About me

 My Name is Max Portman and I am the Hammers Historian! I'm currently a PhD candidate in history at the University of Chichester, with an institutional focus on West Ham United and how it acts as a nexus when engaging with a variety of communities since the 1980s, discussing how much it has changed in such a short amount of time.

So why did I decide to focus on West Ham? When I first submitted my PhD proposal in late 2018, when I had initial plans to do a wider history of London football, my then-supervisor suggested that I focus solely on one club in my research. And in my mind, there was no other club than West Ham, the club I've loved since I was a boy. In the 25 years since I started supporting the club, I have enjoyed the highs, suffered the lows and tried to wrap my head around everything else that West Ham has thrown at me, like every other long-suffering Hammers fan! 

That is why I started this blog/website. It's my way to document my research to a wider audience and to have a platform in which I can share my opinions about the club I love! But also to share my opinions about football in general, as you don't want to listen to me ramble on about West Ham forever!

I hope you enjoy reading my blog and find something you engage with. All feedback is appreciated :) 

Me Presenting my Work at the International Football History Conference in Manchester in November 2022