Hello everyone,
On behalf of our family and Dad’s fiancée Lesley, we would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all West Ham United supporters and people throughout the game and beyond who have taken the time and trouble to pay tribute to our dear Dad following his recent sad passing.
The messages and comments we have received have been a great comfort to us all, and we know just how touched Dad would have been to see the love and respect that so many people had for him.
West Ham United has always been an enormous part of Dad’s long and fulfilling life. His 86 years were full of achievements, both personally and professionally, but at the core of everything was his background and how his upbringing shaped the success he worked so hard for.
He was so very proud and fiercely protective of his East London roots and his lifelong connection to West Ham. Playing football was all he ever wanted to do during his early years growing up at 442 Green Street (directly opposite the Boleyn Ground) but after playing for the Club’s schoolboy and youth teams his football career was cut short after his father refused to let him play professionally, and he went on to train as a bricklayer.
Despite his difficult relationship with his father, his mum Rosie remained his biggest fan. It wasn’t long before his mother changed Rosie’s bookshop on 442 Green Street into a West Ham Souvenir shop – in fact, she never missed a game herself (home or away!), right through into her nineties.
As a family, it’s fair to say, West Ham United has always been in our blood – even to the point where, Jacqueline, married a lifelong Hammer herself – much to Dad’s delight! As sisters we can both still vividly remember our first visit to a home game – the memory of walking through the gates at Upton Park, the excitement of the game and the roar of the crowd. That was it… West Ham were our team, a bond we shared with our Dad forever.
It has truly been the central theme running through our family, particularly over the course of the last 13 years, since that West Ham story came full circle. Dad was so thrilled that his granddaughter Scarlett has carried on the Claret and Blue devotion, and he had wonderful loyal support from his fiancée Lesley, who was a familiar face alongside him at home and away matches up and down the country, and enabled Dad to devote so much time and passion to following the team.
Joint-Chairman of West Ham United was a title and a role that meant so, so much to him. He was desperate for the Club to be successful, on an off the pitch, and for the supporters to enjoy the good times. It brings us such warmth to know that he saw the Club experience so many wonderful memories in recent times – the magnificent nights at The London Stadium in Europe last year, the top six and seven finishes in the Premier League. It made him so happy.
We have both lost count of the number of times we have been by his side throughout the years and have stood waiting patiently as he talked football or West Ham with a fellow fan. His eyes would light up and away he would go. He had time for everybody, no matter what their background or standing in life – and he carried those values in everything he did.
This afternoon is a very poignant moment for us – the first time that we have watched our beloved Hammers here at London Stadium without our wonderful Dad…the man who taught us just how much it means to be a part of the West Ham family.
To every one of you who ever stopped for a quick chat with him or have sent kind words and messages in the past couple of weeks, we say thank you, from the very bottom of our hearts.
With love and appreciation,
Jacqueline and Vanessa Gold
