THE start of a new year often brings with it a period of retrospection and while I’m not one for resolutions, I do like to look with optimism to the opportunities ahead.
For me at West Ham, tomorrow marks ten years in my role as vice-chair and since David Sullivan and David Gold became custodians of a much-loved football club on the brink of administration.
David Sullivan and David Gold are marking ten years since they took charge at West HamCredit: AFP
At the time, David Sullivan said: “We are deeply and passionately involved in West Ham.
“It will be an immense privilege to lead this great football club.”
I can say wholeheartedly that my chairmen, the board and I feel just as strongly now as we did then.
Success in football, much like in life, is never guaranteed but our ambition for this incredible club to deliver what its loyal and passionate supporters deserve remains and we are working harder than ever to achieve it.
We have learned a great deal and, while we may not have consistently reached the heights in the Premier League that we all hoped for, there are many special moments we will cherish forever.
Among them was the first time 60,000 of the Claret and Blue army sang ‘Bubbles’ in our home and seeing an emotional Billy Bonds — a true West Ham legend — enjoying the moment as he received the thoroughly deserved celebration of having the East Stand renamed in his honour.
There is a lot that we are proud of.
First and foremost, West Ham are now financially stable.
The £110million debt has been paid down and we have attracted further investment to help make it sustainable — easier said than done in a climate that, in recent years, has seen some great names in club football drop out of the Premier League and not yet make it back.
Sadly this season we have seen Bury FC, founded in 1885, disappear altogether.
West Ham moved to the 60,000 capacity London Stadium in 2016Credit: Getty Images – Getty
The move saw the club leave 35,000 capacity Upton ParkCredit: PA:Press Association
We all want glory on the pitch but our first job is to protect the existence and long-term viability of the club. Ten years ago, West Ham’s future looked uncertain.
The administrators were at the door and who knows where things were heading.
We are now in a position where our long-term future is secure and more fans than ever have the opportunity to watch their team playing Premier League football every week.
The move to London Stadium has given us a platform and an opportunity to invest more in the team, one we simply didn’t have previously.
It doesn’t guarantee success but it certainly gives us a better chance in the long term of being more than a yo-yo team.
Stats don’t lie. To have any hope of challenging consistently with Europe’s top clubs, you need a certain infrastructure.
The Hammers renamed the East Stand at London Stadium after club legend Billy Bonds in 2019Credit: Getty – Contributor
We have more attending supporters — the highest number of season ticket holders in London and among the highest attendance in Europe — and more organisations than ever wanting to partner with the club.
We have a far greater global footprint as millions more across the world have fallen in love with our rich traditions, Academy of Football and everything we stand for.
We passionately believe that growth will soon be replicated on the pitch.
We are a community club through and through and are incredibly proud of the impact we’ve had on our local area through the Players’ Project and our Foundation.
We know what happens on the pitch is most important to supporters, who are the lifeblood of this club.
We are extremely proud to be the home of affordable family football in London.
This summer, we will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the club’s formation as Thames Ironworks, an amateur, working-class team forged from the docks of East London.
The man responsible, Arnold Hills, told his players: “Never despair of winning and never give up doing your very best to the last minute of the match.”
It is a message that continues to drive us all as we strive to bring our supporters the success they deserve.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
