The West Ham and Manchester United supporters discuss the iconic stadium's last ever match, plus the best and worst of past encounters
To celebrate the final year at the Boleyn Ground, we’ll be talking to home and away supporters before every Premier League match at the famous east London stadium this season.
In the last ever Fan v Fan, Hugh from Claret and Hugh and Sam from the Peoples Person discuss the last ever match at the Boleyn Ground.
How are you feeling heading into the final game, Hugh?
Hugh: It has to be said, the overwhelming emotion will be sadness.
Yes, we all get that we are moving into a stadium to die for and that it represents the showpiece arena of British sport. The board have done a magnificent job to take us there.
But… the Boleyn has been part of the fabric of our lives forever and you don’t just say: “Time to move on” without a tear or 10.
My greatest footballing memories are here.
I was supporting this club at this wonderful old stadium when football meant community rather than corporate and it’s hard – very, very hard – to know that the home of all our dreams will soon be a block of flats.
Yes we’ll move on to bigger highs but the questions asks: “How will you feel going into the final game?” The answer is: “As sad as it’s possible to be.”
Sam, what impact do you think the occasion will have on the match?
Sam: It’s going to be an emotional night, but the best players thrive on high-pressure occasions.
Now is the time for Manchester United’s players to show they can stand up and be counted for as we can finish in the top four by winning our last two games.
As explosive as the atmosphere will no doubt be, we’ve already beaten West Ham in their last ever FA Cup game at Upton Park a few weeks ago.
Going into the game off the back of a scrappy 1-0 win over Norwich where we didn’t deserve it – as well as the fact West Ham were beaten 4-1 by Swansea – it puts us in good stead.
Sad to see the old stadium go or looking forward to an away day in Stratford?
Sam: While it is always be sad to see a stadium with over a century of history go out of use, West Ham are doing the right thing by moving to the Olympic Stadium, which is almost double the capacity.
And with one of their best ever Premier League seasons behind them, they’re all set to push on and have all the tools to change the landscape of London football, just like Tottenham Hotspur will in a few years.
Teams are getting bigger and better, which is good if you like stiff competition.
Does the fact it’s being played under the floodlights add to the occasion, Hugh?
Hugh: Of course. Upton Park under the lights is an entirely special place. It always has been.
And with our oldest and perhaps fiercest enemy as the opposition, this is going to be a barnstormer – a monumental match emblazoned by those lights under which some of our greatest games have been played.
Best memories of Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground?
Hugh: The League Cup match when we entirely unexpectedly thrashed them 4-0 was astonishing.
It was billed as the match ‘Avram can’t’. but he could and did.
Jonathan Spector grabbed a couple – which was ridiculous – and Victor Obinna and Carlton Cole got the others.
It was an incredible victory as Sir Alex Ferguson sat sulking in the snow.
Sam: Wayne Rooney scoring from the halfway line was brilliant, but the 5-3 clash we had back in 2002 is definitely the stand-out game.
Those are the sorts of games you love and hate as a fan. You love it if you come out on top of an eight-goal thriller, but hate it if you don’t.
We certainly loved that game as it put us back on top of the Premier League. That being said, it ended up being Sir Alex’s first trophy-less year since 1998, so maybe it shouldn’t be a good memory?
And the worst?
Hugh: The quite horrible 0-4 defeat back in 2009 under Gianfranco Zola on a December night. We were booed off at half and full-time.
We didn’t turn up and it was a massive embarrassment.
Sam: Hugh’s already mentioned it, but getting trounced 4-0 was a terrible night.
I remember Jonny Evans getting turned inside out and you know you’ve had a bad game when you let Spector get two goals.
Thoughts on those players who have played for both clubs?
Hugh: Rio Ferdinand was perhaps the finest central defender we’d seen at the club since the golden days and I was shattered when Harry Redknapp sold him.
The Tevez heroics are part of our folklore, of course – for entirely the wrong reasons- as is the Ince debacle, which has sadly seen him forever labelled a Judas.
There have been many explanations as to why he chose to wear Man United shirt while a West Ham player have been offered.
I want to think he was stitched up by the media and that the photo was cynically leaked ahead of that transfer, but who knows? I doubt if we ever will.
And how about Ravel Morrison? A modern soccer tragedy – it should have been so very different for a multi-skilled player.
Sam: I want to thank West Ham for Ferdinand because he’s by some margin the best defender I’ve seen play for us in terms of being an overall, rounded, cultured player.
Nemanja Vidic was the brawn of the partnership with Rio, but there’s a reason he was considered a Rolls Royce defender.
He loved having the ball at his feet and brought a real calm across the defence, which we’ve pretty much never managed to replace since he retired.
Michael Carrick is another player who went on to be great for United, so I’ll say thanks again.
Ince was a mint player for us, but he’s hated by fans after not only joining Liverpool but celebrating a late equaliser which almost scuppered our title hopes.
That’s not your fault, West Ham, but that’s why you’re not getting any thanks for him. The same goes for Tevez.
Which opposition player, from any era, would you have loved at your club?
Hugh: Well I guess many would have wanted Beckham given he was a local lad as well, but of the relatively modern players I’d have taken Paul Scholes – such a brilliant soccer brain.
From a previous era, it would have to be George Best or Denis Law.
Sam: It’s cheesy, but it has to be Bobby Moore, hasn’t it?
Imagine we’d have had him in 1958 to help us recover from the Munich Air Disaster.
He’d then go on and win the World Cup alongside Sir Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles and finish by being involved in our 1968 redemption when we finally won the European Cup.
That would have been some story.
Hugh, what would be your all-time Boleyn XI from the players you have watched?
Hugh: This is impossible and going to cause me so much grief. You simply can’t get them all in there, can you?
We have had so many great midfielders that I can’t even find room for Martin Peters. Nor can I find room for Geoff Hurst up front.
Julian Dicks, too, has to take a back seat. And Tevez. I’ll also have to say sorry to my old mate Ian Bishop as well because this is an impossible question.
Here’s how I’ve tried to sort it:
Phil Parkes, John Bond, Rio Ferdinand, Alvin Martin, Frank Lampard, Billy Bonds, Bobby Moore, Alan Devonshire, Trevor Brooking, Paolo Di Canio, Frank McAvennie, Johnny ‘Budgie’ Byrne.
Watch the episode three of the Betway Academy, where West Ham players James Collins and Winston Reid test the amateurs’ discipline and communication
And to finish – a score prediction for Tuesday’s game?
Hugh: West Ham 3 Manchester United 1
Sam: This game is going to be enveloped by a bag of nerves at Upton Park.
The West Ham players will be desperate not to lose their last ever game in that stadium and Manchester United players know we could miss out on the top four if we don’t win.
So, I expect it to be a bit of a damp squib – at least until somebody scores.
For me, I’m predicting a win for United so long as we have Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial because I don’t think there is a defence in the league right now that can stop those two crafting chances.
Last game at the Boleyn betting
West Ham v Manchester United betting
READ: Podcast: Tony Cottee on his West Ham career, team-mates and saying goodbye to the Boleyn
