A Chelsea supporter has described crowd trouble during the West Ham match as a 'shambles', criticising the organisation and safety measures at the London Stadium. The fan, who attended the game, said he would not return to the venue despite enjoying the atmosphere at the old Upton Park.
During the first half, behaviour was relatively calm, with only minor exchanges between fans. However, at half-time, the supporter moved to lower-tier seats near the segregation area, where stewards were not checking tickets. He noted that some objects were thrown from the West Ham side and heard that a Chelsea fan had suffered a head injury, but the situation did not initially seem likely to escalate into violence.
The main problem, according to the fan, was that West Ham supporters near the segregation were more focused on abusing Chelsea fans than watching the game, despite their team leading 2-0. He said they were 'literally just staring at us, shouting and abusing'. The fan left five minutes before the end and later learned that a fight broke out in the area where he had been seated.
He criticised the stewards as 'clearly not skilled at crowd management' and highlighted poor communication as a key issue. Outside the stadium before the match, the fan described a dangerous bottleneck near a gate where both West Ham and Chelsea fans were trying to pass through. Police arrived and shouted for everyone to go back, but the crowd was too dense to move. The fan said he feared for his safety and that Hillsborough came to mind. He added that one of his friends was not allowed into the stadium until half-time.
The supporter concluded that the organisation and communication were disgraceful and that he would not return to the London Stadium for future matches.
