What a day. My son Ben and I arrive at Norwich Train Station at 11.30am on Saturday morning on our way to the Southampton game only to find our train's been cancelled.
Nothing new in that but it should have been the alarm bell warning that today was not going to be a good one.
After sitting on a hot, dirty packed train to Cambridge and arriving at Kings Cross and to find the Hammersmith and City line wasn't running any sane person with parental responsibilities, would surely have said 'come on son let's go to the pub'.
Nothing new in that but it should have been the alarm bell warning that today was not going to be a good one.
After sitting on a hot, dirty packed train to Cambridge and arriving at Kings Cross and to find the Hammersmith and City line wasn't running any sane person with parental responsibilities, would surely have said 'come on son let's go to the pub'.
But I'm not sane am I? I'm a West Ham season ticket holder and this is my 40th year supporting the Irons and poor Ben's 10th.
So we do three changes on the tube and eventually get to the ground at 3.04pm.
We see our regular faces around us, say our hellos, pat a few backs, shake a few hands and settle down to watch the game.
I get a pat on the shoulder from John, the chap who sits behind me. I shake his hand and ask how things are.
I know his mum had not been well and he tells me she passed away three weeks ago, hence why he had not been to the Spurs game.
His family and friends had told him he needed to get out of the house and try and enjoy himself. Somebody close by shouted 'enjoy yourself? What have you come here for?'
All of us West Ham fans are used to the dark humour we hear and dish out each week but there was a vein of truth in the comment.
How much do we actually enjoy coming to the Boleyn Ground these days?
The football is as boring as it can get, there's genuine unrest and dissatisfaction between supporters.
Where has the spark and passion gone? I think Sam has wrung every last piece of flair, passion and entertainment out of the club.
It's a sterile atmosphere. People are coming to games out of duty rather than looking forward to an afternoons entertainment.
I'm already feeling emotional about our last season at the Boleyn Ground and because of the special days out I have with my son we'll renew at the new ground.
If the football continues to be this bad for much longer how many regular fans will see next season as a natural line drawn and find something enjoyable to do on a Saturday afternoon?
So we do three changes on the tube and eventually get to the ground at 3.04pm.
We see our regular faces around us, say our hellos, pat a few backs, shake a few hands and settle down to watch the game.
I get a pat on the shoulder from John, the chap who sits behind me. I shake his hand and ask how things are.
I know his mum had not been well and he tells me she passed away three weeks ago, hence why he had not been to the Spurs game.
His family and friends had told him he needed to get out of the house and try and enjoy himself. Somebody close by shouted 'enjoy yourself? What have you come here for?'
All of us West Ham fans are used to the dark humour we hear and dish out each week but there was a vein of truth in the comment.
How much do we actually enjoy coming to the Boleyn Ground these days?
The football is as boring as it can get, there's genuine unrest and dissatisfaction between supporters.
Where has the spark and passion gone? I think Sam has wrung every last piece of flair, passion and entertainment out of the club.
It's a sterile atmosphere. People are coming to games out of duty rather than looking forward to an afternoons entertainment.
I'm already feeling emotional about our last season at the Boleyn Ground and because of the special days out I have with my son we'll renew at the new ground.
If the football continues to be this bad for much longer how many regular fans will see next season as a natural line drawn and find something enjoyable to do on a Saturday afternoon?