Hammers United Statement
Hammers United held an introductory meeting with West Ham United representative and Supporter Liaison Officer Jake Heath at The Holiday Inn in Stratford Westfield yesterday.
We are pleased to report that on the contrary to the weekends contemptuous reports from the sensationalist digital entity that is Claret & Hugh, we found the clubs approach positive, engaging, open and forward thinking, recognising the importance and value that Hammers United with its unique reach across the West Ham fanbase presents.
The meeting was informative, helping us to understand the journey of the club, and the drivers behind the evolution of the SAB to the current OSB construct, the later pioneered by Jake at a time of great division and internal conflict amongst our fans.
We also highlighted that the apathy across our supporters these past seasons has once again began to turn to frustration, and that frustration is rapidly reaching the boiling point of anger, advising the club that there are now initiatives underway regarding direct action, such is the dissatisfaction of our swelling membership.
We believe the club now have a clear understanding of the journey of Hammers United, including our democratic structure, the broad demographic of our fanbase, our objectives and vision for supporters engagement, and importantly why we believe the OSB (despite its best intentions and efforts), being a club created undemocratic construct, does not lend itself to the purpose of serving and addressing the primary concerns of our membership, and more notably of late the broader West Ham fanbase, whose quite reasonable expectation requires the impartiality, autonomy and ability to self-govern any collective supporters group construct, without any concern of censorship, repression, containment or subjugation from the club.
To that end, Hammers United has suggested to the club that the creation of a new, independent democratic supporters construct be explored, with the Football Supporters Association chairing investigative meetings between appropriate representatives of the club and supporters’ groups would be the best route forward.
We are pleased to announce that the FSA has agreed in principal this morning to host such meetings and will formally table the suggested proposal and invitation to the club over the next forty-eight hours, given the festive period.
We also look forward to our scheduled follow-up meeting with the club in January and will keep you updated of progress in the meantime.
We again thank you, our members for your support which has enabled us to reach this important milestone on our journey.
It is both a great honour and a genuine privilege to serve you our fellow fans, and on behalf of our committee I’d like to thank you all for being the difference that is Hammers United and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
We remain Hammers. . . United. . . for change at the club we all love.
Tross 😎⚒
