Better to be safe than sorry
Attending a West Ham match is a strange experience these days. The fans’ frustrations with the board after their move to the Olympic Stadium didn’t pan out as they were promised have been well documented.
At their last home game, fans channeled their anger by invading the pitch, targeting the directors’ box, throwing coins at the chairmen, and causing any havoc they could. They’ve had enough, and fair enough.
But the show must go on. West Ham host Southampton today and the stewards, tasked with preventing a repeat of the chaos that tainted the Burnley game, are well equipped.
They appear to have been kitted out with protective goggles, reminiscent of those you’d wear in science at school, and football boots to help their grip, should they have to run on the pitch and tackle a pitch invader.
Each steward wearing goggles and football boots 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/CibS3wg3Q8
— West Ham News (@WHUFC_News) March 31, 2018
At the time of writing, West Ham are 2-0 up thanks to goals from Joao Mario and Marko Arnautović, so it’s unlikely that tempers will flare this afternoon, but you can never be sure with West Ham. One Southampton goal could completely change the atmosphere.
A win for West Ham would take them up to 33 points and possibly lift them to 12th or 13th, depending on other results, such is the nature of the tightly contested bottom half of the table, where 6 points separated 10th and 16th before the 3pm kick-offs today.
West Ham stewards have been equipped with re-enforced safety goggles and football boots for today's game.https://t.co/oCptVYeYr5 pic.twitter.com/adr5DkWIuZ
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 31, 2018
The stewards at West Ham have came prepared to have to chase supporters across the pitch once they go 0-1 down pic.twitter.com/QddQhINY0d
— Adam Ward (@Wardy5994) March 31, 2018
