred. This restriction also applies to Android devices.
JSB 3/2-24-25 - Moving competition entries/adverts from X to the website, making it easier for young supporters to take part.
The Club confirmed that competitions and adverts have been moved from X to the website to make it easier for young supporters to take part. The number of competitions has also been increased from last season.
JSB members suggested adding a ‘Where’s the Football?’ game, similar to one used by other football accounts on Instagram. Further ideas for competitions included:
1v1 ‘winner stays on’ matches for fans, held before kick-off or at half-time, with the final winner receiving a prize (As seen at Aldershot Town’s open day)
A West Ham–themed Wordle, appealing to both young and older fans
A word search included in the matchday programme
All members agreed that all previous actions are now closed.
4. New Actions
Pre-Match Quiz – Child-Friendly Version
The JSB discussed creating a pre-match quiz aimed at Junior Hammers, focusing on Club history from the past five years so younger fans are more likely to know the answers. The quiz would be a pull-out sheet that juniors complete and hand in to an SLO. The top five participants could win the opportunity to interview a player or receive another prize. The interviews could then be published as a video or in written form, with the option for the interviewer to remain anonymous or have their name published. The Club agreed to look in to this and bring some suggestions to the next meeting.
Ticket Access on Mobile Devices for Supporters Under 13
The Club confirmed that supporters under 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, as they cannot attend matches alone for safeguarding reasons. A challenge was noted when juniors attend with relatives, such as grandparents, who have to scroll through numerous old tickets (including previous season tickets, Europa, and cup games) to find the correct one, which is not listed in chronological order. This process is repeated when the ticket is passed back to the junior to scan. JSB members suggested improving how old tickets can be removed from devices. It was noted that Apple Pay works well for this, but Android does not always offer the same ease of use. The Club agreed to raise this with the ticket office.
Family Security Fast-Track in Queuing Lanes
The JSB discussed whether young children should be able to use the security fast-track lanes, suggesting this should apply to families with babies or toddlers. The Club agreed to consider this and follow up at the next meeting.
QR codes around the stadium shows West Ham United history or a Quiz of the Day
The JSB proposed placing QR codes in high-footfall areas of the stadium, such as turnstiles (A, B and C), near toilets or by food outlets, where fans often stand and wait. These QR codes could link to a West Ham history page or a ‘Quiz of the Day’, with different content for each match.
The quizzes could be advertised by the matchday announcer. Members noted that previous in-stadium quizzes struggled to load due to limited Wi-Fi and suggested exploring NFC technology or an offline app to make them accessible without an internet connection. Another idea was to create a ‘museum’ area in the concourses, where QR codes could be used to share historical content. The Club agreed to look in to this and bring some suggestions to the next meeting.
5. Matt Jarvis Q&A
Former West Ham United winger Matt Jarvis joined the meeting for a Q&A session with JSB members. The group had prepared questions in advance, asking about his career highlights, challenges and experiences as a professional footballer. Matt shared personal insights into life on and off the pitch, offering advice to young fans and giving an inside look at what it takes to succeed in football.