Hammers do it their way: joy, tears and memories as West Ham bid farewell to Upton Park
Fans and players share a moving after-match ceremony to mark the end of 112 years of history at the Boleyn Ground
West Ham United have always done things their own way through thick and thin, so it was fitting when Frank Sinatra’s timeless classic kick-started a post-match party that brought the curtain down on 112 years at the Boleyn Ground on Tuesday.
True to their traditions, West Ham kept a 34,000 crowd on tenterhooks as they flirted with defeat in their 2,398th and final game at a ground, which survived second world war bombs and has undergone many facelifts but still retains a unique atmosphere.
Two late goals by Michail Antonio and Winston Reid, however, secured a thrilling 3-2 win over Manchester United that almost took the roof off the soon-to-be-demolished old place and sparked a classic Cockney knees up.
However, some West Ham supporters seemed bent on reviving another of the club’s less acceptable traits – bringing violence and a snarling edge to what should have been a night celebrating their team’s history.
Manchester United’s team bus was attacked by a bottle-throwing mob before the game, forcing baton-wielding police to intervene and causing a 45-minute delay to kick-off.