The transition of West Ham from Upton Park to the London Stadium stands as one of the most debated arena changes in modern football memory.
Steeped in tradition, the former home of the Hammers offered an intense environment unique to classic, compact grounds which are increasingly scarce nowadays.
With the East London outfit getting ready for a return to the Championship, ex-Hammers hero Tony Gale suggests that on-field performances have truly declined since the 2016 relocation.
Gale discusses the reasons behind West Ham’s difficulties at the London Stadium
In Gale’s view, there is a stark difference between the squad that departed Upton Park during Slaven Bilic’s tenure and the style of play witnessed in subsequent years.
“I really appreciated the era when Slaven Bilic guided us away from Upton Park,” Gale explained to FourFourTwo. “With stars like Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini, we had players who truly excited the supporters.
“I recall hearing Slav speak, and his insights were fascinating. He noted that although the playing field’s dimensions are similar to those at Upton Park, the immense open space surrounding it creates an optical illusion that impacted the squad. Consequently, maintaining a tight, compact formation during home matches proved challenging for him.”
Nonetheless, Gale, who represented the club over 300 times from 1984 to 1994, acknowledges the danger of viewing the past through an overly nostalgic lens.
“However, we shouldn’t forget that the environment at Upton Park wasn’t always outstanding,” he points out. “If you examine the beginning of our highly successful 1985-86 season, attendance had dropped to just 15,000.
“These days, they pull in 62,000 spectators, and the sound quality inside the arena is superb. It is impossible to deny that we have experienced some incredible evenings during European matches there.
“The venue might be different, but the supporters remain the same. They will always get behind the team if they see absolute commitment and attractive play.”
Even though the fans’ enthusiasm remains high, Gale points to the stadium’s layout and surroundings to explain the shift in the club’s fortunes.
“The exterior is a completely different matter,” he continued. “There needs to be more football-related activity near the arena. Approaching the venue should generate excitement, but currently, it falls short. The walk from Stratford station takes around 20 to 25 minutes across highly open areas, in contrast to the tight, bustling roads around Upton Park. This spaciousness makes generating an external pre-match vibe very tough.
“Many modern top-flight venues have this issue, but I genuinely long for the classic vendors selling programmes and traditional food carts where the aroma of cooking onions carried for miles. The London Stadium simply lacks that authentic football scent.”
