Farewell Boleyn – Five unforgettable Upton Park moments for West Ham
In 2016, an epic new chapter starts for West Ham United as the eagerly anticipated move to the iconic Olympic Stadium beckons.
The switch to the famous arena in the Queen Elizabeth Park will eventually make the Hammers a bigger threat in the Premier League than they already are.
However, the East Londoner’s sacrifice for the exhilarating move next year is the loss of the equally iconic Boleyn Ground.
Home of West Ham since 1904, the 35,016 capacity stadium will sadly be knocked down and replaced with flats from June 2016.
Over the years, Upton Park has seen some incredible players grace the famous pitch, as well as some magnificent moments that, not just the Hammers faithful will remember, but the whole of English football.
Here are just five of those brilliant memories that will never, ever be erased from anyone remotely associated with West Ham…
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Carlos Tevez’s goal v Spurs, 2007
However, after Hammers centre midfield stalwart and academy graduate Mark Noble opened the scoring, the man and legend who spearheaded the great escape in 2007 finally claimed his first West Ham goal in the first weekend of March that year.
Carlos Tevez’s looping 25 yard free kick evaded a squandering Paul Robinson and put Alan Curbishley’s side 2-0 to the good in the 42nd minute against their London rivals.
Despite the agonising defeat, the celebration from the Argentine superstar showed passion and love for the West Ham fans which is still something to cherish from Upton Park’s closure in 2016.
Furthermore, before the kick-off the Hammers fans paid tribute in tremendous and sophisticated style, marking the death of England’s greatest player and World Cup winner with a series of memorial events.
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Matthew Etherington’s goal v Ipswich
Even though forward Marlon Harewood had a goal disallowed in that first leg, the Tractor Boys deservedly won that tie and it honestly should have been more than 1-0 to the Portman Road side.
However, in the second leg, the Upton Park fans witnessed a truly outstanding performance from visiting keeper Kelvin Davis, but he could do nothing about winger Matthew Etherington’s sublime 25-yard effort from a short Michael Carrick corner.
As a result, the Hammers were galvanised from the former Spurs midfielder’s brilliant goal, which led to Christian Daily bundling in the winner and sending Alan Pardew’s men to the Play-Off final.
Despite the 1-0 loss in the final against Crystal Palace thanks to a close range Neil Shipperly goal, the semi-final at the magnificent Boleyn Ground will be one to remember.
West Ham 2-1 Man United, 2007
However, it wasn’t to be and the former Premier League champions became more unlikely to build on their one goal advantage, with former player Carlos Tevez making his first appearance against his former club.
Even Ronaldo, who was slowly emerging as one of the brightest talents in world football missed a penalty and immediately blamed it on ‘flashing advertisements boards.’
As a result, with Sir Alex Ferguson serving a touchline ban, defenders Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Upson proved to be the unlikely match winners under the lights to secure West Ham’s third home win of the season in 2007/2008.
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West Ham 1-0 Arsenal, 2006
In a frantic and surprisingly even game, as the Gunners produced an equally surprising below par performance, Teddy Sheringham was preferred to come on as a second half substitute than Carlos Tevez.
However, Pardew’s tactics worked brilliantly as Sheringham swapped passes with the assist maker Matthew Etherington, who delivered an inch perfect cross to Harewood to tap past Jens Lehmann, as the West Ham fans went home happy and left Wenger sulking.
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The greatest goal ever scored…
“I do not believe that, that is sensational!”
Those were the exact words gasped from the mouth of famous Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler when West Ham’s legendary striker Paolo Di Canio produced a strike of absolute magnificence.
The extravagant Italian opened the scoring against a resilient Wimbledon side in 2000 with a divine scissor kick volley that was eventually voted the greatest goal in Premier League history.
Even though Dons shot stopper Neil Sullivan dived at the time, no keeper in the world would’ve stopped that effort from one of the Hammers greatest loved talents.
In a 2-1 win for manager Harry Redknapp, which also involved forward Frederic Kanoute notching after his recent arrival from French side Lyon, the papers were truly dominated by Di Canio’s extravagant strike and was first type of goal ever experienced in the Premier League.
For it to be witnessed at Upton Park was an even more special moment.
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