Old Hammers were given the chance to tell tales of a life spent supporting their club in the first of a series of memory-sharing meetings.

Twenty seasoned fans came along to the Boleyn Ground for tea, socialising and speeches after Friends of the Elderly teamed up with Barclays Digital Eagles, West Ham United Foundation and the Professional Footballers’ Association.

The scheme – called Football Friends – is designed to reconnect older fans with their community through sport.

Sally McLachlan, community engagement manager at Friends of the Elderly, said: “We had a brilliant morning – it was great to see so many older West Ham FC fans come together to share their stories and some of the memorabilia they’ve collected over the years.”

During the event, which was held on March 23, Sally said she was very impressed by one guest’s story in particular.

“One of the guests told us about how he met his wife at a West Ham game, so he had some wonderful memories of the club,” she said.

Over the next several weeks participants will explore more of the club’s history, record their own stories and learn ways to stay in touch with new friends.