Anyone gonna be sad watching West Ham say goodbye to their home?

[dannyboi-ffc]

I'd never go if we moved somewhere else, but I'm an
old fashioned git..
Danny you can't say that other clubs don't hold their grounds
in the same affection as us.
A friend of mine is a Hammer and he isn't
going to the new stadium.,its not the fans who have
asked to. move in lots of cases...

I know that and maybe what I said was misleading. But as a whole I think the biggest percentage of those who love their ground more than anything else would be Fulham fans. I know hammers who are upset and that's why I posted my sympathy with those who are seeing their club change for the sake of greed. 

Arsenal fans for example who think Arsenal are better off away from Highbury clearly didn't love Highbury as much as we love the Cottage. That doesn't mean I mean all Arsenal fans were happy to leave. 

[cheerupjimmyhill]

Well they couldn't look a gift horse in the mouth but I can't remember too much protesting coming from the supporters  although I could be wrong.

One of my worst memories at football during my younger day's was seeing it seemed 10000 west ham supporters doing the nazi salute to Howard Gayle. Upton Park was a horrible place back then so I have no real feeling towards it going.

Having said that I heard Colin Hart on the radio who has been going since he was four and obviously every ground has special memories for each fan. Craven Cottage is like a family home to many of us but whether we like it or not we have all succumbed to the money influence in the game.

It takes a long time for a ground to make history and seem like home. Can't remember when Sunderland left Roker Park but it's taking a long time for the Stadium Light to have its own memories for the supporters, in fact probably generations.

it's not really a gift horse, they have sold there ground to rent one.

100 year lease isn't it? That's a question not a statement.

[HatterDon]

I'm still sorry they weren't relegated when they fielded two ineligible players for the better part of a season. I couldn't give a toss where those guys play.

[Holders]

To answer the original post - yes, I'm sad that WHU are leaving Upton Park because it means that they're going to move to a bigger and better ground and will establish their position as a bigger player than some of their London rivals.

[Carborundum]

My boyhood team moved from a cherished, completely ramshackle ground to an out of town development.  Simply a disaster.  Many clubs went through this.  For example the old Den and Gay Meadow were both unique and sadly gone

My rule of thumb is that if a ground has no two sides the same, I'll like it.  If it hasn't, I won't. 

Feel sorry for West Ham fans, it surely won't be as good.

[westcliff white]

i don't know one west ham fan who is unhappy at moving, with the new TV deal money and no rent to pay and no major stadium overheads they think its great as they can spend spend spend.

Truly shocking deal all round.

[alfie]

I have lived a few hundred metres from Craven Cottage for the best part of 35 years, it is a magical place, steeped in history, seen great times seen bad times, but at the end of the day it is just a place, what is important to me is the club, if it became necessary for the sake of saving the club we had move then so be it.  A friend of mine is a fanatical hammers fan and the only reason he objects to the move is like me he lives very close the ground and does not want to get off his backside and go and support them elsewhere. Yes i fully understand the feelings about CC but would you rather the club cease to exist or play somewhere else, i know what i would prefer.

[dannyboi-ffc]

I have lived a few hundred metres from Craven Cottage for the best part of 35 years, it is a magical place, steeped in history, seen great times seen bad times, but at the end of the day it is just a place, what is important to me is the club, if it became necessary for the sake of saving the club we had move then so be it.  A friend of mine is a fanatical hammers fan and the only reason he objects to the move is like me he lives very close the ground and does not want to get off his backside and go and support them elsewhere. Yes i fully understand the feelings about CC but would you rather the club cease to exist or play somewhere else, i know what i would prefer.

That isn't the question or reason  West ham are moving though. I suppose the question is would you rather move grounds for the sake of becoming a dominant force in this country or does tradition and the history of the club mean more to you resulting in you being happy to remain as a championship club?

[Beamer]

Some of my happiest memories are watching The Maestro weave his magic around CC but that's what they are memories. He retired and we found new players to admire and be thrilled by over the years (probably none quite like him though), it didn't mean that we thought any less of him though. FFC were the poorer for not having him but time moves on and change is inevitable. If the time comes when we leave CC it will be the same, wonderful memories, a sense of loss but still dreams to be had and still our FFC. Obviously not the case if done in an MK Dons way where the club has basically re-invented itself but I don't think that it's that kind of scenario we are talking about.   

[win-dup]

Well they couldn't look a gift horse in the mouth but I can't remember too much protesting coming from the supporters  although I could be wrong.

One of my worst memories at football during my younger day's was seeing it seemed 10000 west ham supporters doing the nazi salute to Howard Gayle. Upton Park was a horrible place back then so I have no real feeling towards it going.

Having said that I heard Colin Hart on the radio who has been going since he was four and obviously every ground has special memories for each fan. Craven Cottage is like a family home to many of us but whether we like it or not we have all succumbed to the money influence in the game.

It takes a long time for a ground to make history and seem like home. Can't remember when Sunderland left Roker Park but it's taking a long time for the Stadium Light to have its own memories for the supporters, in fact probably generations.

"The Stadium of Light"  Surely the stupidest name for an English ground ever?

[brightster]

I have lived a few hundred metres from Craven Cottage for the best part of 35 years, it is a magical place, steeped in history, seen great times seen bad times, but at the end of the day it is just a place, what is important to me is the club, if it became necessary for the sake of saving the club we had move then so be it.  A friend of mine is a fanatical hammers fan and the only reason he objects to the move is like me he lives very close the ground and does not want to get off his backside and go and support them elsewhere. Yes i fully understand the feelings about CC but would you rather the club cease to exist or play somewhere else, i know what i would prefer.

That isn't the question or reason  West ham are moving though. I suppose the question is would you rather move grounds for the sake of becoming a dominant force in this country or does tradition and the history of the club mean more to you resulting in you being happy to remain as a championship club?

d

Yes the question is do we want to progress or are we happy to stay as we are, we can't compete money wise with the prem anymore and are going to find it hard in this league soon, we don't get the big crowds to sustain status with the big boys.
And I would be gutted if we ever left the cottage as like a lot of you on the board my family is from Hamersmith and supported the Whites for generations.
Are we now where we belong in the Championship (2nd Div) and have been for many years of my time since 1973 at the cottage?

[cmg]

"The Stadium of Light"  Surely the stupidest name for an English ground ever?

Obviously mimics Benfica's 'Estadio De Luz' which was actually named after a district of Lisbon, itself named after a local church (Our Lady of the Light).

Ever thought how 'Craven Cottage' sounds to outsiders?

[Bill2]

Don't really care.

[alfie]

I have lived a few hundred metres from Craven Cottage for the best part of 35 years, it is a magical place, steeped in history, seen great times seen bad times, but at the end of the day it is just a place, what is important to me is the club, if it became necessary for the sake of saving the club we had move then so be it.  A friend of mine is a fanatical hammers fan and the only reason he objects to the move is like me he lives very close the ground and does not want to get off his backside and go and support them elsewhere. Yes i fully understand the feelings about CC but would you rather the club cease to exist or play somewhere else, i know what i would prefer.

That isn't the question or reason  West ham are moving though. I suppose the question is would you rather move grounds for the sake of becoming a dominant force in this country or does tradition and the history of the club mean more to you resulting in you being happy to remain as a championship club?

To me the important thing is Fulham Football Club, as much as i love CC, if a move made the club more stable/competitive and it was still within Fulham i do not see that as an issue. If supporters would be happy to remain as a championship club then they cannot then complain about the club's lack of ambition, surely you strive to be the best. Anyway whatever and wherever i will be there.

[Lighthouse]

As a traditionalist it is sad to see grounds disappear to be replaced by modern eyesores. But ask Brighton fans what they think of their new eyesore compared to the Goldstone and how well the club has done and we can all accept that change is inevitable. Same with West Spam. The ground was never a great place to spend time so change will be good.

The Cottage is slightly different. It is unique and has a character all of its own. But we will eventually have to move unless we want to remain a failing traditional club. But as others have said. The old grounds and especially the Cottage have a magic about them. In the bad old days I used to love standing in our empty stadium which still held a wonderful atmosphere even in the silence.  Usually 20 minutes after kick off.

The good old days are going and it is a great shame. We lose much but then we gain a little too.

[Andy S]

Personally I love the cottage and be sad to ever leave it. However I support the club wherever it plays and would continue to do so. Football is about money now but will it always be? Who knows. The problem as I see it is some of these new grounds are soulless and it is bad enough when we have to visit these places. I think it is sad West ham are moving but I can see why. They want to be bigger. However there is only one winner of every league every year and twenty something losers

[F(f)CUK]

Going back to the original question - I feel sorry for Orient.  You have an organisation funded by massive TV money, large quantities of spectators, paying potentially subsidised amounts for a Premier product, against a small organisation that is reliant on gate money to exist and will give a third/fourth tier product.  The youth will want to go to the Hammers and Orient wither away.

[cmg]

Going back to the original question - I feel sorry for Orient.  You have an organisation funded by massive TV money, large quantities of spectators, paying potentially subsidised amounts for a Premier product, against a small organisation that is reliant on gate money to exist and will give a third/fourth tier product.  The youth will want to go to the Hammers and Orient wither away.

Yep. Just one of the 'sick and seedy' maneuvers alluded to above; the powers that be transgressing their own rules by allowing WHU to move so close to Orient. Although money talks in the end, as Hearn accepted a pay-off to drop his action against the move.

[RaySmith]

If Fulham were in the Prem, and there was a demand for tickets that the, expanded stand, Cottage couldn't fulfil, than I  could see the point in us moving,  very sad as it would make me. But we seem a long way off of that point at the moment.

And were we at that point even when we were in the Prem?

The Cottage is part of Fulham's unique charm, and an attraction to domestic fans of other clubs, as well as tourists.

Leaving it should be thought about very carefully, as when we're gone we can't go back.

Imagine if we'd  left the Cottage for a bigger stadium under MAF, and were now in the position we are in. We might have a big, soulless ground, miles from anywhere, and it only half full, while CC was now Executive penthouses.

[Logicalman]

It's great to see the passion from both sides when it comes to our very own club, and ground.

The Cottage has been a landmark in English football, such as Hillsborough, Villa park and Old Trafford, but so were Highbury, Maine Road and Upton Park (oops, Boleyn Ground), but things do move on and if we look at football as it is today, to progress in the sport clubs need the money, pure and simple.

With sponsors waiting on every corner to snap up a leading club and offer it a stadium of dreams, which owner wouldn't have their heads turned thesedays, and that must go for Khan as well, notwithstanding the history, atmosphere and good stead the Cottage is held in by more than just the faithful.

Football isn't the same as it was half a Century ago, it's as much (or perhaps more) about the pure income than the heritage, more about the results than the playing style, and more about success than anything else, and before we bemoan these changes, they were inevitable, going right back to our very own JH back in '61, it's just a fact of the world as it is today, and will be going forwards.

Whatever the future holds for our great club, and it's beautiful and charismatic ground, the club is the most important thing for us to hold onto, and always will be. Leaving the Cottage would no doubt devastate so many who have grown up with the place and seeing it's changes through the decades, but if that is what progress is measured by in football thesedays, then so be it.