Joint-Chairman David Gold led an extra-special tour of West Ham United’s new home this week to celebrate the resumption of construction work at the former Olympic Stadium.
Alongside Hammers trio Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell and Reece Oxford, the Joint-Chairman was joined by a handpicked group of competition winners, comprising of Founders of West Ham’s new home and supporters on the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.
Among them was five-month-old Season Ticket Holder Olivia Jones, Mary Flight, who had hopped on a plane from Scotland the day before to be in attendance and expectant mother Charlotte Parker, who has joined the Priority List on behalf of her son or daughter!
The touring party enjoyed a sneak peak of the dressing room and the manager’s suite, where each winning group was presented with a 15/16 home shirt by Mr Gold, before walking through the players’ tunnel and out onto the pitch.
Alongside Hammers trio Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell and Reece Oxford, the Joint-Chairman was joined by a handpicked group of competition winners, comprising of Founders of West Ham’s new home and supporters on the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.
Among them was five-month-old Season Ticket Holder Olivia Jones, Mary Flight, who had hopped on a plane from Scotland the day before to be in attendance and expectant mother Charlotte Parker, who has joined the Priority List on behalf of her son or daughter!
The touring party enjoyed a sneak peak of the dressing room and the manager’s suite, where each winning group was presented with a 15/16 home shirt by Mr Gold, before walking through the players’ tunnel and out onto the pitch.
Mr Gold himself was thrilled to back at the new Stadium and enormously proud that the Club have already broken the record for Season Ticket sales nine months before the Hammers’ opening game in the new venue.
“A lot of people were saying we couldn't achieve that and we are absolutely thrilled to have done that. As we go through the various stages we are confident that we can fill the Stadium quite comfortably.
“I would urge fans who are on the priority list to take their appointments at the Reservation Centre and get their applications in for the new Stadium because it is going to be something special.
“It was great that we were able to bring some of the fans into the ground and I find it extraordinary that we have already got a five-month old baby who has a season ticket while another pregnant lady is already on the priority list.
“It shows the passion and desire that our fans have and it is a special time to be a West Ham United supporter.
“What we have achieved with the LLDC and Boris Johnson is something special. Most of the Olympic Stadiums around the world have ended up as white elephants, but this is going to be a vibrant stadium and something the whole country can be proud of.”
Hammers duo Aaron Cresswell and Manuel Lanzini are also relishing the chance to showcase their talents in the new Stadium next season.
Cresswell said: “This is the first time I have been in the Stadium and it takes your breath away.
“We want to make the last season at the Boleyn Ground a memorable one and bring a good start to the new Stadium. We are all looking forward to playing there.
“We have been on a mini-tour and everything looks first class. We have a fantastic atmosphere at the Boleyn Ground and want to bring the same to the new Stadium.
“It is fantastic that we have broken the record for season ticket sales and it will be a fantastic place to play football.”
Lanzini said: “It is very impressive. The facilities are excellent and I hope the fans will enjoy it. It will give us a major boost to play there.
“I have been lucky enough to play in some great stadiums during my career but this is going to be absolutely incredible. All footballers are going to want to play here.
“It is going to help West Ham to grow as a Club and we want to put on a really good show.”
Lifelong Hammer and Season Ticket Holder Mary Flight cannot wait for the show to start and, despite now living north of the border, has long since secured her seats.
Mary, alongside her son Tim, travelled down from the Highlands on Tuesday morning to be part of the tour and was certainly glad that she did!
“We’re thrilled to bits,” Mary told West Ham TV. “Once we heard we were on the competition shortlist we could hardly sit still, we were so excited.
“It's thrilling, the atmosphere here, even without players, is just amazing. It will be tremendous [when it's finished], but it already is!”