GOODBYE E13, HELLO E20
WEST HAM’S DAYS AT THE BOLEYN GROUND ARE NUMBERED, VINCE TAYLOR REPORTS
Had the 2012 Olympics gone to Paris, which looked likely through much of the bidding
process, West Ham United's Boleyn Ground would currently be enjoying its 112th year of
business with the club having no immediate plans to fly the nest. The scheme to increase
the capacity beyond 40,000 by building a new East Stand would have been brought out of
cold storage, and in Green Street and its environs, the ancient refrain of 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' would be ringing out for a few more years yet.
Truth be told, the Boleyn Ground's fate was sealed the minute the first sod was cut at Stratford. Whatever plans were hatched in the interim, building a brand new stadium for just
four weeks of competition made no sense, nor did downsizing the Olympic Stadium to a
little used athletics track once the Games were over. To a have a viable future, a permanent tenant drawing large crowds on a regular basis was essential, and despite the machinations that ensued, there was only one plausible candidate.
In a curious reversal to what happened in 1904, when West Ham swapped the wide open
spaces of the Memorial Grounds for the cramped confines of the Boleyn Ground, later this
year the Hammers will once again be stretching themselves out at a massive arena not
specifically designed for football. Furthermore, this most heritage-minded of all football
clubs will be attempting the delicate task of transporting to Stratford, precious memories
and traditions that have accumulated over the course of 112 years spent at Upton Park.
When West Ham United first pitched up in Upton Park in 1904, the club were relative
babes at the professional game, having their origins in the idealistically minded Thames
Ironworks club that owner Arnold Hills had set up in 1895. Members of the Southern
League by 1904, crowds at the Memorial Grounds had been disappointing, but the move
to the more populous district of Upton Park promised an upturn in spectator numbers. The
ground at Upton Park was leased from a Catholic organisation, which as well as the playing field, also owned an adjacent school. It was housed in a 16th century red-brick building with two castellated turrets, known as Green Street House, or more popularly, Boleyn
Castle. Local legend implied a connection to Anne Boleyn, but recent research suggests
otherwise. Certainly for the
first few decades, the Green Street House, better known
as Boleyn Castle, in 1912
ground was referred to as
Boleyn Castle, with the club
incorporating a castle motif
into their badge. Indeed,
West Ham were sufficiently
proud of the building to
include it as a backdrop to
the annual team photocalls,
but despite this, what was
left of the 'castle' became
increasingly dilapidated and
was pulled down in 1958
to create a new car park
and front entrance.
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