Yesterday, I travelled to London from Leigh on Sea (where my boyfriend lives) to watch my very first West Ham game.
I'm not a West Ham fan (yet) but my boyfriend (Alex) is and I wanted to treat him for our anniversary.
We both wore claret as it's a West Ham colour but as we entered the stadium, we saw the players in dark blue. I thought their colours were light blue and claret but Alex told me it was a political thing. The team players all wore a number 7 as their number 7 . Andriy Yarmolenko is Ukrainian and Ukraine is currently in a war conflict with Russia.
Football isn't just a game, it brings people together and so why shouldn't sport be political? Why shouldn't football players feel comfortable, loved and accepted?
Life is frustrating and I've been told that football has always been a pastime. I know that it used to be a pastime for factory workers but now it's something that can change your life. Sometimes, it seems like the richness of the football players and their prosperity is shared by the fans, meaning that fans like to see their footballers rise to glory. This rise to glory is happily supported by expensive tickets which do not always guarantee a win for West Ham.
I'm always amused by the loyalty of football plans, singing tunes like 'I'm forever blowing bubbles' never mind if they're out of tune. They are proud of their players, they will fill up stadiums with their worship.
Football fans make the best cheerleaders.
Alex didn't believe West Ham would win against the Wolves but they did. I always knew that my first experience of the football game would have been marked by whether or not they won. Football fans are only good to be around when their teams win.
There were so many shots that they almost got in. The almosts- that's what gets me. But it doesn't stop the fans from watching every game and holding on to their season tickets.
I had a great time even though everything was overpriced. And it's true what they say- everything is better live. You can't take your eye off the pitch for one second or you'll miss the making of history. You can't help but join in the community, singing songs, blowing bubbles and chanting 'IRONS.'