WE START our ClaretandHugh farewell to the Boleyn at a natural place – the entrance gates – the sight most of see as we walk down Green Street.

Now named after the great John Lyall, they are the gateway to not only the Ground but our dreams as well, yet perhaps the gates should of carried a different name, that of Harry Hooper.

The gates and the land in front of the West Stand were payed for by the selling Hooper to Wolverhampton Wanderers for £25,000 in 1956. He was a star winger for the hammers back then, who scored 39 goals in his 119 games. His father also called Harry had also been a professional and at the time was the reserve team manager of the Hammers.

Hooper never wanted to leave the club but the Catholic School wanted their land back where the entrance to the stadium was located, just to the right as we look at the modern day entrance. The transfer fee paid enabled the club to buy the land were the current entrance still is located and install the gates and new entrance which welcomed the fans as the club began life back in the first division after promotion was achieved in 1958.

Hooper Himself only lasted 1 season at Wolverhampton before joining Birmingham City and then onto Sunderland

The fate of the gates once we move is they will be located in the club shop which is to be built on the concourse of the Olympic Stadium so the fans of the future will get to see an important part of West Hams Heritage.

is from an ITN news crew around 1961 filming at the Boleyn Ground in preparation of a possible player strike. After the reporter finishes the cameras roll and capture the ground as it was back then..

Our emotional picture shows a group of kids queuing for tickets back in 1961. 

Words and pictures supplied by Nigel Kahn with thanks from CandH

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