Finals are not so bad.
You’ve gone all the way, you’re there, in the grand finale, in front of as many fans as the stadium and the protocols allow.
It’s a day out for your fans, or longer if, as in the Europa Conference League final this year, it’s in the glorious city of Prague, the home of spectacular Romanesque, Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic architectures plus, in recent times, a favourite destination for stag and hen parties.
Semi-finals though, are different. You know the ultimate prize is within reach, you can almost taste it – but there is one more giant hurdle to go before you’re there.
The disappointment, even despair of losing a semi-final is still fresh in the memory of most of this West Ham team, the manager, his staff – and definitely the fans.
It seemed nothing was going to halt the momentum of the Hammers’ Europa League adventure last season, especially after victories over the competition’s specialists Sevilla – and then Lyon.
The West Ham fans were already researching the various routes to the 2022 final venue of Seville – well before the two-legged semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The first leg was at London Stadium and it didn’t start well, with Ansgar Knauff heading the German side in front inside a minute.
Michail Antonio equalised after 21 minutes but a second half goal from Daichi Kamada meant David Moyes’ team faced a monumental challenge in Frankfurt for the second leg.
As it was, an early red card for Aaron Cresswell and some debatable decisions which, after the game, led to sanctions for the manager and Declan Rice, summed up a frustrating night for West Ham, who went down 1-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate.
I have no doubt that West Ham will have learned much from that experience, specifically the importance of discipline early plus the need for patience with unaccustomed refereeing methods.
When you reach the final stages of European competition, the margins grow ever finer but although last season’s Europa League semi-final ended in ultimate disappointment, the memories of those electrifying nights at London Stadium will never be forgotten by those who was there.
Talking of special European nights involving Eintracht Frankfurt, I was fortunate enough to be one of the privileged Chicken Run patrons on a pulsating night in the spring of 1976, when the German team came to East London for the second leg of the Cup Winners Cup semi-final.
The first leg had been away from home, with Eintracht Frankfurt battling back from an early Graham Paddon goal, to win 2-1.
The second leg produced the best atmosphere I ever experienced at the Boleyn Ground.
The vastly superior facilities these days mean you can linger on the concourse with a drink in hand until just before the kick-off, but it was different back then.
I can’t remember what time the gates were shut but I know I was in my usual place two hours before the scheduled kick-off time, with only a bag of Percy Dalton peanuts for sustenance.
Just under 40,000 were crammed in place as the two teams trotted out for their warm-ups and the look on the Eintracht Frankfurt players’ faces was something to behold.
The tight confines of the stadium, the sheer tension in the air, seemed to suck the life out of them, even though the tie was still in their favour after a goalless first half.
The stage was set for the maestro though – and he didn’t disappoint, with Sir Trevor Brooking scoring twice in the second half, plus a spectacular effort from Keith Robson.
A late Eintracht Frankfurt goal made the final, frenzied minutes more nervous than it should have been – but West Ham were through to the final after a game – and an atmosphere – which still stands out for me, even after all this time.
Eleven years earlier, I was in my usual position behind a crash barrier in the antiquated, original chicken run, when Spanish club Real Zaragoza were the visitors for the first leg of the Cup Winners Cup semi-final.
To be honest, the memories of that game have long since faded but first half goals from Brian Dear, who remains an entertaining presence in the media lounge on match days – and Johnny ‘Budgie’ Byrne, were enough to give Ron Greenwood’s Hammers a slender 2-1 first leg lead.
A first-half goal made it all square on aggregate but a 54th-minute equaliser from John Sissons ensured a West Ham win and set up one of the club’s proudest ever achievements, a 2-0 Wembley final victory over TSV Munich.
This West Ham team now stand ready to emulate that fabulous night, almost 58 years ago.
It’s time.
