Saturday’s clash between West Ham and Spurs should have been a classic, and in a sense, it was. Five goals were shared, with a red card shown to Serge Aurier. Had the hosts been allowed to play for a few minutes more, they might have completed a remarkable comeback too. As it finished, West Ham fell just short, ending up on the wrong end of a 3-2 defeat.
But something wasn’t right about the whole occasion. At Upton Park, Spurs would have found themselves in a cauldron of red hot atmosphere and frenzy, particularly after Cheikhou Kouyate scored late on to reduce the deficit to just a single goal. And yet, at the new London Stadium all sense of spectacle seemed to dissipate into the East-London sky.
This wasn’t a one-off, either. West Ham have lost a sense of their identity as a club since leaving the Boleyn Ground to move into the London Stadium. Once the tenants of one of the most characterful grounds in the game, now the Hammers call an enormous white elephant of a stadium home. It must be heartbreaking for those who hold the club dear. Let this be a warning to any other clubs toying with the idea of upping sticks in search of better surroundings.
Of course, West Ham aren’t alone in seeking pastures new. Spurs themselves are playing their home games at Wembley this season while White Hart Lane is rebuilt from the ground up in time for next summer. Identity will also be a concern for them as they move into their new home next season. They could find themselves in the same situation as West Ham if they’re not careful. Given that Spurs’ new stadium is already under construction, it could be too late.
And then there’s Chelsea, who are also exploring the option of playing an entire season of home games at Wembley as Stamford Bridge is, just like White Hart Lane, being rebuilt, expanded to a 60,000-seater venue. This is the new arms race in London. Arsenal set a precedent with their move to the Emirates Stadium and now the rest are following.
But there is a risk in this. It’s not just West Ham that could lose their identity as a result of a move to a new stadium, but football in London as a whole. The capital is one of the most vibrant sporting cities in Europe, boasting more clubs than any other city on the continent. With that comes history and heritage, but might that be lost if everyone leaves their respective spiritual homes all at once?
It’s understandable why London’s biggest clubs are so keen to expand their capacity and improve their facilities. With every passing season, they fall behind the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and even Liverpool, who can rake in higher gate receipts per Premier League home game. They have ground to make up, otherwise they’ll continue to find himself at a competitive disadvantage.
West Ham have found, however, that a loss of identity can have an even graver impact than a loss of potential gate receipts. Not even Arsenal feel entirely comfortable at the Emirates Stadium, and they moved in over a decade ago. The allegiance of fans is rooted in the identity of a club. Mess with that and there will always be an element of risk, as West Ham have found out.
