OLAS v Chelsea

Last week a group of like minded West Ham fans met for the 1st time, the club I believe played host, they call themselves the pride of irons, and the membership is drawn from the gay community. When I 1st heard of this meeting taking place I must admit I was sceptical as to why they need something like this, I heard the founder Jim explaining why he felt compelled to set the group up on the KUMB podcast and yet I still didn't see what the need was for this group to be in existence. Why not join an existing fan group I thought, but then, their is no supporters group that represents the fans and can liaise with the club on their members behalf. They claim some chants at football can leave them feeling uncomfortable, really, what chants are they. Coming on the back of the Tottenham game and furore of what may have been sung on a tube train I thought, he we go, another attempt to bash the general fans and the songs they sing, but, at the Palace game on Saturday I heard the chants that could make them feel uncomfortable. Sung at a couple of Palace fans, "we can see you holding hands" "does he take it up the arsenal", all harmless fun it seems, I will admit that in the past I've probably sung those songs my self, and without of hearing or reading about Pride of Irons I wouldn't of thought twice about it on Saturday, but because I had heard about the group in the last week it did make me think, is it right, should we just laugh these chants off. I'm not going to pretend I know the answer or know what it's like to be offended by any chants but perhaps it is right to have the debate. I did converse with Jim on a Facebook group where I put it to him that perhaps the only way to achieve the change required is for all West Ham fans to stand together on this, to raise awareness of it and to see if those of us that think it's just a part of funny banter mocking the visiting fans to think twice. Personally I can't see it happening but i suppose without trying you won't get anywhere, so good luck to them. Hopefully though "come on you Irons" won't be deemed offensive. (Joke people, joke).
Last Thursday I attended a fans show hosted by you are the Ref website, big Sam was on the panel as was Mark Halesy, the Spanish bloke off sky Guilem Ballege and former top Referee and their boss once he retired, Keith the cheat Hackett. The Bastard of Villa Park who in one egotistical moment he destroyed or hopes of a Wembley final with the wave of his straight Red Card in Tony Gales Direction.
To be fair the evening was shambolic, held at the sports bar on the Haymarket the sound was so poor that Halesy even led a chant of sacked in morning aimed at the abysmal sound techs on duty. Sam is a great supporter of bringing in more technology, even to the point of having 2 challenges of decisions per game. During the break in procedures Access to Sam was denied by bouncers, and after the event he was out of his seat before the host had finished thanking everyone. So as my friend and I shuffled out we took the chance to door step Hackett and see If we could get a chat with him. Not only did he agree but he allowed it to be recorded for my friends podcast. Keith at first offered a handshake and I held out my hand, but then, the schoolboy in me came racing to the top, and as quick as anything at the last moment I pulled it away "no chance" I said, much to the amusement of the journalist next to Keith, you hammers never forget he said. You bet we don't I replied. I asked him about the incident and the fact that it came about after the FA instructed Refs to issue red cards for that offence on the Thursday before the game. Keith's reply was that it was true and he laid the full blame on the door of the FA for changing the rules, even to the point of telling us that when a FA rep came up to him after the game, Hackett said “A guy from the FA came up to me and said, listen if you hadn’t sent him off we would have suspended you, I told him where to go off!”
When pressed on would he apologise to West Ham Fans he Said “West Ham fans rightly gave me a lot of stick on the day and for months afterwards, someone sent me a recording with a chant every time a referee gave a bad decision at West Ham it was “Are you Hackett in disguise?” I find that mildly amusing but at the same time it reminds me perhaps of the worst decision I ever had to make in my career and i had 34 years, “There are many who watched West Ham and I ruined their day and I apologise for that, but at the same time I shoulder some of the blame at the end of the day I put blame on to the FA for making that change and the player not knowing, neither player knowing and neither manager knew about that interpretation. I remember going to the FA room and saying wow we didn’t except that was going to happen did we? that was the risk!. When we sat in that room on the Thursday [before the game] we should of said ‘Get Lost Mate’ [To the FA] we will change next season and we should have done that”
Looking back on you tube of that incident, I don't really buy it, he was so quick to go off, he didn't seem to hesitate or show anything that looked like a forced decision, to me it still looks like the action of a man who wanted to be the 1st to do it, the 1st Ref to red card a player for the offence of denying a goal scoring opportunity, Keith though now admits that ball wasn't even going towards the goal and neither was Crosby the Forest Player fouled.
All these years later why should we bothered what he has to say anyway, the reason for me why I believe it is good to hear from him is perhaps it was the start of a chain reaction of events the led to one of the greatest days I had supporting this club. The 19,000 West Ham fans there that day will never forget what went on, the sending off, the four goals, the performance of the team even with 10 men and then the fans reaction to all those events was not the modern day, I'm walking out with ½ hour still to go, No, we stood, and for about 30 minutes non stop we sung out hearts out. Watching it back this week gave me goosebumps the day is still one of those engrained in my mind shared with my best friend its only the result that was a downer, even that was tempered with the fact my old school mate (Gary Charles) from Cumberland Comp was off to fulfil every kids dream and play in a FA cup final, where he is engrained in living memory as the player gazza fcuked his knee tackling. Looking back I'm not sure I'd want that day to be any other way than the way it panned out because perhaps it may not have been as good as it was. The West Ham way is many things but our response that day to me shows it did exist in that the fans support in the face of adversity was unwavering.

If you know what a podcast is the full interview with Hackett and Sean's with Tony Gale,s response can be found at moorethanjustapodcast.com. On iTunes or just google it.
Keith Hackett don't get the last word, though we as fans do.
Billy bonds claret n blue army, Billy bonds claret n blue army Billy bonds claret n blue army.