West Ham and Manchester City: Rare respect in a world of tribalism

In an excerpt from Wray Vamplew’s Pay Up And Play The Game, first published in 1988 (and passed on to me by football historian Gary James), a study reveals that all the way back in 1910 Manchester City and West Ham United had the highest percentage of semi-skilled manual and unskilled manual workers who were shareholders in their club.

These percentages far outweighed those of other clubs who became limited companies during that era, namely Liverpool, Everton, Newcastle, Arsenal and Tottenham. There were others, too, and all had majority shareholders who were ‘proprietors’ or in clerical occupations.

This illustrates that in Edwardian England, West Ham and Manchester City had more working class supporters of any clubs across the land, meaning that even though 200 miles separated the two institutions they were anything but a class apart. Furthermore, there was another key commonality, as supporter Mark Meadowcroft explained to me: “It’s about the culture of Eastern ends of big cities. The sort of people that lived downwind of the factories.”

Fast forward through the decades to May 9th 1987 where the stage is Upton Park and it’s the final game of the season. City were all-but-down prior to kick-off and now relegation is confirmed after a fabulous Hammers side containing the likes of Devonshire and Cottee easily win out 2-0.

Having sung their hearts out for the entirety of the ninety minutes the City supporters now fall silent, contemplating their plight but collectively rouse themselves once again at the sight of the home fans streaming over the advertising hoardings and heading their way. This is 1987 remember and hooliganism is at its peak so the harder lads in the away contingent prepare for battle while the rest resign themselves to a thoroughly miserable end to a thoroughly miserable day. The police too are on full alert as a mass of Hammers assemble.

Only there is no invasion of the away end. Instead the West Ham fans stand on the pitch and sing ‘loyal supporters’ towards their northern counterparts. This is swiftly followed by a rendition of ‘we’ll meet again’ accompanied by applause that is soon warmly reciprocated once confusion abates. Finally there is the fait accompli of bonding anthems as the home fans loudly chant ‘We only hate Man United’.

Stories abound from City fans of how they were well-wished all the way back to the tube station that day and from there forward an affinity was born between each club’s fan-base; an affinity that was always previously present but never really spoken of and certainly not acknowledged; an affinity rooted in their roots.

But let’s not get too hippy-dippy here and suggest that it’s exclusively wine and roses and the rare instance of a wholly harmonious relationship between two rival sets of fans. In amongst the avalanche of positive comments amounting to mutual admiration I received when I brought this subject up online this week, were examples highlighting that animosity still rears its head in the modern era from time to time while you’d have to be frankly insane to relish a trip to Upton Park in the 70s and 80s during the reign of the feared ICF.

Similarly, it would take a Hammer of a certain disposition to enjoy the prospect of navigating the narrow alleyways of Moss Side during the decades when violence was prevalent.

Playmaker FC’s American Soccer Fan give his take on all six ‘field goals’ during West Ham 4-2 Burnley…

Yet it can still be truthfully said that an unusual connection exists between the fan-bases – one founded on respect and an appreciation of their similarities – and crucially it’s a connection that has sustained through not only football’s extreme make-over in recent times but a complete transformation in circumstances for one of the clubs.

We all know what that transformation was and assuming you’ve spent more than a singular passing browse on Twitter you’ll know too how the takeover of Manchester City in 2008 transformed not just their bank balance but their image too. From being commonly viewed as pretty likeable all told and even a second club to casually root for, they are now damned and demeaned at every turn for their nouveau wealth as the tribalism of the terraces switches to social media.

That, however, is anything but the case with West Ham and from a personal perspective as a Blue I’ve lost count of the occasions my timeline has been awash with criticism of my club and just as I’m losing the will to live along comes a solitary tweet beneath an avi of two crossed hammers defending them.

Free from jealousy the tweet will invariably state that City supporters deserve their good fortune after sticking by their team through thick and thin and generations of mediocrity, and invariably too there will be the inclusion of a word, one that is fundamental in explaining why both sets of fans get on. It’s a word that kept on appearing from the hundreds of replies I received from up north and down south this week and that word is ‘proper’.

Proper club. Proper fans. Grounded. Authentic. And the insinuation of course is that other clubs – namely each club’s local rivals – are not so. Instead they are the glitzy media-darlings who kept West Ham and City in shadow as we grew up. They are the ones who attract the day-trippers. They are the ones who inherently possess an arrogance that is unbecoming.

If that is the sharing of demographic there is also a sharing of heroes that exceeds the norm in number. From Malcolm Allison and John Bond being formative in the ‘West Ham Way’ before both going on to manage at Maine Road to Pablo Zabaleta’s warrior-spirit being mutually cherished, there is a long, long list of individuals who have been fortunate enough to experience the two clubs and so naturally with such combined lineage there comes communion.

Regarding our neighbours, an enemy of an enemy is a friend. Regarding the stars who lit up Upton Park, Maine Road, the Etihad and the London Stadium, our values merge.

And that ultimately is what it comes down to when all is said and done: the affinity, mutual respect, call-it-what-you-like between the fan-bases of West Ham and Manchester City is forged on a merging of values. It is like recognising like. It is class recognising class.