FOOTBALL has consumed my life since I was a small child. Many of my significant memories, both happy and sad, are inextricably linked to West Ham United. As my hair's turned grey, my passion is no less fervent, and this season already seems special.
It really feels that Alan Pardew has now got HIS team playing OUR way. Alan knows as well as anybody, that football is a results' business, but throughout his tenure at our Club, which ever way the results have gone, he has presented himself with such remarkable dignity. I am extremely proud to have him as our manager. The support the crowd has given the team this season has been remarkable, too.
How could we not beat Blackburn on the opening fixture with well over 30,000 souls willing the players to do well? Listening to some of the players after the match, they talked about the 'spine chilling' moments before they stepped onto the pitch, and the massive lift they were given being cheered off at half-time, despite being 1-0 down. They know, as does Alan, the significant role our supporters can play this season.
At Newcastle, a supporter asked me after the game if the players could hear the fans, (as Newcastle place the visiting fans way, way up in the Gods.) Can I say, you band of travelling fans could be heard for the entire match. The Newcastle fans could only be heard when they were calling for Freddie Shepperd's head, which made a change from people screaming for mine!
There is a really positive feel around the Club at the moment. We have come through a very difficult period in West Ham's history, and we are hoping Alan will be writing the next successful chapter in his own inimitable style. As has been well documented, he tried to sign a striker prior to the transfer window closing. In fact, the work had been going on all summer, starting immediately on our return to London from Cardiff. He was thwarted at the 11th hour in his attempt to sign Benni McCarthy, but his, and Paul Aldridge's transfer activity, was in many ways incredibly successful, with Roy Carroll, Paul Konchesky, Danny Gabbidon and Yossi Benayoun making an immediate and impressive start with us. (They also secured the services of young James Collins who I know will be a tremendous player for us). I have received many emails from fans saying how delighted they are with Yossi, and many saying he reminds them of Alan Devonshire. Let's hope he goes on to become a legend here, as Devo himself did.
Alan knows that running a football club is a team effort and he would be the first, I'm sure, to praise his staff for the sterling work they do behind the scenes. I'd especailly like to single out Tony Carr. Not only a fantastic servant to our Club, but a very special man, too. The exceptional scouting team, led by Jimmy Hampson, continue to unearth the most incredible talents and Tony is second to none at steering those boys along the treacherous path towards professional football. When you think that currently he has Anton Ferdinand in the England Under-21 team, Mark Noble in the Under-19 squad, Hogan Ephraim in the Under-18s, James Tomkins in the Under-17s, and Jordan Spence, Tom Harvey and Tony Brooks in the Under-16s, this gives an indication of the man's abilities. Only occasionally in football these days, can you put your hand on your heart and say "that man earns every penny he gets", but I feel I can when talking about Jimmy, Tony and Alan Pardew.
And I'd like to add that now we have moved West Ham back onto a sound financial footing, no players will be sold unless the manager thinks it is for the benefit of the Club to move them on. Alan and I would like to see our Academy players stay on and enjoy the best years of their footballing lives with us. Let's hope we can enjoy more celebratory dances from Anton as we did last week at Tottenham! (And let's all hope his dancing improves over the years!) There will be difficult times ahead for us this season. That is inevitable. But so long as the players keep putting the effort in, I am sure you, the fans, will continue to put the effort in, too.
Some members of the Sky Sports team commented about the fervour and passion of the fans for the live match against Aston Villa. That can only give players a lift. Once again, we had more fans at Upton Park for a league game than Chelsea had the following night in the Champions League. And I would like to add, the Boleyn Ground crowd had far greater value for money! The first Premier League hat-trick, plus a sublime goal from Yossi. I am pretty sure our fans went home the happier.
At one AGM, during a particularly barren spell on the pitch, a fan stood up and said: "All we need is a bit of hope!" Another fan said they wanted players "with the same thing beating under their rib cage as us!" Although that was before Alan's appointment, he seems to have satisfied those two goals. Our big hope this season must be to carry on the tremendous start and maintain our Premier League status, whilst watching a set of honest footballers playing their hearts out for the team we all support.
Terence Brown, Chairman