West Ham United F.C. supporters
Contents
Demographics
West Ham have a larger than average number of male fans.[4]West Ham is the only club in the borough of Newham and a majority of fans in the borough support West Ham.[1] Their home match average attendance over the last six seasons was in excess of 33,000 per season[5] and despite finishing in bottom place in the Premier League for the 2010-11 season, their home attendance averaged 33,426, eleventh highest of all Premier League clubs.[6] Traditionally West Ham fans are drawn from London (in particular East London), and the home counties, however there are fans clubs around the world notably in Barcelona,[7] Tenerife,[8] Serbia,[9] Australia,[10] and Scandinavia which has over 800 members.[11]
Songs
In addition to the usual English football chants, West Ham fans sing I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles[12] The song is considered to be the clubs' anthem.[13] Songs and chants have also been created and sung for players, notably Paolo Di Canio,[14] Christian Dailly,[15] Bobby Zamora,[16] Frank Lampard[16] Pop Robson and Luděk Mikloško[17]Heroes and villains
Rivalries
Main article: Millwall F.C. and West Ham United F.C. rivalry
West Ham fans's longest-running and deepest rivalry is with Millwall fans[29] with both sets of supporters considering the other as their main rival.[30]The rivalry between Millwall and West Ham has always been a fierce encounter, from the first meeting – a 'friendly' on 23 September 1897, which the newly formed Thames Ironworks (not yet known as West Ham) lost 2–0 – up until their most recent meeting in a Championship clash in February 2012.
On 17 September 1906 in a Western League game, a particularly ferocious encounter saw one player hurled against a metal advertising board and others being stretchered off following heavy tackles. The East Ham Echo reported: "From the very first kick of the ball it was seen likely to be some trouble, but the storm burst when Dean and Jarvis came into collision (Millwall had two players sent off during the match). This aroused considerable excitement among the spectators. The crowds on the bank having caught the fever, free fights were plentiful."[31]
In 1926 the General Strike was observed by workers in the East End, who were mainly West Ham supporters, but the Millwall-supporting shipyard workers of the Isle of Dogs refused to lend their support, provoking mass outrage.
In 1972, a testimonial for Millwall defender Harry Cripps was marred by intense fighting between the two club's "firms", groups of hooligans intent on violence.
Millwall and West Ham United, separated by the River Thames, are just under 5 miles apart.[32]
During a League Cup game on 25 August 2009, violent clashes transpired between the two sets of supporters' outside Upton Park. Police estimated hundreds of fans were involved. Millwall supporter Alan Baker[35] was stabbed and left fighting for his life.[36][37] The pitch was invaded three times by West Ham supporters, causing play to be suspended.[38] The Football Association charged both clubs, investigated the aftermath and eventually fined West Ham £115,000. They were found to have failed to ensure their fans refrained from violent, threatening, obscene and provocative behaviour and from entering the field of play. Millwall were cleared of all charges.[39]
Violence among fans at matches between the two clubs can become so intense that there have been calls to never again allow games between the two in cup competitions and that any future league games be played behind closed doors.[40]
Matches against other London sides, such as Chelsea and Tottenham are also derbies and violence has occurred between fans although the rivalry is not as intense as that between West Ham and Millwall.[41][42]
Traditions
Fanzines
Starting in the late 1980s there have been many fanzines aimed at West Ham fans. These have included The Cockney Pride, The EastEnd Connection, The Loyal Supporter, UTD United, The Boleyn Scorcher, Never Mind the Boleyn, Forever Blowing Bubbles, Ultimate Truth, We Ate All the Pies, Fortunes Always Hiding, The Ultimate Dream, On a Mission From God, The Water in Majorca, On the Terraces and Over Land and Sea. Only the last of these is still in publication.[47]Racism, violence and hooliganism
West Ham fans have a tradition of violence and hooliganism.[43] Their ground, Upton Park, has also witnessed racism amongst fans and here football hooliganism originated amongst bovver boys in the 1960s.[48] Sympathisers of the National Front have handed out National Front leaflets outside Upton Park particularly following the launch of the National Front youth newspaper 'Bulldog' in 1977, and have successfully sold club memorabilia carrying 'NF' slogans and motifs.[49]
During the 1970s and 1980s (the main era for organised football-related violence) West Ham gained further notoriety for the levels of hooliganism in their fan base and antagonistic behaviour towards both their own and rival fans, and the police. During the 1970s in particular, rival groups of West Ham fans from neighbouring areas (most often groups from the districts of Barking & Dagenham) often fought each other at games.
In 1980 the club were forced to play their Cup Winners Cup game against Castilla behind closed doors to an empty ground after fans rioted at the away leg of the tie in the Bernabeu.[50] In 1985 five fans were stabbed on a cross-channel ferry to France after fighting involving fans of West Ham, Manchester United and Everton.[51] In 2006 on their last appearance in European football twenty West Ham fans appeared in an Italian court following their arrest after fights with rival supporters in Sicily before and after West Ham's game against Palermo in the away leg of their 2006–07 UEFA Cup game. At the home leg fans had bought T-shirts bearing the slogan "The Mafia" – a reference to Sicily being the home of the Cosa Nostra. This was seen as antagonistic by Palermo fans. Six West Ham fans, six police officers and five locals suffered minor injuries in fighting in Sicily. Rival fans threw bottles and chairs in the city's Teatro Massimo district. 500 people were involved in the brawl and police officers were attacked. It took police in riot gear more than an hour to bring the violence under control. An eyewitness said, "West Ham fans behaved like animals, roaming the streets, bottles in hand searching for anyone to fight".[52] More than 2,500 West Ham fans travelled to Palermo for the game.[53]
Inter City Firm
Main article: Inter City Firm
Mainly active in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, West Ham fans formed the Inter City Firm ('ICF'), an English football hooligan firm associated with the club. They were one of the most feared hooligan 'firms'.[54] The name came from the use of InterCity trains for away games.[55] The ICF were one of the first "casuals",
so called because they avoided police supervision by not wearing
football-related clothing. Fans' violent activities were not confined to
local derbies – the hooligans were content to cause trouble at any
game, though nearby teams often bore the brunt. During the 1990s, and to
the present day, sophisticated surveillance
and policing, coupled with club-supported promotions and community
action, have reduced the level of violence, although the rivalry with
Millwall, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea remains.
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