Mile High Hammers
Chairpeople: Gena Lawday & Charles Thompson
Founded: 2018
Based: Denver, Colorado, United States (aka ‘The Mile High City’)
Twitter: @MileHighHammers
Facebook: milehighhammers
Instagram: @milehighhammers
Website: milehighhammers.com
How did your Supporters Club begin?
Gena: I had just moved back to the US after living in Dubai. While living in Dubai, I encountered the Dubai Hammers, a formidable Supporters' Club. Upon moving back to the US, my friend and I decided to start a West Ham Supporters' Club to find people to watch matches with. We headed to our local football pub, where I ran into Charlie. Charlie has recently moved from Washington, DC, having helped found DC Irons. After a few weeks of sitting generally near each other, we started talking and Mile High Hammers was born!
Have you always been a West Ham supporter?
Gena: Embarrassingly, no. My husband was a lifelong supporter, having been born in Chadwell Heath. We met in London while I was visiting graduate schools. Over drinks, he asked me if I supported any Premier League teams. I was excited to tell him ‘Yes! I like to go to the pub and watch *unnamed London team*.’ He looked very disappointed and told me it would never work – he came from three generations of West Ham supporters, and any girlfriend of his could have West Ham or no team. I became a West Ham supporter that day and have never looked back.
Charlie: Yes, from the age of nine I decided to follow my brother in supporting West Ham. I still remember my first game as a West Ham supporter, 2-2 versus Everton on Sky TV when Tony Cottee scored twice.
How do you follow the Hammers on a matchday?
Charlie: By waking up early! Either by meeting the rest of the Mile High Hammers at The Celtic on Market – an Irish bar in Denver – or depending on the weather, at home.
Gena: My husband and I head to The Celtic for matches. We also have a text group with other Mile High Hammers where we do a lot of chatting during the match.
What is your matchday routine?
Gena: For the past two years, thanks to European schedules, my husband and I get up at 5am on Sundays. We walk the dogs, then head to the pub for some 7am drinks and football! What the rest of the day looks like depends on whether we win or lose...
Charlie: Wake up, check the team news, and share the line-ups with the group while discussing the predictions for the match before heading to The Celtic on Market where an Irish breakfast is usually ordered to see us through the match!
How can other supporters join your Supporters' Club?
Come watch a match with us! But you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
