West Ham United has had the most fantastic season ever, finishing sixth in the Premier League, and I hope now that my neighbour in Stratford High Street, David, a die-hard supporter, will finally be able to chill out.

His namesake, David Moyes and his backroom staff have delivered, so come on David, put a smile on that cheeky face of yours.

I always admired West Ham United, as a kid growing up in Poplar. I can remember my mate Tony Doyle who lived in Bow giving me a knock on the door after the equivalent show to Match of The Day back then, The Big Match.

Of course, we’re not supposed to climb the school fence but we did because we loved football and we wanted to emulate what we had just seen by some of the best players on television. Tony would say to me you be Pele and I will be Bobby Moore. How I miss him, so if anyone knows Tony Doyle, an Irish lad whose family lived near St Andrews Hospital in Bow back in the ’70s, please contact Jean Gray at Newham Voices.

Bobby Moore (RIP), Martin Peters (RIP) Geoff Hurst, Harry Redknapp, Trevor Brooking, Billy Bonds, Clyde Best, Alvin Martin, Alan Devonshire, to name a few, must be so proud of the ‘Ammers’ this season – a free-flowing, passing team who have excelled under the great stewardship of David Moyes and his backroom staff of Stuart Pearce, Alan Irvine, Xavi Valero, Kevin Nolan and Paul Nevin.

Now please do not tell me West Ham’s success this season is down to not having any fans in the London Stadium, but we all know every player wants to show his or her talent in front of a crowd. No, this success was down to tactical nous and an inspiring manager and coaches.

I imagine following the home defeat against Newcastle United at the start of the season (another team with the most passionate supporters, yet always struggle) you might think, ‘oh no here we go again’, but look, didn’t the team play well as well as winning games?

So what next? Get rid of VAR please, a waste of time. Sod technology, let’s get back to the old days. Remember, no grass on the pitch but my mate Harry Redknapp, Alan Hudson ex Chelsea, Stan Bowles and the likes of Trevor Brooking, Devonshire, Pop Robson, Frank Worthington(RIP), and of course Bobby Moore, could still control the ball and play on any surface, it didn’t need to be a snooker table baize did it?

FIFA should just employ an extra pair of eyes. We already have a referee, assistant referees, fourth official and reserve assistant referee who are all on-field officials. And now we have VAR and we still cannot get it right ! Just stick another official behind each goal and they can call it if the ball crosses the line or not because the offside rule is a disaster.

Now bring on the EUROs. Get your flags out no matter what country you’re supporting and let’s have a right old knees-up and celebrate all cultures and respect each other because it’s been a tough couple of years.

People have lost loved ones and their incomes, so lend a hand, and particularly you, Boris Johnson (2.6 million pounds spent on a fancy Downing Street Briefing/Press Stand – are you serious?) Come on, sort it out, we have people living on the breadline and in poverty, going to food banks and this is 2021. It’s shameful.

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