Boleyn Ground demolition begins after Upton Park hosts final football match

Departure: West Ham left Upton Park in May after 112 years at the ground
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Vaishali Bhardwaj28 September 2016

Upton Park hosted its final game of football on Tuesday with demolition work on West Ham's former home set to begin today.

The Boleyn Ground's last official match was played earlier this year as West Ham came from behind to beat Manchester United 3-2 on 10 May, which brought the curtain down on an 112-year stay at the iconic east London venue for the Hammers.

West Ham moved into their new home at the London Stadium in Stratford this summer while Upton Park was used as the set for a new Hollywood movie Final Score.

With filming on the movie starring Pierce Brosnan finishing last week, developer Barratt London - who completed the purchase of the Boleyn Ground from Galliard Homes in August - hosted the final-ever game of football at the stadium on Tuesday to raise money for charity.

In Pictures: West Ham vs Man United Boleyn Ground farewell

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The tournament saw several companies involved in the re-development of the site take part in a five-a-side competition featuring 24 teams to raise funds for charities Children of Heroes, MacMillan Cancer Support and The Silver Line.

Each company donated money to enter the competition, with Barratt London matching the proceeds from the event. The property developer will now begin the process of knocking down the Boleyn Ground and turning it into 842 homes, including 211 affordable houses. Work is expected to take a number of months.

Upton Park hosts one last game of football (@VaiBhardwaj)
Vaishali Bhardwaj

As well as new homes, the site will also have shops, a new library and new cycle routes while West Ham's rich history in the area will be commemorated with a statue of Hammers legend, and England's World Cup-winning captain, Bobby Moore.

To add, the centre circle of the Boleyn Ground pitch will be preserved in a landscaped courtyard while the half-way line will be illuminated through the use of in-laid lighting.

Speaking about the re-development of West Ham's former home into residential houses, finance director at Barratt London, Tom Olsen, said: "The entire team involved in redeveloping Upton Park recognises the heritage embedded here and we are keen to mark the start of its new era with an event that will benefit a variety of charitable causes."

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