Declan Rice has revealed he’s ‘gutted’ that he’ll never be able to play for West Ham at the Boleyn Ground.
The Hammers academy graduate made the revelation earlier today after seeing a supporter post a photo of West Ham’s old ground.
You can see Rice’s tweet in full below.
Sadly, the Boleyn Ground – also known as Upton Park – was demolished in 2016, and has now been turned into flats.
The Irons left their beloved home to move to the London Stadium which, to put it bluntly, doesn’t have anywhere near the character and soul of Upton Park.
Rice’s devastation is understandable.
The 21-year-old was so close to appearing at Upton Park, having made his debut the season after the Hammers had moved away from the site.
Rice made his first-team debut in May 2017, appearing in a 2-1 Premier League win at Burnley.
It must’ve been hard for the England international to be on the cusp of a first-team debut, only to see the Boleyn Ground demolished just before earning it.
In truth, it’s tough in general to see the Hammers play at the London Stadium, even if you’re not a supporter of the east Londoners.
Football stadiums are full of history and good memories, while they also provide a hub for friends to come together, which also helps out the local community.
It’s sad, but hopefully, the Irons can eventually go on to achieve bigger and better things at the London Stadium.
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