I remember writing a post on another forum a few years ago about what it means to support West Ham and how we are a very special and well respected club. I was trying to relay in words what all that means and trying to describe feelings and stuff that comes from the soul isn't always that easy! I wrote the article before any talk of West Ham takeovers had surfaced. At the time, I was looking at what had happened to Chelsea and was using their current situation as an example. To me, West Ham is an example of how 'old fashioned virtues', or whatever you want to call them, have a place in the modern era and always will. We try to play the game as was intended, a passing game on the deck, encouraging skill, individual expression, tactical analysis and respect for our opposition. We know that youngsters should be encouraged and helped in their footballing development. We underpin all these things by the timeless virtues of honesty, sporting behaviour knitting communities and families together through football. I remember saying I hope we never become like Chelsea (and more recently, Arsenal); a club that is simply just 11 blokes running around in a shirt that says 'Chelsea'. The most expensive players that money can buy, and of course, immensley successfull. Does this though reflect the essence of the club, what a club is all about? To me it does not. Bearing in mind what I said above about what West Ham means to me, success at any price does not interest me. I'd rather be a financially secure club, with a thriving youth policy, with all our virtues, as stated above, intact. I want to watch 'local' players, see the fruits of youth policy, and have to play hard competitive football. I'd rather wait years for success having to earn it rather than almost be guaranteed it each year because of Egghead's money. Look at Aresenal and Chelsea, they bear no resemblance in any way to their past. I don't want the same to happen to us. What about you?
