West Ham board outraged at Olympic Stadium decision change
The battle over the Olympic Stadium has flared up again as Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, announced that bids for the stadium should be re-opened in light of the protests from Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur.
It appears that Waltham Forest of the Isthmian League Division 1 North will now win the rights to play in the Olympic Stadium from 2013. The club which regularly attracts attendance in excess of 50 (average 46) have submitted plans which the Mayor describes as “keeping the Olympic spirit going”. Waltham Forest chairman, Isaac Johnson, who is rumoured to be a distant relation of Boris, said that the club had a 5-point plan. 1) The seats would not be ripped out (Isaac has 60 dining table chairs from his second hand furniture shop which can be put down one side of the pitch in under 10 minutes for games) 2) The stadium will be a non-stop ‘Sport for All’ centre – he is hiring a team of 500 marathon runners who will take part in what he calls a “24-7 marathon relay” so that the public can see sport in London whenever they want – day or night. 3) The entrance will only be modified slightly so that there is one parking spot for Isaac’s Ford Sierra 4) None of the seats will be moved or changed – Isaac has given a lifetime guarantee that he will pay a sizeable sum to charity if any of the seating areas are changed 5) The wear and tear on the facilities will be much reduced with an average of only 46 supporters for home games.
The West Ham board is furious at this change of plan and questions why a club like Waltham Forest are set to play “near their patch”. David Gold protested that “Waltham Forest are a joke club and the whole thing is a sick joke. West Ham will be no lower than League 1 by 2014 – and, certainly, no lower than League 2. It just does not make sense”.
Leyton Orient chairman, Barry Hearn, was on cue (geddit?) to protest too. “This will damage our future. Some children who would have grown up to support Leyton Orient will grow up to support Waltham Forest”.
Waltham Forest fans are, however, unhappy about the decision. The move would mean an onerous drive to the Olympic site. Shopkeepers in Waltham Forest fear the loss of trade will mean the end of the road for their small businesses. Meanwhile, Boris went for a curry with Isaac.
It appears that Waltham Forest of the Isthmian League Division 1 North will now win the rights to play in the Olympic Stadium from 2013. The club which regularly attracts attendance in excess of 50 (average 46) have submitted plans which the Mayor describes as “keeping the Olympic spirit going”. Waltham Forest chairman, Isaac Johnson, who is rumoured to be a distant relation of Boris, said that the club had a 5-point plan. 1) The seats would not be ripped out (Isaac has 60 dining table chairs from his second hand furniture shop which can be put down one side of the pitch in under 10 minutes for games) 2) The stadium will be a non-stop ‘Sport for All’ centre – he is hiring a team of 500 marathon runners who will take part in what he calls a “24-7 marathon relay” so that the public can see sport in London whenever they want – day or night. 3) The entrance will only be modified slightly so that there is one parking spot for Isaac’s Ford Sierra 4) None of the seats will be moved or changed – Isaac has given a lifetime guarantee that he will pay a sizeable sum to charity if any of the seating areas are changed 5) The wear and tear on the facilities will be much reduced with an average of only 46 supporters for home games.
The West Ham board is furious at this change of plan and questions why a club like Waltham Forest are set to play “near their patch”. David Gold protested that “Waltham Forest are a joke club and the whole thing is a sick joke. West Ham will be no lower than League 1 by 2014 – and, certainly, no lower than League 2. It just does not make sense”.
Leyton Orient chairman, Barry Hearn, was on cue (geddit?) to protest too. “This will damage our future. Some children who would have grown up to support Leyton Orient will grow up to support Waltham Forest”.
Waltham Forest fans are, however, unhappy about the decision. The move would mean an onerous drive to the Olympic site. Shopkeepers in Waltham Forest fear the loss of trade will mean the end of the road for their small businesses. Meanwhile, Boris went for a curry with Isaac.
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