Jersey Hammers Supporters' Club
Champions Sports Bar
jhsc.2005@yahoo.co.ukAbout
The Jersey Hammers Supporters' Club may be small, but its' members passion is as large as any in the world.
The Club was founded back in 2004 by Toni Miziolek and his fellow West Ham friends, who met regularly at different pubs to watch Hammers games together.
Since then, the Channel Islands-based club has grown in size and long-time member and supporter Dave Lehan-Port hopes it will continue to expand.
"The current number of members with the Jersey Hammers is around 45 or so, but there is a much larger fanbase that we haven't reached out to yet," he explained. "Some fans prefer their own company, but when there is a massive game, more fans turn up to watch the game together.
"We have a base where we usually meet, which is the Champions Sports Bar in St Helier, run by a friend called John Young and his partner, Sharon.
"Champions Sports Bar has a very good satellite system for us when we are watching games, but many of us are also Season Ticket Holders who travel over to Upton Park.
"We usually arrange plenty of annual away days to Upton Park, which this season will likely be the Hull City fixture, but has previously been trips to the 2012 nPower Championship Play-Off final and the 2006 FA Cup final against Liverpool."
Compared to the Supporters' Clubs of other Premier League clubs in Jersey, Lehan-Port believes that the Hammers' fanbase is considerably smaller, but they make more of an effort to show their support.
"On the island, we believe that we have the best supporters club, but there are plenty of Premier League clubs with larger fanbases," he added. "We have our own club badge and regularly bring Club legends like Tony Cottee, Phil Parkes, Julian Dicks, George Parris and Frank McAvennie to hotel functions in Jersey.
"We also had the chance to meet the first-team players and staff when they visited the island recently.
"We are only a small Supporters' Club at the moment, but we have all supported the club for over 50 years. This will continue for many more years, no matter how well the team are doing or which league we are playing in."
In December, Lehan-Port nominated his son Stephen for a once-in-a-lifetime experience as part of the Club's 'Like My Dreams' Christmas campaign.
Thirty-year-old Stephen was invited to Chadwell Heath and granted his father's wish that he become the Hammers 'Coach for a Day' - a deserving experience for someone who has been through a great deal in his life.
Lehan-Port senior explained: "He [Stephen] had meningitis and a cornea transplant and I thought this would be something fitting to celebrate his 30th birthday for all the trials and tribulations that he's gone through to give him this once-in-a-lifetime chance."
The bond between the Jersey Hammers and the Club they adore is clearly as strong as ever.
To find out more about the Jersey Hammers, email jhsc.2005@yahoo.co.uk or dlehanport@yahoo.co.uk.Categories: Clubs & Associations, Football.
