Upton Park memories

[xgorton]

Must admit, I don't think anyone I know refers to it as the Boleyn Ground.

I would say 99% of people say Upton Park.

 

[Ric]

It runs off the tongue better in my personal opinion, Ricardo.



:-)

Ha, you're a traditionalist - I like it. You're taking the piss with "The Arsenal Stadium" rather than Highbury though!

 

[inchy14]

It was well out of our hands iirc. Think we needed several dice to roll in our favour.

Think Leicester had to lose that day and if i recall correctly they won so it was out of our hands, was a top day out though...

That was my first visit there, the second time was just after we'd lost to spurs so couldn't finish in the top 4, still got pissed and had a great day.

 

[jay_mcfc]

I did a weekly column about City for The Times that season, and my first one was about that game. Can't find it online anywhere, but here it is for anyone interested:

Good times for a change

After what was unquestionably the most mundane season in living memory, the last few months have brought a veritable whirlwind of activity for the blue three-quarters of Manchester. Firstly, of course, there was the controversial takeover of the club by deposed Thai Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra (hereafter known simply as 'Frank') and then the appointment of Sven Goran Eriksson. An owner with, shall we say, a dubious human rights record and an ex-England manager was never going to endear City to the press, and you can sense that many factions of the media are just willing us to fail.

So it came as a very welcome surprise that City emerged from a potentially tricky visit to Upton Park with not only three points but also a composed, impressive performance that will have made pundits and journalists alike take notice. Make no mistake about it, this was a firm two fingers up to the detractors from Eriksson.

"He's signed players without having actually seen them play!", they guffawed on Fleet Street. But Eriksson is no fool. One need only look at his exceptional record in club management to realise that. The new signings were excellent at Upton Park. Garrido and Corluka were composed and resolute at the back, whilst Elano and Petrov provided the creativity in midfield that was so badly lacking last season.

Eriksson's transfer policy so far has been a revelation. Whilst the tabloid press were busy linking us with such footballing luminaries as Keiron Richardson and Marlon Harewood, Sven slipped under the radar to sign a host of promising international players at reasonable prices. Granted I've never heard of any of them, but there can be no more damning indictment of the English game than the former national coach not buying any of his ex-players. So much for the golden generation. Indeed, Eriksson seems to be basing his transfer policy purely on Championship Manager 5, which is a novel approach to say the least. What price Kim Kallstrom next? To be fair many of the new signings do look quality on YouTube, but then again so did Georgios Samaras so we won't get too carried away just yet.

It was particularly pleasing to end the West Ham game with five Academy players on the pitch, with Nedum Onuoha creating the second goal for Geovanni, and there's a nice blend of youth and experience about the squad at present. Stephen Ireland and Dietmar Hamman, both peripheral figures under Stuart Pearce, seem rejuvenated and were excellent in midfield. We passed the ball about with a calmness and purpose not seen since the early days of Kevin Keegan's regime.

I'm not going to bad mouth West Ham as we consider them our brethren (apparently they were ever so nice to us after relegating us in 1804, or something). Relations were understandably somewhat strained after they duped us into buying Mark Ward, but there are indisputable similarities between the two clubs: a loyal, passionate fanbase, a rich history and tradition, yet ultimately a rubbish football team with a propensity to shoot themselves in the foot. They are the Manchester City of the south.

But that was the Manchester City of yesteryear. The future looks much brighter for the newly rejuvenated City of the 21st century, and under Frank and Sven's leadership we hope for great things. But we'd settle for a League Cup. Beggars can't be choosers.

Next weekend we 'welcome' our Stretford neighbours to the city of Manchester, with a quiet optimism. We've handed out a few thrashings to them over recent years, and that was when we were essentially rubbish. Imagine what we might do now that we're actually quite good?

In Sven we trust.

And not a single 'I digress'.

 

[kunaguero10]

Only went once, when we wore that orange kit and lost under Hughes, but I'm very grateful to be able to say I went and have seen what the ground and the area are like. Another great English ground, similar to Maine Road, that will be a loss to the English game.

I don't like what I've seen of the Olympic stadium up to now, mainly with the pitch being so far away from the stands and the stadium being so open. Are West Ham fans looking forward to the move or not?

 

[moomba]

Ah yes, Geovanni, not Bojinov. It was the run by Nedum that I remember most about that goal, not the scorer (obviously ha ha).

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Ah yes, Geovanni, not Bojinov. It was the run by Nedum that I remember most about that goal, not the scorer (obviously ha ha).

And what a run it was...

 

[Manchester33]

It'll be a shame to see it go - I was lucky enough to go twice but couldn't be bothered going there this weekend tbh!

I'm more looking forward to the Olympic Stadium next year - I can see us getting 5,000+ allocation!

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Are we taking the full 3K allocation to West Ham?

 

[Stato]

I went to the Sven game, one of my favourite away days, the atmosphere was amazing.
After the year before everyone seemed rejuvenated and so optimistic and about the new season and the football was so much more positive and attractive.

I also went the year before when Beasley scored.
a drab wet evening but we we won, and a big win it was back then too.