Keith Hackett addresses relationship with West Ham fans after years of chants – Exclusive
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett as our exclusive West Ham columnist, each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Keith Hackett has admitted that his relationship with West Ham fans has amused him when looking back on several incidents.
The former Premier League referee famously handed Tony Gale the first red card for a professional foul in the FA Cup semi-final defeat against Nottingham Forest.
For years following that decision, Irons fans chanted at any poor officials and compared them to Hackett for the red card that he ultimately regrets.
Speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone, Hackett said, “It amuses me.
“Sometimes there is tunnel vision and all that comes with it, but this is football. Ultimately, at the end of the game and weeks after colleagues would ring me up and ask what I had done at West Ham.
“I made some dosey decisions and then they sang ‘are you Hackett, in disguise?’, but when I was boss of the PGMOL, I still went to Upton Park.”
30 years later.
There is still some controversy looking back at the decision, especially given it was the first of that kind in football.
At that moment, it was deemed wrong, but the fact that the rules had been changed only days before the huge clash at Villa Park, didn’t help Hackett.
The Irons were huge underdogs in that clash against Forest and were well in the game before going on to lose 4-0 on what could have been a huge occasion.
Professional fouls and being sent off for them has become normal in the modern-day, and yet another new ruling has been brought in.
This is something that Hackett and Irons fans will never agree on, but at least the chants have stopped for now, maybe not for others.
In other West Ham news, Frank McAvennie adamant Declan Rice will remain with the Irons