Who's Who on the SAB

Debbie Hoffman
Name: Debbie Hoffman

Age: 45

Year you began supporting WHU: 2018

Fan group you represent on SAB: West Ham United Supporters Club

Area you sit at London Stadium: N/A

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: Helping to reunite bricks from the Boleyn with Jonjo Heuerman BEM BCyA

 

 

David Baker

Name: David Baker

Age: 52

Year you began supporting WHU: From birth!

Fan group you represent on SAB: West Stand

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Block 212

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: On the date of the 1980 FA Cup Final, I was on an O Level geography field trip in the Peak District, so I could not attend the game at Wembley. I was the only West Ham supporter on the trip amongst many Arsenal fans. Managed to listen to the whole game on the radio and the result, and our win, is of course part of our history. 

I had only taken one West Ham shirt on the trip. I did insist on wearing it for the entire trip though to make the most of our win in the company of so many Arsenal fans. By the end of the trip, the shirt was very dirty and a bit on the smelly side. I do also remember my mum's reaction when I returned home with all the other clean shirts that she had lovingly washed, dried and ironed before the trip still neatly folded in my case...

 

Don Adams

Name: Don Adams

Age: 68

Year you began supporting WHU: 1964

Fan group you represent on SAB: Senior supporters (Over 65s)

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Block H

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: In 1965 I 'borrowed' the school bell and took it when I went to watch West Ham play in the European Cup Winners Cup Final against TSV Munich at Wembley. On the video on the game you can hear the bell ringing! 

 

 

Lee Vehit

Name: Lee Vehit

Age: 38

Year you began supporting WHU: 1984

Fan group you represent on SAB: Deaf based Hammers, families and season ticket holders. Expertise in transport and policing.

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Bobby Moore Lower Block 152

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: I used to write stories for the West Ham Fanzine, Over Land and Sea, and have interviewed many West Ham players over the years and covered some interesting stories!

 

Alastair Holmes

Name: Alastair Holmes

Age: 50

Year you began supporting WHU: The 1975 FA Cup final – I liked the colour of the kit!

Fan group you represent on SAB: Pride of Irons, the West Ham United LGBT supporters group

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Block 103

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: In 1999 I decided to follow the Hammers at the away games in Europe, not expecting them to get far. It ended up costing a fortune as we progressed all the through the Intertoto Cup and into the second round of the UEFA Cup. Great memories of the five destinations, and the only time I took my partner at the time, a Dutch guy, to watch West Ham in Heerenveen, just a few miles from where he lived!


Jim Dolan

Name: Jim Dolan

Age: 36

Fan group you represent on SAB: Pride of Irons

Area of London Stadium where you sit: East Stand Lower

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: I was brought up in a family of Spurs supporters on both mum and dad's side. I hated football (well, with a family that supports Spurs it's understandable) until my mates forced me to watch the FA Cup Games in the 2005/6 season. I got caught up in the emotion of the cup run and my first game was the final in Cardiff. I haven't looked back since. 

 

Jodie Crane
Name: Jodie Crane

Age: 28

Fan group you represent on SAB: Women

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Bobby Moore Lower Block 147

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: I had a season ticket whilst studying at university in Preston – travelling back for every home fixture and most away fixtures

 

 

Joshua Dodd

Name: Joshua Dodd

Age: 23

Fan group you represent on SAB: Under 25s

Area of London Stadium where you sit: 1966 Seats – East Stand

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: I have many fantastic memories supporting West Ham throughout my life so far, travelling to both home and away games. The highlights have to be the Play-Off final triumphs in 2005 and 2012 (the latter being at Wembley made it even more special), the entire 2015/16 season, the final game at the Boleyn and singing with thousands of fans down Barking Road and at the statue, the 4-0 home win against Manchester United in the snow and completing the treble over Spurs in 2014. I have also been fortunate enough to meet many players over the years but one story that always springs to mind is when my dad took me to watch the First Team train at Chadwell Heath through a fence down a side road, and at the end of the session I called Alan Pardew's name, he came over and invited me to the front entrance for a photo - here I met a number of First Team players, including my favourite player at the time - Teddy Sheringham, and my photo with him ended up in a match day programme for the home game against Chelsea. Come on you Irons! 

 

 

Jose Sanchez

Name: Jose Sanchez

Age: 48

Year you began supporting WHU: 1979

Fan group you represent on SAB: Club London Bars

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Block 107

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: I used to be a Season Ticket Holder at the Boleyn, met one of the youth coaches through a mutual friend, he called my friend one day when we were in the Chicken Run was calling from the pitch. He invited myself and a friend onto the pitch, complete with a gift bag from the shop. We should have been on Match of the Day against Sunderland as we stood next to Anton Ferdinand who was playing for them and was warming up, needless to say MotD cut us out, gutted, but I was on the hallowed turf which was an honour.

 

Alexander Middleton

Name: Alexander Middleton

Age: 35

Year you began supporting WHU: 1983 – Born and raised a Hammer

Fan group you represent on SAB: International Fans

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Block 139

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: Being a lifelong supporter of WHU has given me a lot of interesting and exciting moments during the years. I’m forever grateful to be a part of the West Ham family and I have my dad to thank for that. Despite all the great memories I have as a West Ham fan, all the trips to East London, all the games, all the ups and downs – what I appreciate most is all the fantastic people I have met along the way. Not only fellow Scandinavian Hammers, but also other international fans, local supporters and people at the club. What’s clear is that we all share the love and passion for West Ham United, so please let’s all stick together and get behind the team – they really need us. Come on you irons!

 

Cathy Bayford

Name: Cathy Bayford

Age: 54

Year you began supporting WHU: I married into it! So on meeting Steve – 1993

Fan group you represent on SAB: Ambulant Disabled

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: Co-founder of the Disabled Supporters Advisory Board (with Trevor Bright) having been a member of the SAB since it was established. We recognised disabled issues were taking up a large chunk of the agenda and we needed our own representation. Name 

 

John Beavis
Name: John Beavis 

Age: 71

Year you began supporting WHU: 1972

Fan group you represent on SAB: Bondholders

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Block 135

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: Way back in 1980, I managed to obtain an invite to the official welcome party at East Ham Town Hall on the day after we had won the cup! Don’t ask how I got the invitation but it was and remains one of my most memorable days. Somehow I got to be standing right next to the Mayor as the coach pulled up along the steps of the town hall – and there I was on the TV – well half of me – along with the mayor congratulating Billy and the boys as they stepped off the coach. I actually got to hold the cup itself and joined the press guys all quizzing Trevor and young Paul Allen with literally thousands of other people all trying to get through the police barrier. A real day to remember.

 

Sunil Karir

Name: Sunil Karir

Age: 44

Year you began supporting WHU: 1973

Fan group you represent on SAB: Families

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Bobby Moore Stand

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: TBC

 

Trevor Bright

Name: Trevor Bright 

Age: 65

Year you began supporting WHU: 1960's! 

Fan group you represent on SAB: Disabled Supporters Advisory Board

Area of London Stadium where you sit: West Stand (Block 203)

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: TBC

 

Colin James

Name: Colin James

Age: 56

Year you began supporting WHU: 1970

Fan group you represent on SAB: 1966 Season Ticket Holders

Area of London Stadium where you sit: Block 136

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: My first game - Manchester United 1970. Birthday treat. Crowd of 42,000. 0-0 and I didn't see a thing! For some reason I was hooked though. Pestered my dad every time we had a home game. 

 

Sean Whetstone

Name: Sean Whetstone

Age: 50

Year you began supporting WHU: 1968

Fan group you represent on SAB: Claret and Hugh

Area of London Stadium where you sit: West Stand Block 113

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: In the eighties, I stood in the South Bank terraces moving later to Bobby Moore Upper, then I moved to the back of the Centenary Upper as it was known, before settling in to Sir Trevor Brooking Lower row R in the Boleyn Ground until we left in 2016. I can't remember the last time I watched West Ham sitting down. 

 

Stephen Applebee

Name: Stephen Applebee

Age: 61

Year you began supporting WHU: 1963

Fan group you represent on SAB: Bondholders

Area of London Stadium where you sit: East Stand Block 136

Tell us one interesting story about your support of WHU: The most memorable game I attended was the midweek League Cup Semi-Final replay at Old Trafford against Stoke City, it rained all day, we lost and during the game Bobby Moore went in goal and saved a penalty! My parents received a letter from the headmaster due to my brother and I missing school, but so did hundreds of East London parents that week!