West Ham United would like to hear from the Club's Chinese supporters ahead of the Chinese New Year!
Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in the traditional Chinese holiday, with festivities held on the first fifteen days of the year of the Chinese calendar, In 2014, the Year of the Horse begins on 31 January and will officially end with the Lantern Festival on 14 February.
To mark the occasion, the Hammers are asking the Club's Chinese fanbase to send in stories and photographs to celebrate both Chinese New Year and their support of the Club.
Wherever you live, if you are a Chinese Hammer please let us know your story!
*Why do you support West Ham United?
*Tell us about yourself and where you are from!
*Who are your favourite players?
*Tell us about your favourite matches!
*Are West Ham United popular in China?
*Are you a member of a West Ham United Supporters' Club or group in China?
*Send us your photograph!
To share your story, please email your stories to [email protected] - the best will appear in our Official Programme versus Swansea City on Saturday 1 February!
SHARE YOUR WEST HAM UNITED STORIES I
??????????West Ham visited Beijing for the Premier League Asia Trophy in July 2009, when the Hammers were edged out 1-0 by Tottenham Hotspur before defeating local Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan 2-0 in the third-place play-off.
In June 2013, a group of 28 head teachers from primary and secondary schools from across China came visited the Boleyn Ground as part of a Chinese Football Association (CFA) visit to the UK to look at the positive impact that football can have on young people.
During their visit, the teachers from China's government-led 'Football in Schools' initiative visited West Ham's Academy and Community Sports Trust to learn more about the health and education benefits of sport for children, parents and teachers alike.
The Barclays Premier League has strong links with China, signing a co-operation deal with the Chinese Super League (CSL) in December 2013. The knowledge-sharing agreement will provide assistance to the CSL and the CFA on initiatives, programmes and projects to promote and develop football in China.
At grassroots level, working in conjunction with the British Council, the Premier Skills scheme uses football to tackle social issues in the community, such as health, disability, gender, inclusion and education.
Since Premier Skills was launched in China in 2009, the scheme has created training opportunities for more than 600 physical education teachers from more than 500 schools and community football clubs located in nine cities. Premier Skills coaches, in turn, have reached more than 200,000 young people.
Since Premier Skills was launched in China in 2009, the scheme has created training opportunities for more than 600 physical education teachers from over 500 schools and community football clubs located in nine cities. The Premier Skills coaches, in turn, have reached more than 200,000 young people.
Looking into the future, the CFA will have more than 200 young referees trained by UK experts from 2014 to 2016. Both these facets aim to maintain long term, healthy development of football in China.