Jan 15 last night i read an intresting piece from an american fan on west ham till i die website where he out lined what is was that made him a hammers fan. it transpires that he surfed the web looking for reasons to support a team, and what did he find, Green st hooligans, the film about some dopey american coming to london to stay with his sister whose husband happens to have once been top dog in the west ham firm.wanting to learn more he googled us and was directed to Ian Dales website,and from there he was hooked. Baring in mind that dales website a couple of years ago was like the retirement home from west ham fans airing their views that was some doing. As the premier league becomes more global the more foreign fans are allieing themselves to English clubs, quite why I just don’t get. They claim to have the passion and the same love for the club as those attending games or even those local to the ground, but I don’t buy that, how can they, football for me has to be lived in the flesh, not across an internet feed or via satellite TV, getting up at 5 in the morning to catch a game is not passion, singing bubbles in a bar in down-town new York is not living the game. it appears I upset many with my so called un-welcoming tone but I cant relate with overseas fans or what they bring. I dont feel I have to welcome them to the fold or feel I share a bond with them, because I dont. I was born and raised in the shadow of the ground the club was part of nearly my every day life, its impossible with me to feel any connection with them or their all american upbringing. I’m not saying that im a better fan than them or you can only be a fan if your from the area, each to their own I just cant feel any kindred spirit with them just because a Hollywood film gave them an insight to our world.