About Us...

Just in case you're wondering how the North West Hammers came into being, I will tell you the story. My name is Doug, a 4th generation Hammers follower - both parents having been born within a mile of Upton Park and one set of grandparents born less than a mile from the Memorial Ground where the Irons played at the time. Some of us just had no choice! Shortly after my move from London to Chester in 1988 driving down a street 100 yards from my house I spotted your typical Hammers fan - Claret and Blue shirt, yes, but it was the No.1 cut, tattoos and earring that really gave it way. This was Dave. How times change - some may recall his 'country gent' appearance at the Red House 16 years later! I was then introduced by a friend to Simon A., another Hammers fan who, like Dave and myself, also lived in the Handbridge area of Chester. The three of us, together with my son, Andrew, started watching televised matches in the Bear and Billet in Chester where we were joined one evening by two more lads wearing Hammers colours - John, also from Handbridge and his mate, Mark who lived in Liverpool where he worked with John. This now made six of us with a common cause so it seemed to make sense for us to keep in touch and meet up for away matches in the area and the televised pub matches. It seems that Dave had been keeping a closely guarded secret which I found out about in the Axe in Chester where we met to watch Hammers play a cup match against Luton Town. The secret was....... Shaun. No wonder Dave had been reluctant to tell (or warn) me about him. Those of you who know Shaun will know what I mean. Mad Irishman (despite no hint of an Irish accent), born in Jamaica, life and soul of the party and always gives us a good laugh whenever we all meet up. Our ever increasing band then changed our TV watching venue to the Cross Foxes where we bumped into Simon L. who got the shock of his life when he strolled into the pub thinking he was the only Hammers supporter in Chester! He DID wear his claret and blue shirt for the next match. It was about this time that I became computerised, put my e-mail address in the Hammers Monthly and a few match programmes for games we played in the north west, and the floodgates opened. Within a very short space of time we had around 70 'members' anywhere from Wrexham to Preston and Rhyl to Manchester, exchanging e-mails, meeting up for matches and televised games. Together with our friends, the Shrewsbury Irons, we have filled a 49 seater coach on two occasions for trips to Upton Park and in 2003/4 season our record attendance was 50 of us meeting up for the match at Crewe. Many really good friendships have been forged over the years so, if the football is of the standard it often is, at least we have a good lot of mates around to take our minds off it!