Martin Keown names West Ham’s London Stadium as one he will not attend due to safety concerns
Martin Keown has claimed he will not attend West Ham games as he listed the London Stadium alongside others he avoids due to concerns for his safety.
His comments come following the shocking scenes involving Sky Sports duo Roy Keane and Micah Richards after the Arsenal versus Manchester United clash at the Emirates Stadium, leading to an arrest [The Guardian, 4 September].
The former Arsenal man claimed he assesses any stadium before deciding whether to attend and named the London Stadium as one where the fans are “less respectful” than they are at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and the Etihad.
Speaking live on talkSPORT on 8 September, Keown stated: “Generally, people show you a great deal of respect but occasionally when drink has been had and the wrong groups are together, you can be in trouble.
“I would advise people not to get into those situations, I don’t do co-comms at the moment because I can’t be sure I am going to get there safely. I am not certain that I can get there, if I assess it and think that is not a good place to go, I won’t go.”
He then added: “I’ve had the odd incident, but I must say people now, particularly at Old Trafford, most people are very respectful.
“Not so much, maybe, if I go to the London Stadium where people have tried to insult you. Stamford Bridge, amazing. Really respectful. The same at the Etihad.”
A difference between hostility and aggression
Fans always want their stadium to be hostile. It needs to be a tricky place for the opposition to come, with an “us against them” sort of mentality shared throughout the stands, but this quickly becomes a negative if hostility turns into aggression – particularly towards pundits.
That hostile atmosphere should be focused towards the pitch, and towards the 22 players involved in the game, not to mention the pundits who are simply trying to do their jobs regardless of previous allegiances or on-pitch differences.
Keown went on to detail an occasion in which he got on a train following a game at Old Trafford between Spurs and Manchester United, claiming there was “nowhere safe” for him, with the issues not localised to the London Stadium, but it was among the examples given.
These comments follow an incident at the Emirates where a fan allegedly headbutted former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane, leading to an arrest.
In other West Ham news, a Sky Sports pundit has shared a “hard done by” verdict on Hammers duo.