- On this day, West Ham played their final game at Upton Park ten years ago
- The Hammers claimed a 3-2 win over Manchester United
- West Ham now play at the London Stadium
For West Ham United, May 10, 2016, will always be one of those football evenings that never go away. Today marks ten years since the team’s dramatic, emotional 3-2 win over Manchester United, which marked the end of Upton Park.
The match itself saw West Ham make an excellent start, with Diafra Sakho putting them ahead and sparking early celebrations. However, Manchester United’s Anthony Martial scored twice to flip the game on its head, threatening to ruin the goodbye and silence the East End fans.
The Hammers replied to the fans’ roar. Michail Antonio scored an equaliser to restore confidence before the pivotal time arrived. With only a few minutes remaining, Winston Reid rose to head in the winner, scoring the last goal ever witnessed at the renowned old ground.
It was the 2,398th and last match at Upton Park, which had served as West Ham’s home for 112 years and would fit a little over 35,000 fans. It was fitting that Mark Noble, a lifelong West Ham supporter and club captain, led the players out for the final time before the move to the London Stadium in Stratford.
London Stadium move has failed to live up to expectations
A decade later, the comparison with West Ham’s current situation is tough to overlook.
West Ham are now based at the London Stadium, a contemporary 60,000-seat stadium built for the 2012 Olympics, and operate on a much larger scale, both economically and in capacity.
The move was intended to propel the team ahead by providing the facilities to compete at the highest level of English football, but as the club hosts Arsenal on Sunday in a crucial clash, it’s a stadium devoid of any elite moment and could be the home of Championship football when the season ends in a fortnight.
Unlike Upton Park, which was created only for football, the London Stadium remains a multi-purpose stadium, and this has recently come back into focus. West Ham are under further pressure to vacate the stadium for up to three weeks so that London may host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, a move that would compel the team to play several away games at the start of that season.
The club has objected, citing contractual rights that priority football usage throughout the season. That persistent friction highlights a significant distinction between the past and the present.
