West Ham United can still do the old-fashioned things rather well. Put players in a room, open the doors, let the supporters in, and the whole club suddenly feels less like a business and more like what it ought to be: a living, breathing part of East London. That was the mood at two lively signing sessions this week, where smiles, selfies and a fair bit of pre-match electricity carried the day.
With Sunday’s FA Cup Quarter-Final against Leeds United looming on the horizon, the Stadium Store had the feel of a kettle beginning to rumble. Taty Castellanos, Pablo Felipe and Adama Traore met hundreds of supporters young and old, signed shirts and memorabilia, posed for photographs, and gave fans the sort of access that still matters in an age when football can feel a touch velvet-roped.
There was plenty of merchandise moving off the shelves too, as supporters grabbed last-minute gear ahead of the cup tie. But the afternoon was not merely a retail exercise dressed up as fan service. It had warmth to it. It had purpose. More importantly, it had people.
A matchweek buzz with a human face
There is always a difference between noise and atmosphere. Noise is what clubs manufacture. Atmosphere is what supporters bring with them. West Ham United had the latter in generous supply.
The men’s signing session, presented by club partner Lyca Mobile, brought together some of the Club’s newest recruits with the supporters who have already taken to them. The result was cheerful, slightly chaotic and entirely fitting for a club with a fanbase that prefers its football with a bit of heart and a bit of edge.
Adama Traore, clearly struck by the turnout, said: “It was amazing to be here today, it’s important to give the love back to the fans that they show us. Our fans are passionate and they show us that at every game and it’s a blessing to give back to our fans.”
That is the sort of quote clubs dream about and cynics tend to swat away. Yet on this occasion it rang true. These were not hurried handshakes in a corporate corridor. This was a proper supporter event, full of children craning for a better view, adults clutching shirts for signatures, and players taking the time to make it feel personal.
More than selfies and signatures
The smartest detail of the afternoon was that it did not stop at autographs. Fans also brought donations for Irons Supporting Foodbanks, whose work across east London and beyond continues year-round and depends heavily on local generosity.
That mattered.
Football clubs are often at their best when they stop talking about community and simply act like part of one. West Ham United, to their credit, gave space to a cause that deals in essentials rather than slogans. Castellanos, Felipe and Adama Traore all lent their support, and the presence of the foodbank initiative gave the event some proper weight beneath the smiles.
Club Ambassador Matt Jarvis was also on hand, chatting with supporters in the queue, while Hammerhead kept younger fans entertained. Elsewhere, a virtual reality goalkeeping challenge let fans step between the sticks at London Stadium and test their reflexes. It was a neat touch: part novelty, part family entertainment, and another reminder that modern football events work best when they offer more than a handshake and a shop receipt.
Jarvis said: “It was great to meet fans at the signing session yesterday, I was always appreciate the support I had during my time at the Club and love the relationship I’ve always had with West Ham United supporters.
“You can massively feel the buzz and excitement ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup Quarter-Final, so it was brilliant to see Taty, Adama and Pablo taking time out to engage with the supporters to further raise spirits ahead of such a big game.”
The wording may not be polished to a showroom finish, but the sentiment certainly is. West Ham supporters do not need much encouragement to generate a buzz before a big tie, though it helps when the club gives them moments like this.
West Ham United Women strike the same chord
© West Ham United
Across the other side of the club, a similar scene unfolded at the Liberty Romford Store, where Katie Zelem, Ylinn Tennebø and Tuva Hansen met supporters in a special signing event supported by Modibodi.
Again, the tone was simple and effective. Fans chatted with players, collected autographs, posed for photographs and shared the kind of small conversations that can turn signings from names on a team sheet into people supporters genuinely feel connected to.
For West Ham United Women, whose January arrivals are still settling into life in east London, this sort of event does more than fill an afternoon. It builds familiarity. It gives players a feel for the club beyond the training ground and the touchline. And with the WSL season edging towards its conclusion, it adds another layer of connection before the final run of fixtures.
Katie Zelem said: “It was really special to meet so many of our supporters today. From the moment I arrived at the Club in January, everyone has been so welcoming, and you really get a sense of the connection people have with the Club at events like this.”
Tuva Hansen added: “It’s been such a nice afternoon spending time with the fans and hearing their stories. Events like this are really special for us as players, and I’m proud to represent this Club and to be part of such a welcoming community. It’s also great to be here with Modibodi and support the work they’re doing to make sport more accessible and open for everyone.”
Why these events matter
A club can talk endlessly about identity, values and supporter connection. Most of it drifts away like steam off a pie. But events like these are tangible. They give young fans a memory, older fans a closer link to the badge, and new signings a proper welcome into the fabric of the place.
That is especially true when the club’s commercial partners are not merely badging the furniture. Lyca Mobile’s longstanding relationship with West Ham United has included community-led initiatives, while Modibodi’s partnership with West Ham United Women is tied to a broader effort to challenge barriers around women and girls in sport. In both cases, the activation made sense because it matched the tone of the day rather than hijacking it.
There is also a practical football point here. Clubs thrive when supporters feel seen. Not marketed at, not processed, not thanked through a screen, but genuinely seen. Before a major cup tie and during a pivotal stretch for the women’s team, West Ham United managed that rather well.
A club that still understands its people
The best clubs know that not every important moment happens under floodlights. Some happen in a shop queue, with a child gripping a programme, a parent balancing a bag of merchandise, and a player pausing long enough to make the exchange mean something.
That was the real success of these West Ham United signing sessions. Yes, there was excitement ahead of Leeds. Yes, there was retail traffic, sponsor presence and a healthy dose of matchweek theatre. But beneath it all was something far more useful: a reminder that this club still knows how to bring people together.
And in football, where so much is polished, packaged and priced to the hilt, that remains worth celebrating.