It’s fair to say that the board have not always earned the best reaction from the fanbase when they make changes, and their latest controversial move has done it again.
Having recently renamed the East Stand the ‘Billy Bonds Stand’, the club have decided that all season tickets issued for those within the 20,000 strong wall should have the iconic man adorn their cards.
The image selected for that, however, has been airbrushed slightly so that the Boleyn castle no longer appears on the crest, leaving just the hammers, while also taking away the Admiral branding now that Umbro sponsor us.
Deciding to take the Boleyn castle away, though, is what has frustrated sections of the fanbase, who feel the club are trying to Photoshop out parts of our history just because we no longer play at Upton Park.
So West Ham have removed the Boleyn castle from our shirt on the Billy Bonds Season Ticket card… pic.twitter.com/vsFGHvPwBN
— West Ham Central (@WestHam_Central) March 21, 2019
Not all of the fanbase have shown discontent with the decision to alter the badge, as we do now play in the London Stadium, but those voices were in the minority…
The shirt he wore with pride had the Boleyn castle on, you can’t photo shop history out, it’s why he’s being honoured because of his past glories
— glenn massey (@glennmasseywhu) March 21, 2019
I know mate, history is history. I get the make of shirt and even sponsors, but the badge? Just wrong.
— kenny janes (@Ken_Reg_Janes) March 21, 2019
@davidgold? Care to comment?
— kenny janes (@Ken_Reg_Janes) March 21, 2019
As a few people have already tweeted. You can’t airbrush or whitewash history. Yeah the old ground is gone, so does that mean every old shirt design if used in advertising is now going to be butchered in this way.. what a disgrace….
— Graham Ball (@GolfBravo21) March 22, 2019
Exactly what I thought, whitewashing our history…
— WHUFCStickers (@WHUFC_Stickers) March 21, 2019
Its now corporate / tourist West Ham ????⚒⚒⚒⚒⚒⚒
— Trevor Gardiner ⚒ (@trev_g6181) March 22, 2019
The ‘Admiral’ logo has been missed out too. Outrageous ????
— Spirit of 1980 (@spirit_1980) March 22, 2019
Wow good spot, I didn’t notice that!
— Mark whufc (@Mwiffen123) March 21, 2019
Ridiculous
— Andy Rockall (@Statto_74) March 21, 2019