I always enjoy visiting Upton Park as my team (Chelsea) usually puts on a good performance. For our visit on 2^nd March 2008, we hadn't managed to get tickets as they went very quickly  but luckily blagged a couple on the morning of the match from people who couldn't make it for one reason or another. Result!

Given that Chelsea and West Ham are not on the best of terms supporter-wise, we usually meet up at a pub near London Bridge and then get the Jubilee line up to the East end. No variation this time and the pubs on Stoney St (Market Porter and Southwark Tavern are highly recommended). Less than half an hour on the tube and you're outside the away end. There's always a large police presence at these games but there was very little of evidence of aggro before the game, which was nice…

Being lazy so-and-sos, we got to our seats just as the PA was blaring out "Bubbles". Great seats this time, ten rows back, slap behind the goal. Not that we needed them as our entire end stood for 90 minutes – so did the Hammers to our right. I must say that the grounds and the stewards in London seem to be a bit more relaxed about standing during games recently, especially in the ends and for big games. This is to be commended in my view; it leads to less antagonism, a much better atmosphere and those who really want to sit down during the game tend to sit along the sides anyway. Long may this practice continue. The clubs in the North East (esp. Middlesbrough and Newcastle) seem to be an exception to this for some reason with some pretty heavy handed stewarding but I digress. . .

The rest of the ground is quite impressive now, with the exception of the old East Stand but with the exception of Man Utd and Arsenal now, most grounds have at least one naff looking stand. The West stand is massive – if the rest of the ground was to be developed along the same lines it would be a magnificent stadium.

The back end of the Centenary Stand where one can obtain beer and burgers etc is rather cramped indeed, especially at half time when half the away end is having a knees-up/sing-song. Still, all good fun and somehow adds to the atmosphere in this writer's opinion.

The beer is expensive (£3.30? for Carlsberg) and the burger was literally one burger between two dry bits of bun but we were starving and they didn't have anything else. Not particularly bothered; if we wanted great cuisine, we would have eaten before the game outside of the stadium - the only stadium I can ever remember having food that I would actually want to purchase is Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. The rest of them seem intent on ripping the fans off (home and away) for expensive, sub-standard fare. Which is why most sensible fans don't eat inside the ground. Corporate hospitality is another thing entirely and I can vouch for some very nice grub at White Hart Lane but that's another story.

The atmosphere on Sunday started with the usual banter between the ends and good volume throughout the ground. Chelsea started at a high tempo and by 25 minutes were 3 up. This killed the game from a West Ham point of view and some fans started leaving. Those that did missed seeing their favourite, Frank Lampard, being sent off for Chelsea. This brought the biggest cheer of the afternoon…. The second half continued in a similar vein to the first half, with Chelsea dominant with 10 men and controlling play whilst scoring a fourth on 60 mins. The ground (not the Chelsea end) started to empty quite quickly at this point. West Ham were getting quite soundly beaten by their 10 men rivals and to compound matters the District Line was playing up. Most decided that they would rather be in the pub.

From previous experience, getting the tube at Upton Park can be quite a traumatic experience, with huge queues.  We usually walk the twenty minutes to Plaistow and pick the tube up there to return to town.  We had even less trouble getting back on Sunday because of the gradual dispersal of the home faithful. Back in the pub at London Bridge by quarter to six with no trouble at all.

Like many a football fan these days I actually prefer going away to playing at home. Varied grounds, different pubs and cities and a more up-for-it support. West Ham was no exception: stand and sing for 90 minutes, win 4-0. Love it.

Jon T (Chelsea ST, MHL)