West Ham United supporters have slammed the decision not to allow them onto the Boleyn Ground pitch after the club's final ever home game in Upton Park.
Following KUMB.com's exclusive revelation yesterday that West Ham would be hiring extra stewards to ensure fans do not encroach onto the playing surface after the match with Swansea, in order to protect it for subsequent commercial events, supporters accused the club of "greed".KUMB member OllyWHU6 said: "It just doesn't make sense. It will also foster so much ill-will between fans and ownership. Karren Brady, as much as she has her flaws, must know that alienating a customer base before a major transition is reckless."
Fellow member Row X insisted that staging corporate events after the final first team match would be an insult. "The club are just trying to get every last penny out of the ground, and have stupidly arranged events after the final game of the season," he said.
"In my view, the last ever football kicked at the ground should be a competitive game involving West Ham United - not Dave and his mates from the pub in a five-a-side game."
That view was echoed by Whitters, who added: "The last game should be a competitive fixture involving the first team. I went to a football dinner a year or so ago and Richard Keys was boasting how he was the last person to score at Highfield Road.
"I would hate the same to happen to us, with some ex-cast member of Eastenders or X Factor contestant having that honour."
Meanwhile claretcloggy, who will travelling from the Netherlands for the game, also admitted his disappointment. "I've been saving up for a few months now. Never have i walked onto a football pitch as a fan, but I was certainly planning on doing it for this occasion," he said.
"This feels so incredibly cruel and really like a slap in the face by the Board. It honestly makes my blood boil that they would deny us, the lifeblood of the club, this opportunity."
And Maltab believes the decision is financially-motivated, suggested that the club have good reason to prevent people onto the playing surface. "I reckon the club will set up an auction site," he said.
"A free for all with people scrapping to dig pieces of the pitch up, and ripping up things, would be a sad way to see the BG go. Although it's probably every West Ham United fan's dream to go on the pitch, where their idols once played."
Supporters were also angered by the decision as co-chairman David Gold told a meeting of season ticket holders in December 2013 that the club were planning a huge party ON THE PITCH to mark the landmark final game.
And others were deeply concerned that the input of the much-maligned Supporter's Advisory Board had effectively been ignored.
"It was stated in the SAB focus groups on a number of occasions, and agreed by the marketing director, that the final game on the pitch would be the last competitive fixture," wrote Mr Dallas. "I'm glad to see the sum total of nil was achieved by all the input, questionnaires and fans' opinion."
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