SHOW US YOU’RE NOT A SHAMMER
Club’s colours call to weed out Scouse infiltrators
West Ham have made fans prove they are true supporters to watch a game – by telling them to send in selfies in the club’s colours.
Fans wanting to see the clash with runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool at the London Stadium last week had to pose in official merchandise to get in the ground.
The crack down followed a surge in suspected Liverpool fans buying tickets in the home end, amid fears of clashes with West Ham supporters.
The Hammers made phone calls and sent emails to home end ticket- buyers for there scheduled match, saying: “Please ring West Ham urgently.” Stunned fans were then asked to prove they were genuine by sending in a selfie with club memorabilia. But one
Liverpool fan bragged: “I felt like laughing when I got the phone call.
“How was that going to stop away fans getting into the home end? I just borrowed a friend’s shirt. If they are really concerned about trouble, it doesn’t seem like a measure that would stop it.”
Another Twitter user said he overheard a Reds fan
“laughing” that he had sent in a selfie with a West Ham toy mascot.
A West Ham source said: “It was an unorthodox thing to do but Liverpool fans breached the terms and conditions by buying home tickets.
“We had a duty to ensure that genuine home fans had access to tickets, and we had a duty to ensure safety in the stadium.”
“What more could they have done?”
Liverpool moved 19 points clear at the top after the 2- 0 win on Wednesday, thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain. No arrests were made.
West Ham United declined to comment.