Farewell Boleyn - From the Newsroom

The Sun Football Writer Andy Dillon looks back at some memorable moments following the Hammers at the Boleyn Ground

The Sun Football Writer Andy Dillion has been covering West Ham United for the last 20-years and has a number of magical memories from his time reporting on the Hammers at the Boleyn Ground, including getting an international star to dress up as Superman and having Paolo Di Canio apologise to his dictaphone! He is also a lifelong West Ham supporter and will be full of emotions as the Club prepares to make a historic move during the summer.

 

I have so many fond memories of the Boleyn Ground going back to when I first started as a Journalist working for Hayters Sports Agency filing goal flashes for Grandstand.


I also worked for the East London Advertiser when Harry Redknapp was in charge when we used to sit in the press box in the old West stand.


I will never forget the narrow steps that took us up to the seats and the intimidating atmosphere that the fans created.


It will be a say day when we have to leave the famous old stadium and it has always been a ground where there has been a story to be told with West Ham both on and off the field.


Paolo Di Canio always provided us with great entertainment and I will never forget the time we spoke to him after a home game and he apologised into my dictaphone for swearing.


It was always great when he agreed to speak with us and would always speak from the heart and it felt like he was giving us a 25 minute answer to every question that we asked him!


But I think he got carried away with one response and ended up swearing which he later realised what he had done and grabbed my recorder and kissed it before apologising into it.


I remember another great story when we signed former Real Madrid striker Davor Suker and I came up with an idea that we wanted him to become 'Sukerman'.


I took a Superman outfit down to the ground and in those days you could get away with it!


He seemed very confused at first at what I was asking him to do and I thought it was never going to happen.


But the next thing I knew he was down to his underpants and was trying the costume on.


I think the West Ham fans enjoyed seeing him dressed up as a super-hero and probably also enjoyed the time we got our former keeper Craig Forrest in fancy dress at the Boleyn Ground.


There was a story going round at the time that the authorities were considering giving keepers the option to wear glasses like Edgar Davids. We thought that was hilarious as eye-sight is obviously very important for a keeper.


West Ham were training at the Boleyn Ground and I actually persuaded Craig over the phone that it would be a good idea for him try on these glasses.


He posed for a picture wearing these boss-eyed glasses and I think it made the front page of Supergoals.


There have been many memorable moments covering games but probably one of the biggest post-match moments came when I got a rare one on one interview with Wayne Rooney.


We played Manchester United back in December 2009 and it was just after the World Cup draw.


I thought I would try my luck with England's big superstar expecting him to say no but he agreed to speak with me and gave me a great story saying he went for a lie down in his hotel room and fell asleep and missed the whole draw.


I had to share the story with the rest of the national papers and the ironic thing is that my paper only used six paragraphs and the rest of the papers splashed it on the back page!


I think that sums up the great entertainment you get from a West Ham game at the Boleyn Ground and always expect the unexpected.


The crowd are always newsworthy and the fans are always lively with their passionate support which makes for good copy.


I am really going to miss Green Street and everything that surrounds the stadium. When you turn out of Upton Park station and hear all the noise and see the crowds.


You walk past all the stalls and can smell the hamburgers. I think a lot of fans will miss that walk from the station to the stadium.


As many people will know I am a big West Ham United fan so I will be full of emotions as we prepare to play our final ever game at the Boleyn Ground.


I hope to be back there for some of the remaining matches and will never forget my experiences of attending the ground from both a personal and professional point of view.


I fell in love with the old South Bank and will never forget the first game I was allowed to go on my own when we faced Crystal Palace.


I stood behind the goal and from that moment on I fell in love with the ground and watching West Ham.


I will miss everything about the Boleyn Ground – especially 'Mr Moon has left the stadium' – we will be joining him after the final home game against Manchester United!


The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Ham United