West Ham fans and the London Stadium ticket row: ‘My son is heartbroken that he can’t go’

As hordes of West Ham United fans descend towards the London Stadium ahead of the season opener against Aston Villa, a small group of supporters are handing out leaflets in protest against the increase in ticket prices and withdrawal of concession season tickets in large sections of the ground.

The front of the leaflet says: “My grandad took my dad, then my dad took me. That’s the way it used to be and I always hoped I’d be able to take you, son.” There is a QR code on the back, urging fans to sign an online petition in the hope the club overturns the concession policy and price tickets. It has amassed over 17,000 signatures.

The decision to withdraw concession season tickets in bands one to four has annoyed the fanbase. Unless new supporters are willing to sit in bands five or six, the seats furthest from the pitch, they will have to pay a flat adult price. Tickets for the over-66 and under-21 categories have seen an average rise of 7.5 per cent.

The most expensive season ticket is in the 1966 West Stand, which costs £1,720 for adults, concessions and under-21s and under-18, an increase of £100 from 2023-24. The second highest season ticket is the 1966 Billy Bonds Stand, which costs £1,445, an increase of 6.25 per cent.

West Ham have made tweaks since the policy was originally introduced. Individual matchday concessionary tickets will now be available for games in Band 5 and 6. A West Ham statement said this came “having listened to feedback from supporters and further to meeting with fan group representatives this week”. The statement added: “This will be the case for all further Category AA and A fixtures throughout the 2024-25 season, while concessionary discounts will be available in every seating band for all Category B and C fixtures and all home cup games, with the exception of 1966 and 1966 West seating areas.”

Not that this has placated West Ham fans.

“Keep up the fight — it’s ridiculous what this club is doing,” says an elderly fan who gesticulates with his fists as he walks past. There were 62,463 in attendance for the 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa, but a planned boycott of the Betway Cup friendly against Celta Vigo on August 10 saw only 15,000 fans attend.

Off the field, a summer overhaul has seen the additions of Wes Foderingham, Luis Guilherme, Maximilian Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug, Guido Rodriguez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jean-Clair Todibo. There is excitement over what new head coach Julen Lopetegui could achieve, but there is resentment in the stands over the club’s handling of the controversial changes.

Paul Colborne, 68, chair of Hammers United, is among those distributing leaflets. “If you want to get a new season ticket and don’t want to sit in band five or six, it’s going to cost you ridiculous amounts of money,” he says. “Not all grandparents or parents can get to band five or six because there’s so many stairs. But let’s say they can, they’ll be away from their family and friends.

“My fear is the younger generation will be forced to watch other clubs. Those who can afford it will probably not want to attend because their friends aren’t here. It will honestly kill our fanbase. That’s why we’re here giving out leaflets and the fanbase have been united over this, which is great to see. Hammers United have written to (owners) David Sullivan, Vanessa Gold, Tripp Smith, Daniel Kretinsky and we have had replies, although it wouldn’t be right to divulge what they have said.”

Couple Lisa Kemp, 49 and Freddie Kemp, 52 sympathise with the younger generation. They are unable to bring their grandkids and strongly oppose the price rises and concession changes.

“They are pricing out young fans,” says Lisa. “It’s always two steps forward, 100 steps back with West Ham. The fans are the heart and soul of the club. When times get tough we’ll still be here cheering on the team, not people who show up for one day to watch West Ham.”

The next home game in the league is against Manchester City on August 31. At the time of writing, there are still 960 tickets available in the upper tier, with prices ranging from £55 to £100. Supporter James Kemp, 43, was unable to attend the loss to Aston Villa. He believes he is being priced out of attending games.

“It’s extremely disappointing, and hurtful, that I’m unable to take my boy to matches this season,” he says. “I simply cannot afford to pay full adult prices for my six-year-old. This club is nothing without its fans, and the next generation of supporters are being squeezed out. My son is heartbroken that he can’t go and watch the team, especially the new signings. He eats, sleeps and breathes West Ham as the club is so special to him.

West Ham have removed new concession season tickets in areas of the stadium (Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

“He loves watching his heroes play at London Stadium, and it pains me that he won’t be able to go this season as it currently stands. It’s been handled terribly. When we moved to the stadium, David Sullivan promised that it would make things more affordable for fans. Well that’s laughable now. Most failings in any business or organisation are down to poor implementation and communication. I feel like we fans have not been consulted or, indeed, our opinions heard. My son and I are Claret Members, as we live in Southampton, and so attending all home matches, particularly midweek games, is near impossible.

“The only matches he might be able to attend are Carabao or FA Cup matches, if they reduce costs for these matches. I’ve sat ‘in the gods’ at London Stadium and there’s no way my boy is travelling all that way and back to essentially watch replays on the big screens to see what happened. I have other friends with kids who are in a similar position and they too are unable to attend. My father-in-law, who has been a season ticket holder for many decades now, is also affected as he won’t get to make those memories with his grandson at matches.”

Charlie Knott, 23, has also been affected by the increase in prices.

“It’s infuriating, growing up being known as the family club of the Premier League, to now having to try and scrap together to just go and see the club I’ve never doubted I wouldn’t be able to see,” he says. “I have a nine-month-old daughter and after paying bills it’s hard to be able to afford to go to games.

“To see children and concession prices hiked to match the standard adult entrance fee is wrong. The only way I’ll be able to attend games now is through being drawn at home to a lower league side in the Carabao or FA Cup.

“Unless things drastically change, I don’t think I’ll be able to see West Ham play Premier League football at the London Stadium anytime soon.”

(Top photo: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)