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By Dr Masimba Mavaza and Kennedy Mupomba
As a fan, it might sound strange to say, but I’m not actually missing football.
Admittedly things haven’t been going perfectly for Chelsea this season, before matches were abruptly postponed as the coronavirus crisis began to take hold. I am missing the journey to the stadium, the electric atmosphere which envelops the whole area. The feeling it gives you just to know that you support the best team in the world. Chelsea FC.
It may turn out that a trip to Goodison Park, that fine old ground in Walton, might be one of my last trips for the foreseeable future.
And as any match going fan will tell you, that’s what it’s all about.
On long journeys watching Chelsea play across the UK, and especially in Europe, football often gets in the way of a great day out.
Especially so since Jose Mourinho retired. Memorable trips for myself included spending a day in the beautiful streets of Stamford Bridge in London.
We have had some great wins, including a couple against our city neighbours.
But our other rivals up North down the M62 already had one hand on the Premier League trophy. With nothing much to do due to the coronavirus lockdown, I asked Kenny to share his nolstagic thoughts. I thought I might as well revisit the videos and pictures of the successful football tournament we held at Mudzimu School in Hurungwe in 2018. As I sat viewing them in my garden, I would now and then smile and laugh much to the amusement of my children.
Indeed, it was a beautiful day when perhaps for the first time in Zimbabwe, a premiership club (West Ham) donated football kits to a rural school and we even donated the excessive kit to schools that participated in the tournament. We resolved to do better in future. I feel sad though that in light of the ongoing coronavirus, our bigger plans are on hold.
As if reading my mind, Masimba who was very instrumental in the tournament we held rung me and we talked about the scuttled plans and football in general. This got me to start thinking how the virus has killed football worldwide.
I suppose, I miss greatly attending the West Ham matches at the London Stadium. Without seeking to be crucified by football lovers, I will not mention the team I support serve to say it is not West Ham. I do, however have a soft spot for the club, it being the club that has nurtured my son’s football talent over the past eight years up to being called to the England under 15 team.
Perhaps, I digress a bit about my son but it is through him as a ball boy that I get free tickets to watch all the home games. It is the electric atmosphere before, during and after the matches that I nostalgically write about. We used to travel by train to Stratford rail station in London and thronging the trains will be hordes of West Ham supporters, men, women, and children clad in the team’s colours. Sometimes the regalia goes back as far as the 1980s. Not to be outdone, I sometimes wear my West Ham shirt!
As the crowd moves towards the stadium, it is shepherded by an army of marshals. If Westham is playing against its most hated ‘enemies’, that is a derby against the likes of Arsenal, there will always be mounted policemen on very big horses. West Ham fans are known to be one of rowdiest and also violent in the United Kingdom. The atmosphere outside the stadium is punctuated with shouts such as ‘Iron! Irons!’, ‘come you Iron’ and ‘COYI’ accompanied with the supporters crossing their arms to simulate the hammers on the club’s badge.
Once all the ball boys have been taken into the stadium by the club officials, together with like minded dads, I turn my attention to the loud blaring music from food stalls and others that purely trade in alcohol. Whether, it is a day or night match, the atmosphere is ever electric at these stalls with a bar on top of a beer stall attracting thirsty imbibers. A DJ plays his music overlooking the crowd below, driving them into a frenzy. Soon, I get into the mood and I do not mind the exorbitant cost of a cold pint of lager!
Near to kick off time, we then enter the stadium, but before we go and sit down, we again have a couple of lagers. I must say, I have travelled with parents of boys who have been playing with my son all over the UK and in Europe. They are my friends; I do enjoy their company and ‘their’ journeys particularly into before the virus in Europe would make an interesting read. They once shut down a mayor’s address before our boys’ tournament by shouting ‘come on you Irons’.
Even within the stadium, there are numerous beer stalls and there are long queues, but these do not dismay many fans including my crew. However, as the game is about to start, the space will look like a coronavirus lockdown area. Fans will gulp down their alcoholic drinks or just abandon them as these are not permitted into the stands.
As the West Ham team enters the ground, bubbles will be blown from machines near the touchline amidst fans singing along to their anthem ‘I am forever blowing bubbles’. There is great excitement, and fervent anticipation that the team will win no matter the standing of the opposition. Supporters some evidently on their first visit to the stadium will be taking selfies, others asking people nearby to take pictures of them on their mobiles. Others will be video calling, turning their mobile phones to the pitch and back to themselves. Every colour is here.
As each West Ham player is announced on the public address system, we shout out in acknowledgement. Obviously, the opposition players are booed upon being announced.
I have been to other stadiums to watch live matches, but at the London Stadium, the noise in support of West Ham is very high. But however, when the team is taking a heavy hammering, even the fervent supporters shut up. This is the time when one is able to clearly hear the opposition supporters singing their lungs out. During these low moments, West Ham players get a roasting from their own supporters, mostly words which cannot be printed in this family paper. However, one thing special about West Ham supporters is that even then, they will soon stand up and sing their lungs out in support of the team.
However, at the end of the match, the supporters’ mood depend with the result. A happy singing crowd after a win, or a quietly moving crowd going home. If it is a win, long queues form outside the club shop to buy more club regalia amidst singing. The opposition supporters of about 3 000 people are shepherded away from the home supporters numbering over 50 000. It is a marvel that no opposition supporter is allowed to drift with the West Ham supporters on the way home.
Whether it is a win for West Ham or a loss, a visit to the London Stadium is always a pleasure and solely missed. I strongly believe many football supporters around the world are nostalgic about those days they were able to attend live matches. Hopefully, those days will be back soon.
The Corona virus has robbed us of the joy in the sports. More so it has robbed Liverpool of the cup after a long time. One wonders were they ever meant to win. The year they look set to win the whole world stops in pain. Really Liverpool was never meant to win this cup. The way they marched towards the cup “zvaishura Corona”
But yes the world stopped and football stopped. Sport was stopped by an unseen enemy.
Online Reporter