The Night West Ham Played Behind Closed Doors

 West Ham play Castilla behind closed doors in the Cup Winners’ Cup in October 1980 after crowd trouble at the first leg in Madrid. Photograph: David Ashdown/Getty Images
West Ham play Castilla behind closed doors in the Cup Winners’ Cup in October 1980 after crowd trouble at the first leg in Madrid. Photograph: David Ashdown/Getty Images
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The Night West Ham Played Behind Closed Doors

 West Ham play Castilla behind closed doors in the Cup Winners’ Cup in October 1980 after crowd trouble at the first leg in Madrid. Photograph: David Ashdown/Getty Images
West Ham play Castilla behind closed doors in the Cup Winners’ Cup in October 1980 after crowd trouble at the first leg in Madrid. Photograph: David Ashdown/Getty Images

At half-time West Ham’s former chairman Len Cearns was sent on a futile mission by his fellow directors. They wanted him to go down to the home dressing room to ask John Lyall if there was any way his team could possibly remember that the foul language being used in the heat of battle was floating away from the pitch, rattling around the empty terraces and causing some discomfort for the people sitting in the posh seats.

“There was a lot of swearing going on in the game,” Alvin Martin says as he recalls West Ham hosting a European tie behind closed doors in the autumn of 1980. “You don’t realise it. You’re communicating in a factory way.”

It is nearly 40 years since Upton Park’s ghost game and Martin, who played in central defence as West Ham reached the second round of the Cup Winners’ Cup by winning the second leg of their tie against Castilla, chuckles when he is asked if his teammates paid any attention to the chairman’s request. “No. In all the years I played with Trevor Brooking he never used a foul word. That was exceptional. But that’s the way we communicated. You can’t just switch that off.”

Broadcasters might want to keep that in mind as English football grapples with the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It is almost inevitable games will be played behind closed doors if the season resumes and it will be challenging for players to adjust. Martin’s teammate David Cross describes it as an eerie experience and remembers finding it hard to summon the usual intensity against Castilla, Real Madrid’s B team.

“You were conscious of your voice echoing around the stadium,” Cross says. “Voices would bounce off the stands and back to you. You didn’t get that bounce back off the crowd. You had to shout very loud on a Saturday afternoon to make sure one of your teammates 15 yards away could hear you. We were used to talking very loudly on the pitch.

“In training sometimes we’d play 11 v 11. Sometimes in our own stadium. We were used to playing football every day with no fans there. It’s just on matchday your fans gave you that atmosphere. I think it took us 15 to 20 minutes to realise we were in a proper match.”

In West Ham’s case it was a one-off, a punishment by Uefa after crowd trouble marred the first leg at the Bernabéu. For Castilla, who had qualified after losing the Copa del Rey final against Real, the Spanish champions, playing at such a famous ground was meant to be the stuff of dreams. In the stands it was anything but. There were ugly scenes in the away end and there was tragedy after the game when a West Ham fan died after being hit by a bus in the chaos outside the ground.

Uefa responded by fining West Ham £7,750 and ordering them to play their next two European home games at least 187 miles away from Upton Park. Sunderland’s Roker Park was one possibility for the second leg, while Martin remembers talk of the second leg taking place in Middlesbrough. Cross says the players were told they may have to play in France.

After an appeal by West Ham, Uefa decided to stage the game at Upton Park with no supporters present. There was also no live coverage on television and the official attendance was 262. “We would have relied on the fans at Upton Park, especially on a midweek game under the floodlights,” Martin says. Cross was more upbeat. “Playing at Upton Park was still an advantage for us, even if we didn’t have our fans, which is usually worth a goal,” the former striker says. “We were on familiar territory.”

Steve Bacon, West Ham’s former club photographer, was one of the 262. “There were lots of fans milling outside,” he says. “I was in the stadium and because there was no crowd we were able to wander round as we wanted. I went up the back of the North Bank and did the pictures from there. You could hear the players shouting to each other.

“Eddie Baily, one of John Lyall’s backroom staff, was a bit foul-mouthed. I can remember him effing and blinding above anything else in the ground. I could also hear Bryan Butler doing the commentary on BBC radio.”

West Ham had lost the first leg 3-1, but while they were in Division Two, they were dangerous on their day. They had beaten Arsenal in the FA Cup final that year and they saw off Castilla. Geoff Pike pulled an early goal back and although a stunning goal from Bernal, Castilla’s captain, took the game into extra time, a Cross hat-trick sealed a 5-1 win.

“I wonder if it will slow the pace down,” Martin says. “The atmosphere generates adrenaline in a player and everything becomes quicker. Players go that little bit harder into a tackle or run that little bit further and are absolutely aware that every little challenge in the game can determine the result.

“Will we see referees having an easier time? The language between the players and the referee will be much more noticeable. I think you’ll see an improvement in behaviour towards officials.

“For us it was a novelty. But playing behind closed doors will be more difficult over time. These players have been used to playing in front of 60,000 people. It will be something totally unknown to them. But the main thing is everybody will be geared up to getting results. The competitive edge will take over.”

The Guardian Sport



Asharq Al-Awsat Reveals Trump’s Written Pledge for Peace to Lebanese Community in US

Albert Abbas hands US President-elect Donald Trump the commemorative plaque. (AFP)
Albert Abbas hands US President-elect Donald Trump the commemorative plaque. (AFP)
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Asharq Al-Awsat Reveals Trump’s Written Pledge for Peace to Lebanese Community in US

Albert Abbas hands US President-elect Donald Trump the commemorative plaque. (AFP)
Albert Abbas hands US President-elect Donald Trump the commemorative plaque. (AFP)

Lebanon’s parliament Speaker Nabih Berri spoke of a letter signed by American President-elect Donald Trump to pressure Israel to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon and go ahead with a plan to restore calm between Lebanon and Israel. The letter was a product of a role played by a family of Lebanese origin in the United States.

Trump signed the letter about a week ago and it was released days later at the request of the Lebanese community there.

It is seen as the first written pledge in history to be signed by a president to his voters, said Ali Abbas, who goes by the name Albert.

Abbas held talks with Trump’s adviser and son-in-law's father Dr. Massad Boulos, asking him that the president support the demands of the Lebanese and Arab diasporas in Michigan to exert pressure to stop the war and end the suffering of the Lebanese and Palestinian people in return for their votes in the presidential election.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Abbas said Boulos relayed the message to Trump, who in turn, sent a letter signed by him, cementing his pledge to the Lebanese community that he wants peace in the Middle East and world.

The letter carried frank support from Trump to use his influence to stop the war, giving the Arab community hope that peace and stability would be restored. The Lebanese community looks at the letter as an “opportunity to achieve peace” and that it was better than any opportunity that the Democrats could have offered the diaspora.

Abbas family

Abbas, 48, hails from a Lebanese family that immigrated from Lebanon in the 1970s. He was born and raised in the US and has become involved in the Arab community there. He is following in his father’s footsteps, who left for the US in 1972, and played a role in the 1980s in sending messages between the Ronald Reagan administration and Lebanese.

Abbas refuses to say that he comes from a political family, saying that the family works in the restaurant business and are peace activists.

From Harris campaign to Trump

Abbas had initially turned to Kamala Harris’ electoral campaign with the appeal for peace, but he was left “disappointed” after he learned that she was not interested in changing America’s foreign policy. So, he turned to Boulos.

Abbas revealed that he met with representatives of Harris’ campaign in Detroit, demanding a ceasefire and easing the suffering of the Lebanese people. “The representatives informed us that Harris had no interest in changing the current foreign policy towards Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinians,” he said.

“We told them that relatives of the Lebanese diaspora in Dearborn have died in the war and that its continuation will lead to more suffering. But they did not offer any commitment or pledge to end the current policy,” he continued.

Trump's signed letter to the Lebanese community. (dearbornareacommunitymembers on instagram)

Trump campaign

So, Abbas shifted his efforts to the Trump campaign and made the same demands during meetings with Boulos. He relayed to him the fears of the Lebanese and Palestinian communities over their families in Lebanon and Gaza. Boulos was asked to be receptive of these demands and in return, Trump would be welcomed in the city.

Indeed, Boulos welcomed the calls for peace and prosperity in the Middle East, relaying them to Trump, “who agreed to our request that his pledge be in written form and signed by him.” The signed letter was sent days later.

“This was the first time in history that a president signs a pledge to his voters. We were delighted and he gave us hope that he would use his power and apply pressure to stop the war and reach peace,” added Abbas to Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Trump’s campaign sent us the signed letter and we showed it to the community here and it was released at our request. This would allow millions around the world to witness this pledge to work for peace,” he stressed.

Addressing the Lebanese community, Trump said in his letter: “During my Administration, we had peace in the Middle East, and we will have peace again very soon! I will fix the problems caused by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden and stop the suffering and destruction in Lebanon. I want to see the Middle East return to real peace, a lasting peace, and we will get it done properly so it doesn't repeat itself every 5 or 10 years!

“You have my word. I will preserve the equal partnership among all Lebanese communities. Your friends and family in Lebanon deserve to live in peace, prosperity, and harmony with their neighbors, and that can only happen with peace and stability in the Middle East.

“I look forward to working with the Lebanese community living in the United States of America to ensure the safety and security of the great people of Lebanon.

“Vote Trump for Peace!”

Trump’s welcome

The letter motivated the Lebanese and Arab communities to welcome Trump in Dearborn in early November.

Abbas made sure to mention the letter during a speech he made at the restaurant, Great Commoner, which is owned by brothers Hassan and Hussein, during the visit. He also called for putting an end to the way Muslims are portrayed in the media and for the stereotyping against them to end.

Addressing Trump during the visit, Abbas said: “Our families are suffering at home. The current administration has failed miserably in managing the war and in all humanitarian aspects.” He added that the administration has betrayed Arab Americans.

“We look forward to the Trump presidency with hope and envision a time when peace will flourish, especially in Lebanon and Palestine. I cannot stand in silence while Palestine is being erased. Please help us,” he continued.

“In stopping the bloodshed, no amount of money and power should be given priority over human life.”

For his part, Trump said at the meeting: “We have a great feeling about Lebanon, and I know a lot of people from Lebanon and we have to end all this, we want to have peace, I know a lot of the Lebanese people and the Muslim population, they love Trump and they had a good relationship with him. We want their votes, we are looking for their votes, and I believe we will get their votes.”

Trump’s speech

Abbas described Trump's speech at the meeting as “strong” and “serious.” He added: “We asked for peace, and Trump was enthusiastic and responsive. After this meeting, we noticed a decline in his statements about supporting Israel, and he confirmed his determination to achieve peace for the Lebanese and the Palestinians. He spoke about the intelligence of the Lebanese and knowing them as a peaceful people who yearn for peace and justice.”

“So, I handed him a commemorative plaque and quoted Ronald Reagan on it about peace, and this plaque will be in the Oval Office in the White House,” added Abbas.

He handed Trump an honorary shield on behalf of all peace lovers in Michigan, and quoted Reagan on it: “Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to deal with conflict by peaceful means.”