West Ham United’s most passionate group of fans, the WHU Foundation’s Any Old Irons, were thrilled and humbled to have been invited to perform at the Club’s illustrious celebratory Road to Victory dinner on Thursday evening.
Held in honour of the team’s achievements on that memorable night in Prague, fans and Club partners joined the UEFA Europa Conference League winning squad for an evening of festivities at The InterContinental London – The O2.
Extending a warm welcome to arriving guests within the hall, the Any Old Irons choir set the tone with their melodic renditions of 'Que Sera, Sera', 'Moon River', accompanied by cherished fan favourites that got the whole audience involved, including the heartening tunes of 'Sweet Caroline' and the iconic anthem 'Bubbles'.
“I’m absolutely delighted and so proud of the Any Old Irons singers,” exclaimed choir leader John Chapman. “I’m so impressed by everyone today for finding the courage, resolution and commitment to sing at a major function like this run by the Club."
Since its inception in 2015, the Any Old Irons has welcomed West Ham United fans over 65 years old to bimonthly gatherings with the objective of combatting loneliness and social isolation, two significant predictors of reduced wellbeing and premature mortality rates.
For the best part of the last decade, the Any Old Irons have been an indelible part of the Club’s fabric. Notably, the choir members were recently asked to take part in the Anthem kit release production, harmonising their voices alongside members of the men's and women's first teams, deepening even further their connection with the West Ham United community.
“They’ve shown yet again that they’re up for any public challenge,” Chapman continued. “It’s the third function we’ve done since February and every time they meet very high standards of commitment. It’s been a long day, but it was so worth it!”
Overall, this was a very unique opportunity for the collective, serving as a quintessential embodiment of the core essence that defines the Any Old Irons programme.
“It was a very new experience for everyone,” Chapman added. “It was almost like catching the 1950s bus to Southend-on-Sea to the beach; such was the atmosphere on the coach here! They weren’t focused or concentrated; it was just pure excitement! Upon arrival, we had a chat, settled, and reminded ourselves of the standards we needed to set, and had some practice before.
“We all feel so privileged. We never take the opportunities offered to the Any Old Irons for granted. It’s been a fantastic and unique experience and we would like to eagerly wish the team the best for the upcoming campaign.”
