MAY 2015 WWW.BLOWING-BUBBLES.CO.UK BY FANS, FOR FANS #48

Fifty years on from West Ham’s greatest day, the players who lit up Wembley relive the

magical night the Hammers conquered Europe

THEIR FINEST HOUR

Exclusive interview with Irons favourite Jack Collison

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WELCOMEEDITOR-IN-CHIEF: David Blackmore MANAGING EDITOR: Simon Osborn CONTRIBUTORS: Kwame Boakye, David Bowden, Julian Dicks, Geoff Hillyer, Danny Rust, Liam Newman, Emily Pulham, Matt Santer, Julian Shea, Brian Williams, Bianca West-wood, Lucy Woolford PHOTOGRAPHER: Nicky Hayes EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES: editor@blowing- bub-bles.co.uk ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: advertising@blowing- bubbles.co.uk WHERE YOU CAN READ IT: Blowing Bubbles is available to buy and is also available to read on your PC, Mac, Tablet or Mobile.

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It’s been something asked of me and Blowing Bubbles ever since we completed our first season and now I’m delighted to announce we are pulling together a spectacular summer annual to help you beat the post-season blues.

The change from fortnightly in our first two seasons to monthly this season as well as collaborations with a few of the excellent West Ham websites has led to a huge surge in interest in Blowing Bubbles.

The number of hard copy subscribers and digital readers has quad-

rupled this season and we’re now reaching tens of thousands of people every month.

We’ve secured some brilliant exclusive con-tent which along with your favourite writers and columnists will be mixed with our favourite interviews over the past season.

With more than 80 pages, it’ll be the perfect read while you gear up for our final campaign at the Boleyn Ground.

Visit our website today to secure your copy of our summer annual or email editor@blow-ing-bubbles.co.uk.

It has been an incredible season for Blowing Bubbles. A huge thank you to all our readers and to those of you who follow us on Facebook and Twitter - your support has been remarkable.

Thanks also to our excellent band of tal-ented writers. Without you, Blowing Bubbles wouldn’t be where it is today.

Have a wonderful summer, enjoy our an-nual and look forward to what will be an emotion-al chapter in the history of West Ham United.

David

The season is almost over but there is still plenty left to read

Cup Winners Cup Final - 50th anniversary

‘All we could see was a sea of claret and blue scarves’The stars of West Ham’s European Cup Winners Cup winning side tell David Blackmore and Simon Osborn of how they made history

Just before 9.30pm on Wednesday 19 May

1965, Bobby Moore climbed the 39 steps at the old Wembley Stadi-um to collect the Cup Winners Cup for West Ham United.

The 2-0 victory over 1860 Munich had been the most thrilling climax to a remarkable journey for the Hammers, who had defeated some of Europe’s biggest names en route to the final with a side which largely came through the youth ranks.

For Moore, it would be the middle instalment of a stunning Wembley treble having lifted the FA Cup at the stadium the year before and he would claim the World Cup in England colours the following summer.

But for West Ham, it would be the pinnacle of a golden generation who would put the club on the European map whilst playing a brand of passing football that would become known as the ‘West Ham way’ and influence the direction of the club for the next five decades.

Here, 50 years on,

some of the players who represented the Irons that night relive their experiences of the night and share their stories.

‘I can remember in the build-up to the game I wasn’t nervous at all,’ Jack Burkett told Blow-ing Bubbles. ‘I was very

nervous before the FA Cup final against Preston the year before and it showed but I think going through that match at Wembley really helped prepare mentally for 1860 Munich.

‘I was also very fortu-nate to even be playing

as around Christmas time I had a bad back injury and was out for a couple of months. It was touch and go whether or not I would play football again. I managed to get back into the first team the week before we played Zaragoza and that

Victory: Bobby Moore holds aloft the Cup Winners Cup after West Ham beat 1860 Munich 2-0

was it.’ West Ham’s squad stayed at the Hendon Hall hotel in the build-up, the same venue they had been based before their FA Cup triumph over Preston North End the year before.

Forward Brian Dear hadn’t been involved in that game but was im-pressed as he soaked up the atmosphere the day before the kick-off.

‘I remember staying at the hotel the day before,’ he said. ‘The FA Cup Final team had stayed there so it wasn’t new to many but to me it was and I can remember the great view it had of the stadium.

‘We didn’t do too much the day before the final. We did some light training to stretch out the coach trip to Wemb-ley but I can remember we were all excited about the final.

‘That evening nobody did too much, most of us stayed at the hotel and chatted about what we hoped to do the follow-ing evening. We knew that they had some really strong players and their ‘keeper was quite a big man - a very imposing figure.’

If the players knew how tough the game would be ahead of the fixture they probably did not realise the magnitude of the game and what it meant to the club’s supporters until they made their way to the stadium.

‘I can remember there being so many fans on Wembley Way,’ added

Dear. ‘It was awesome. The fans were banging on the windows and we were travelling at a snail pace so we got the chance to look out at all the banners and scarfs. It was difficult to take it all in.’

Once safely inside the dressing room, manager Ron Greenwood was in his element and went out of his way to make sure every player felt composed and ready.

‘Before we went out Ron went round the dressing room and spoke to every player indi-vidually,’ recalled Dear. ‘He was going through

The prize: West Ham’s players do a lap of honour with the Cup

Historic: The Cup Winners Cup final programme from the 1965 clash is now a collectors item

what we were going to do, what was expected of us and how we were going to play. He was also making sure we all felt pretty good about ourselves before we went onto the pitch.

‘There were a few of us bashing each other on the chest and then we were on our way. I was walking behind Bobby and I can remember him asking me how I was feeling and I replied that I was feeling OK. He just turned and said well at least you’ll get your pho-to taken and how right he was. Today in my kitchen I have a massive picture of us walking out of that tunnel and I look at that picture every day.’

If the party atmos-phere around Wembley had been good, the noise levels that hit the players as they walked out onto the pitch was something none of them had ever experienced before as they were hit by a wall of

sound.‘I can still vividly

remember the noise around Wembley as we walked out onto the

pitch and seeing our supporters and the flags waving all around the ground,’ added Burkett. ‘When you’re used to playing in front of 30,000 people and then you play in front of 100,000 it makes a huge difference but again having played in front of such a large crowd in the 1964 FA Cup final helped us.’

Finally, at 7.30pm the game kicked off and while West Ham had the better of the opening ex-changes it was clear the Germans would be no pushovers as they gave as good as they got.

‘Munich were a very good side,’ recalled Ron-nie Boyce. ‘They were full of internationals and had some great players

like Rudi Brunnenmeier. Their goalkeeper Petar Radenkovic was also very good and was a really imposing figure.’

‘The Germans played well,’ said Burkett. ‘They really helped to make the game as good as it was. They had some good players.’

Whilst the passing was crisp and the football attractive, the battle for possession was fierce, with both teams giving as good as they got in the middle of the park.

‘My standout memory was Brian Dear, who came in for Johnny Byrne, getting tackled by Radenkovic way outside the penalty box and from that resulting free kick we scored our

The West Ham line-up

Heroes: The Hammers players are congratulated as they walk down the steps at Wembley

second goal,’ laughed Boyce. ‘Whenever I see Brian we have a laugh about it!’

Dear himself shrugs off the tackle and praised the honesty of both teams, insisting there was no diving or play acting.

‘One memory I have of that game was that the trainer only came on the once,’ he recalled. ‘It was within the first 10 minutes and I had clat-tered into their ‘keeper but after that neither side had players down injured. That’s not to say it wasn’t competitive and we weren’t going in strongly.’

Despite West Ham having the better of the opening period, 1860 Munich also had their moments and had Jim Standen to thank for ensuring they went in on level terms.

After the break,

however, the Hammers turned the screw and it seemed only a matter of time before they would pierce the resolute Ger-man defence.

The breakthrough came in the 70th minute when Ronnie Boyce threaded a pass between two defenders and Alan Sealey showed great composure to score from a difficult angle.

Two minutes later and West Ham doubled their lead. Munich failed to clear a free kick and Moore crossed the ball back into the area. For once Radenkovic failed to collect the ball and Sealey slotted home his second goal to seal the match for the London-ers.

‘I’d had a couple of chances and I had a goal

ruled offside,’ added Dear. ‘I would have liked to have scored but it wasn’t to be.

‘I was involved in the second goal though as Bobby had put me through and their goal-keeper had run out 30 yards to tackle me and from the resulting free kick, Sealey scored his second goal.’

The second goal gave

Magical moment: Alan Sealey celebrates after he scored West Ham’s second goal (below)

West Ham a cushion and the Irons played out the remaining minutes without ever looking like they would let Munich back into the game.

‘I can remember not wanting the game to end,’ added Burkett. ‘I was sure if we had played for another 10 minutes we would’ve got a couple more goals. Equally, we could still be playing today and I don’t think 1860 Munich would’ve won because although they had a few chances that evening, Jim Standen did what he had to do in goal.

‘With the football we were playing, we should have beaten them more comfortably than 2-0. I know we didn’t get the first until quite late on in the second half but it was one of those games

that I knew we’d win. I just had so much confi-dence we would score.’

As time ran out, Hungarian referee Istvan Zsolt finally blew the final whistle to kick start the ultimate East End knees up, on and off the pitch.

‘I was everywhere

when the final whistle blew,’ laughed Dear. ‘Running around the pitch, I can remember just looking around the stadium and seeing how mad all the West Ham fans were going. It was an incredible feeling.

‘We had eight players who came through from

ground staff aged 15 to play in that final. You won’t see anything like that again. The only time any club has come close recently was Manchester United and their class of ‘92.’

For Jack Burkett, the victory represents the finest achievement by a West Ham side.

‘In my opinion, it was the best game West Ham United has ever played from a footballing point of view,’ he added. ‘The way we passed the football that day was incredible.

‘I felt we were far superior to them and it showed throughout the game. The victory and feat has never been achieved again by West Ham. I’d like to see it happen again though.’ BBM

ROUND ONE1st leg: KAA Gent 0 West Ham 12nd leg: West Ham 1 Gent 1

ROUND TWO1st leg: West Ham 2 Sparta Prague 02nd leg: Sparta Prague 2 West Ham 1

QUARTER-FINAL1st leg: Lausanne 1

West Ham 22nd leg: West Ham 4 Lausanne 3

SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: West Ham 2 Real Zaragoza 12nd leg: Real Zaragoza 1 West Ham 1

FINALWest Ham 2 TSV Munich 1860 0

Route to the final

Reflective: West Ham pose with the trophy days after the final

West Ham’s 2-0 victory over

1860 Munich in the 1965 European Cup Winners Cup final was the highpoint from Ron Greenwood’s 13-year tenure as Irons boss.

The future England manager led West Ham throughout the 1960s and his footballing philosophy still leaves a large shadow over Upton Park today.

His brand of passing football, developed long before ‘tiki-taka’ was fashionable, became known as the ‘West Ham way’ while he was also famous for his ability to bring young players into the first team as the Academy of Football produced its first golden generation.

Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst were all given their Football League debuts by Greenwood, and they would all play a major role as the national side won their first and, so far, only World Cup.

Greenwood was born in the village of Worst-horne, just outside Burn-ley, Lancashire, in 1921 but his family moved to London during the 1930s Depression in a bid to find a better life.

He was educated at the

Wembley County School before leaving at the age of 14 to be an apprentice sign-writer. He was an apprentice at Chelsea but his career was delayed by World War Two where he served in the Royal Air Force.

After the war Green-wood played in defence for Bradford Park Avenue and Brentwood, the team he supported as a boy, before returning to Chelsea. He finished his career with a spell at Fulham and, although

he never represented his county, he won a single England B cap.

He retired in 1956 and went into coach-ing, working with Eastbourne United and Oxford University before being made assistant manager at Arsenal un-der George Swindin.

In April 1961 he was selected by chairman Reg Pratt to replace Ted Fenton as manager of West Ham United. He led West Ham to their first FA Cup win in 1964

before winning the Cup Winners Cup the follow-ing season.

He moved upstairs in 1974, becoming the club’s general manager for the next three years, with John Lyall being placed in charge of the first team. In the first season of this arrange-ment, West Ham won another FA Cup.

After England coach Don Revie’s resignation in 1977, Greenwood was appointed full-time manager in the same year, ending his 15-year association with West Ham. Under Green-wood, England qualified for the 1980 European Championship and then the 1982 World Cup, their first World Cup in 12 years.

England came through the tournament un-beaten, but did not win enough games to pro-gress beyond the second group stage. Greenwood resigned after the World Cup and retired from football.

One major landmark during Greenwood’s ten-ure was the selection of the first black player for England, Viv Anderson, in 1978. Greenwood stated ‘if they’re good enough, I’ll pick them.’ BBM

The man who put West Ham on the European football mapCup Winners Cup boss Ron Greenwood did more than deliver a trophy

Legacy: West Ham’s Ron Greenwood had a clear football philosophy

There was some really sad news this month

when it was announced that Rio Ferdinand’s wife Rebecca died after a short battle with cancer.

I don’t think anyone other than their close family even knew she was ill so the announce-ment that she had passed away came as a massive shock.

She was only 34 years old and the couple have three young children – so you can imagine what a difficult time this is for all of them.

Rio came through West Ham’s youth team and I’ve always followed his career since. Ham-mers fans have always had a special bond with their Academy graduates and I know many sup-porters have sent cards and flowers.

For me though

this tragedy is a clear reminder that there are some things more im-portant than football.

Yes, West Ham’s results haven’t been good enough since Christmas but at the end of the day it is just a sport.

Of course we want the team to do well and get angry when results

don’t go our way - but events like this serve as a reminder of what really matters in life.

My thoughts are with Rio at the moment and I’m sure he and his fam-ily will get through this horrible time together and their family will come out stronger.

Emma Smith

Your shout

Hammers must splash the cash

Classy Burke proves the value of youth West Ham fans haven’t had a lot to smile about in recent months.

The club’s form since Christmas has been pret-ty bad and speculation about Sam Allardyce’s future has dominated the newspapers.

However, one bright spot has been the emergence of Acade-my centre-back Reece

Burke. The 18-year-old has come into the side after injuries to Winston Reid and James Tomkins and, while he is still a bit raw, has shown a lot of potential.

Hopefully he will be able to kick on next season as it is about time we had a youngster come through the ranks.

Ian McBride

Rio Ferdinand’s family tragedy puts football into perspective With nothing left to

play for this season West Ham must be using the time to decide what type of players we need to buy this summer.

For me the squad could do with a central midfielder to replace Kevin Nolan and anoth-er striker.

Despite our recent form it is clear we have improved from last sea-son and a large reason for that was how well we bought in the summer.

The new Premier League TV deal will mean that everyone has money to spend and you’ll need to invest just to stand still.

We can’t afford to go down next season so I expect the club to spend big and bring in some big names.

Billy Pugh

I would just like to congratulate Aaron Cresswell on winning the Hammer of the Year prize at the club’s end of season awards dinner. The left-back has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water and has already proved to be a great signing. A big shout out to Adri-an who came second too. Good work lads!

Mike Newton

Cresswell is a worthy winner

Email: editor@blowing-bubbles.co.uk

Sad: Rio Ferdinand’s wife, Rebecca, lost her battle with cancer

JULIAN DICKSTHE TERMINATOR’S EXCLUSIVE COLUMN NEVER BOTTLES A CHALLENGE

Managing ourladies team has been a superb experience It is time everyone at the club got behind the girls

While the Premier League season isn’t quite

finished, the West Ham Ladies played their final games earlier this month.

One of those games was against Charlton Athletic in the final of the London Capital Cup. It was great to see so many West Ham fans come along and show their support for the Ladies.

It was a wonderful occasion and I was proud of the Ladies despite the result.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being the West Ham Ladies manager. Don’t get me wrong, there have been times where I’ve thought “what am I doing

here?” but you get over that quite quickly.

Whether I will be manager next season remains to be seen. They have certainly progressed this season from last season - their finish in the league proves that.

We’ve brought in some good players and shipped some play-ers out but to really progress, we need to get more money into the club and part of that is getting more people to come through the turnstiles.

We had a big crowd when we played Charlton last month and in the final but we need more people to come regularly but in order for this to happen,

we need to be competing for titles and trophies on the pitch.

Certainly if this opportunity had been another women’s football club, I would’nt have bothered but it was West Ham.

For me coming in, it wasn’t so much about the ability of the players, I just wanted the players to give me 100 per cent. Give everything they have got. We had our ups and downs this season. We started off pretty well but then it went a little bit flat with a few results before we came back strong.

Whatever happens this sum-mer, I hope everyone in the West Ham family really gets behind the Ladies.

Dear Sam,

Brian Williams pens his monthly letter to the gafferDear Sam,

Four years eh, mate. Where did that go? One minute you’re being hailed as the saviour of the club, the next you are being invited into the chairman’s office and told to pack up your Juicy Fruits and clear off.

Still, no good feeling sorry for yourself is it? We all have to go sooner or later. You know the old saying: time and tide wait for no man. Odd phrase, that. I think it refers to the barmy fella who thought he could turn back the sea. Can-ute, that was his name! Don’t s’pose you’re re-lated? I only ask because I’ve heard you called a ’king Canute more than once at Upton Park in your time here.

You’ve certainly kept us guessing over the years. You’re a bit of a tease on the sly, aren’t you? Take that first season you were here. Anyone else given the resources that were put at your disposal would have gone for automatic promotion, but not you! That would have been too easy. You knew

we all wanted a trip to Wembley so after being in the top two for most of the season you let Southampton and Read-ing go up the boring way and went for the play-off final instead. As Shakespeare so rightly put it in Hamlet: ‘Oh,

you are awful – but we like you!’

We’ve had a few laughs as well, haven’t we? Remember how we booed you off after beating Hull and you cupped your ear in our direction. Hilarious! You call us ‘deluded’ and then

we put up a Fat Sam Out banner. Tell me, where else would you get a bit of good-natured fun like that? You just can’t beat a bit of banter between the fans and the manager if you ask me.

I hope the next boss is someone who can see the lighter side of life like you. That David Moyes looks a bit serious to me. Now Slaven Bilic might be a bit more fun – an-yone who was prepared to play international football in a shirt that looked like my gran’s tablecloth must have a sense of humour. And Paolo Di Canio would put a smile on a few people’s boat races round here – but I suppose the owners don’t much fancy playing in League One. Not with that Olympic Stadium to fill.

Still, it was good news about the prices being reduced. With the mon-ey I save on my season ticket I can buy a pair of binoculars so I’ll be able to see what’s going on.

Will you have a say in your successor the way Alex Ferguson did at Man U? I do hope so,

Smart: The Bard has more in common with Big Sam than you would think

because we really need a manager who’s going to carry on playing the sort of intricate passing game that you’ve brought to the club. Someone ought to give it a name – how about the Big Sam Way? Let them scoff and call it tippy-tappy football: I love the kind of delicate through-ball that Big Ginge has perfected.

I still haven’t ruled out young Jack Sullivan as the next gaffer. Word has it that he’s had a blinding season on Football Manager – apparently Teddy Sheringham has been giving him a few tips. Don’t s’pose you’ve heard anything on the grapevine have you? I know you can’t bet on football related issues yourself, but if you could give me the nod it’s Master Jack I’ll slip on a cheeky fiver with Coral while the odds are still so attractive. Naturally, I’ll cut you in on the winnings. But Mum’s the word, eh Sam. We don’t want Panorama sticking their noses into our little financial transactions, do we?

The one mistake you’ve made, if I may be so bold as to question a master tactician such as your-self, is your reliance on youth. Young fellas like Kevin Nolan, Carlton Cole and Alex Song are still learning the game – they need some older, more experienced players to turn to when the going gets tough. Let’s face it, anyone who’s been round the block a couple of times would

never have given away the penalty that cost us all three points at White Hart Lane a couple of months ago.

Still, I do appreciate the way you’ve managed to get rid of the show po-nies like Ravel Morrissey and Maurice Zapata. No-body round here wants to see the sort of football they play.

I do hope that when they come to write the history of our great club you get all the credit you deserve. No more of this ‘Then like my dreams they fade and die,’ nonsense. Not on your watch. We don’t need dreams – you have given us mid-table obscurity instead. What could be more exciting than a

game against Everton in the 10th place derby – that’s what fans dream of at the start of every season. And next year? Stoke City, we’re coming for you!

I can honestly say, Sam, I’ll never forget what you’ve done for us.

Your mate behind the goal,

Armitage Shanks

Deal: Brian wants to pop down to Coral for their attractive odds

Brian Williams’ criti-cally acclaimed book, Nearly Reach The Sky – A Farewell To Upton Park, is available on Amazon and from the publisher, Biteback.

Out now!

Cresswell has been fabulous and deserves our main prize As we entered May,

and the season be-gan drawing to a pretty disappointing conclu-sion, attention turned to who we felt was our Hammer of the Year.

For me, Aaron Cresswell has been our stand-out performer this campaign so I was delighted when it was announced he had won the club’s player of the season award.

I saw him quite a few times last season at Ipswich and when we signed him I knew he would do well for us, but I didn’t think he would have thrived as much as he has.

Roy Hodgson must have surely looked at him over the last few months with a view of taking him to the next England squad.

His form has been a constant highlight in a season that has other-wise fallen apart.

It’s the same team that beat Manchester City

and Liverpool and se-cured so many brilliant results at the start of the season so I just don’t know what’s been going on over the last couple of months.

I still like Sam Allard-yce. I think he has done

a good job for West Ham and I think it’s a shame the season has ended like it has.

Like him or not, Sam has done all right for us and, to date, he has done what has been required.

One of the biggest

things Sam could have done more of in his time is adhere himself to the fans, but he hasn’t played along at all.

He could’ve spoken about our great fans or our wonderful history and all the other great things about West Ham, but his comments about ‘what’s the point playing the West Ham way if you get beat every week’ might have been part of his downfall.

It’s all well not playing the West Ham way if you are winning matches but we haven’t been.

Chelsea don’t always play free flowing, ex-pansive football but they know how to win and that’s why they’ve won the title.

Do Chelsea fans think their team is boring? Of course they don’t, they’re winning.

The fact is we’re not. Three wins in 21

league games is not good enough. That’s where we’ve fallen short. I in-

Perfect start: Aaron Cresswell is a fine Hammer of the Year

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terviewed former Ham-mer Mark Ward recently and he said it’s because the players don’t know who they are playing for next season, but I think that’s a cop-out.

Surely it pays for them to go out and play - es-pecially when there was no threat of relegation for such a long time.

Yes we’ve had our share of injury problems but so have every other team in the league at some stage this season. It also doesn’t explain why we’ve switched off so late in games.

I’m not against getting a new manager per se and I don’t think Rafa Benitez would be a bad choice.

But one thing that does scare me about getting

rid of Sam is that he will take all of his staff with him and everything that he has established will go with him.

The new manager would have to come in and get it right straight away and get off to a good start. If we get off to a bad start, it could be curtains for us.

The Olympic Stadium is a great opportunity to take the club forward but for the move to work we need to be playing in the Premier League at the start of the 2016-17 season.

Cards on the table time, I don’t mind coasting for a couple of seasons and building a bigger, better and strong-er squad while finishing mid-table. BBM

On his way: Sam Allardyce claps the crowd after the final home game

It is still unknown as to who will be in charge

for the final season at the Boleyn Ground, but three players are also still unaware of whether they will be offered a new contract for the 2015/16 campaign.

One of those is expe-rienced goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. The former Finland international joined the club in 2012 after 15 years with Bolton Wanderers. He came in after the loss of Robert Green to Queens Park Rangers, and he was outstanding for West Ham United in our first season back in the top flight.

But his first team appearances have dried up in the last 18 months, as Adrian has made the no.1 spot his own. The Spanish shot stopper signed from Real Betis and although Jaaskel-ainen originally kept

West Ham trio sweating on new deals - just like Big SamForget the manager’s situation, what will happen to these three Irons?

Out of contract Hammers

DANNY RUST@Danny_Rust10

his place in the team, Adrian broke into Sam Allardyce’s side and the fans’ favourite has not looked back since.

Jaaskelainen, 40, seems to be coming towards the end of his career. It looks increasingly un-likely that he will be able to dislodge Adrian from between the sticks and so it seems as though the Hammers’ best option would be to let the Finn leave and bring in anoth-er young goalkeeper as back-up to Adrian.

If Allardyce remains

in charge past the end of the season, Big Sam may give Jaaskelainen a new one-year deal, especially seeing as he followed the manager to Upton Park. However, it also looks increasingly likely that Allardyce will not be at the helm come August and so Jaaskelainen will probably be on his way.

Another experienced star that could be leaving the club is Guy Demel. The ex-Ivory Coast international full back joined the club from Hamburg in 2011.

Injuries have affected his stay in East London with serious injuries ruling the right back out on numerous occasions. Competition has come from Joey O’Brien and Julien Faubert over the years, but he has gone on to make 76 league ap-pearances for the Irons in four years.

But the loan signing of Carl Jenkinson has meant that Demel has been forced to watch the majority of the campaign from the stands. The England U21

On his way: Guy Demel is almost certain to leave West Ham at the end of the season

international has been outstanding and now the Hammers will, I hope, look to sign Jenkinson on a permanent basis.

Demel has expressed an interest in returning to Germany in the past, where he has performed for Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg. So it looks increasingly likely that the 33-year-old will not be offered a new deal at the Boleyn Ground, and he may return to the Bundesliga.

But West Ham may wait until they are aware of whether Jenkinson will stay permanently because if he returns to Arsenal, Demel may be offered a new one-year contract. The club, however, may even look at other options rather than look to keep Demel.

Dan Potts is also out of contract in the summer. The young full back, who has followed in the footsteps of his father Steve in coming through the ranks at Upton Park, impressed when he made his first team debut in 2011 in a 1-0 victory against Barnsley.

But the Barking-born England U20 interna-tional has only made another six appearances in claret and blue, and had the likes of George McCartney, Pablo Arme-ro and now Aaron Cress-well stand in his way.

Loan spells at Colches-

ter United and Ports-mouth have followed for the 21-year-old and it looks as though, with the impact of Cresswell, Potts will be leaving the club in the summer.

It is likely that Potts will have to drop into League One and work

his way back up the football ladder again, having been starved of first team opportunities for so long. Potts was originally tipped for a big future in East Lon-don but, unfortunately, it has not turned out as hoped. BBM

Looking for some summer fun?Don’t miss Blowing Bubbles Monthly’s

amazing Summer Annual 2015 - it’s your perfect beach companion while

you wait for the new season... www.blowing-bubbles.co.uk

4 games for West Ham since 2013

JUSSI

Out of contract: Have we seen the last of experienced keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen?

A question for you. Which West Ham

United striker, signed for an estimated transfer fee of £12m last summer, had only scored four league goals this season and only one at home.

Step forward, Enner ‘Superman’ Valencia.

It seems ridiculous to ask the question ‘has he been a good signing’, if you’re using the criteria

of goals scored against transfer fee. Three million pounds per goal does seem pretty hefty but there’s more to it than that one statistic alone.

After all, this is the same player who scored that magnificent goal against Hull City earlier this season and if you haven’t seen it, watch it because it’s in the

running for the Goal of the Season award.

You don’t score goals like that unless you have serious talent. He also scored 10 goals for Ecuador last year in 10 appearances, including three at the World Cup, and in his entire career he’s averaged exactly one goal in every four games.

Something has clearly gone wrong somewhere

this season.There are, in my view,

mitigating circumstanc-es. Valencia’s season has been disrupted by injury.

Of course, this being West Ham, one of those injuries had to be caused by standing on a broken tea-cup but it hasn’t helped him get any con-sistency or confidence in the side.

Sam Allardyce’s

Will West Ham ever solve the big Enner Valencia enigma?Geoff Hillyer considers whether the striker has justified his price tag

Enner Valencia Global star: Enner Valencia made his name in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

insistence that Valencia is played on the wing to accommodate the one-up-top formation has also been a major factor in the reduction of goals scored.

Remember when we were flying with Valencia and Sahko up top? Yes, that does seem like a long time ago. It’s not just Valencia’s goals that have dried up but the whole team has been bereft of confidence and goals since the turn of the year.

So, do we conclude from this that Valencia has been a bad signing for the team? Not in my book.

The latest rumours are that Chelsea want him. Valencia’s pace and trickery are an asset to any club, especially one such as ours, and you could see why a club like Chelsea would be casting admiring glances because he would add something to their side.

Mourinho knows a good player when he sees one. Likewise, Liverpool are rumoured to be interested.

Secondly, Valencia has been unlucky with injury in my opinion. Had he had more of a run in the team, I have no doubt that we would have seen more goals.

The man has got bags of trickery and pace, and the latest that we hear from club sources is that we’re extremely keen to get him to sign a new contract, one that does not contain a get-out clause as the current

one does, offering fresh terms.

I believe that he will come good. In fact, I be-lieve he is a better player than Sakho.

I’d like to see the two of them up front again because I think they complement each other

well but even if he is played on the wing, I believe he has his place in the side.

Ultimately, as West Ham fans, we demand entertainment. Players like Enner Valencia with his pace, trickery and skill provides that. BBM

Bobby Moore Fund delay Nepal trip

Due to the recent earthquakes in Nepal the Bobby Moore Fund have taken the difficult decision to postpone their 2016 Football on Everest Expedition until further notice.

The delay will allow the Fund’s partners to gain a better understanding of how the earthquake has affected the expedition route and logistics and allow the people of Nepal to rebuild their lives and infrastructure.

Stephanie Moore MBE, founder of the Bobby Moore Fund, said: ‘We’re very sor-ry to announce that the Bobby Moore Fund’s Football on Everest expedition, which was due to take place in April next year, is now on hold until further notice.

While we hope our supporters will have the opportunity to complete the chal-lenge in future, we of course need to make the decision that is right at this point in time.

Our thoughts and best wishes are with the Nepalese people and the families of those affected by the earthquake.’

Not his game: Enner Valencia has struggled to adapt to the Premier League

FROZEN IN TIMESaturday, May 2, 2015: Mark Noble celebrates scoring the winning goal from the spot as West Ham beat Burnley 1-0 at Upton Park. The Hammers had been the only Premier League team not to score a penalty this season.

The big interview: Jack Collison

‘I can still play a role as part of Wales’ golden generation’Jack Collison on his fitness, future ambitions and sports journalism

There are few ways more certain to win

the hearts of West Ham fans than to demonstrate your class from the start; just ask Tony Cottee and Rio Ferdinand, who both scored on their Iron debuts, and subsequently

always guaranteed the warmest of welcomes whenever they returned to the Boleyn playing for other teams.

But there are few play-ers who have made quite such an impression with the style of their depar-ture as Jack Collison.

When the 26-year-old Welsh international midfielder left West Ham 12 months ago, he wrote a long, heartfelt thank you letter to fans for the support he had received in his nine years at the club. The honesty and sincerity of

his message ensured that when he does – hopeful-ly – return to wherever West Ham happen to be playing then as an opposition player, he will receive a rapturous reception.

‘I’d been at West Ham the whole way up through the ranks, and I’d been through a lot in my life there, so I wanted to close the book on my time at the club and let fans know how much it had meant to me,’ Collison told Blowing Bubbles.

‘I always had a good

relationship with them - I was someone who tried my hardest and always appreciated the support I got, so I wanted to share my experiences with them before I left. I’ve always liked writing, so someone at the club sug-gested I write something. I sat down at 9pm, and the next thing I knew it was 2am and the thing was written.’

In an ideal world, Collison would still be at West Ham, but for the last 12 months, apart from a brief spell at Ipswich where he did

JULIAN SHEA@juliansheasport

On target: Jack Collison takes a shot against Arsenal

not make any appear-ances, he has been without a club, studying and setting up a soccer school whilst deliberat-ing over the next steps in his career.

A dislocated kneecap sustained at Wigan in March 2009 – caused by an unlucky slip of the foot, rather than a challenge – was the first in a series of problems which culminated in surgery a year later and a 14-month lay-off.

That absence from the first team coincided with the trauma of the Avram Grant era. Being power-less to get on the pitch and do anything about it made the experience even more frustrating for Collison than it was for most spectators.

‘I lived through that season as a fan, and I was as helpless as anyone else in the ground,’ he explained. ‘It was all the more frustrating for me because I was working so hard to get back to fitness to get on the pitch – that was my target, to get playing again before the season was finished.’

This was an ambition he did fulfil, finally mak-ing his comeback at, of all places, Wigan, in the game where West Ham threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 and be relegated. ‘It was a tough day, but from a personal point of view, it was great to be out there on the pitch,’ he explained.

‘The other guys who’d played through the whole season were feeling really down but I

was running about like a crazy person – after all I’d been through, it meant so much to me just to be on the pitch, even five minutes, count-ed for so much.’

What Collison had been through was not just the challenge of recovering from injury, it was also the loss of his father Ian in a motorbike accident on his way to watch West Ham play Tottenham in August 2009 – the response to which further strength-

ened the player’s strong emotional ties to the club and its fans. So when new manager Sam Allardyce gave him a new contract in August 2011, it looked like for-tune was finally smiling on Jack, and he went on to have his greatest season at the club.

‘That was such a good time – everyone was ex-cited about the new era and the new manager, and we were desperate to put the past behind us,’ he said. ‘The Champion-

ship was a tough division but we all bought into the challenge of getting out of it, which we did, and from a personal point of view, it was a great success too.’

That campaign saw Collison play his highest number of games in a season for West Ham and score his most goals – including, vitally, two in the play-off semi-final win over Cardiff.

‘Those were the most important goals of my career, so it was great to

COLLISON14 goals during

his Hammers career

Problems: Jack Collison’s West Ham career was ruined by several injuries

play a part in such a vital season in the club’s his-tory,’ he said. ‘I struggled a bit towards the end of it and thought I’d be ok for the start of next season – but it didn’t happen quite like that.’

Having been such a key player in West Ham’s return to the big time, Collison found himself less involved in the following season’s Premier League cam-paign – not that he took it personally.

‘I always thought I was capable of doing a job, but it’s just one of those things – it’s hard to force your way back into the team once you’re out, and the manager has his way of doing things, so you just have to get on with it,’ he said.

‘I was just happy to have any time on the pitch after what I’d been through, and I’m not the sort to sit around and pick up his wages, so I was angling for a loan to go out and prove myself – so I went to Bourne-mouth for a month.’

Collison’s stint on the south coast did the trick of reminding Allardyce of his capabilities, and he

duly returned to the first team picture at Upton Park, but it was not on a regular basis, and what turned out to be his final West Ham appearance came in front of a half-empty ground in the meaningless Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against Man-chester City, after a 6-0 first leg thrashing.

With grim irony, the

last few months of Colli-son’s West Ham contract were seen out on loan at, of all clubs, Wigan, and at the end of the 2013-14 season, he was released – but not before writing his now famous goodbye letter. The West Ham book was closed, and a new volume was opened.

‘It was a real step into the unknown,’ he admit-ted. ‘There’s no better feeling than waking up on a Saturday morning knowing that you’re going to go out and play in front of 30,000 people, and it took some real adjustment, getting used to the fact that I didn’t know for sure when that was next going to happen.’

Mick McCarthy offered Collison a stint

at Ipswich, which ended without him making a first-team appearance, but he said just the experience of being back in a footballing environment helped him get things clear in his mind on what he wanted to do next.

‘I’m experienced enough to listen to my body and to know what it’s telling me,’ he said. ‘That’s why, at the age of 26, when I should be at my peak, I decided the best thing to do was to sit out the rest of the season and make sure I’m in the best possible shape I can be to make a comeback next season. I know if I can get myself right, there’s no reason I can’t do a job.’

If Collison needed any further incentive to

Mates: Jack Collison is good friends with James Tomkins

Working hard: Jack Collison is in the gym and hopes to find a new club this year

get his career back on track, he need only look at his Welsh interna-tional team-mates, who are currently in with a fantastic chance of qual-ifying for the 2016 Eu-ropean Championships, which would be their first major tournament appearance since 1958.

‘It’s a bit tough to watch at times, but it’s great to see the lads I came through the ranks with, like Joe Allen, Aar-on Ramsey and Gareth Bale, doing so well,’ said Collison, who won the last of his 16 caps in March 2014.

‘This was always Wales’s golden gener-ation, John Toshack blooded them young and now Chris Coleman is reaping the rewards. I’m confident in my ability, so if I can get a decent run of games, I don’t see any reason why I can’t get back into the squad.’

As well as training hard to keep himself in the best possible shape for his return to playing, Collison has been indulging his love of writing on a sports journalism course at Staffordshire University – ‘it’s definitely interest-ing being on the other side of the fence and see-ing how much work goes into it’ – and the Jack Collison Soccer School, something about which he feels passionate.

‘I set it up with Russell Short, one of my old youth-team friends from Cambridge, and it’s wonderful,’ he said.

‘I’m studying for a

Uefa B coaching licence and doing this as well, and it’s great to give something back to the next generation.

‘It gives you a really good feeling, seeing how much they’re getting out of it at a stage when it’s all about the love of the game, and they’re not yet polluted by some of the stuff that comes later on. People like James Tom-kins have come along to help out, and I hope that really inspires the kids.’

As much as he enjoys his writing and coaching, it is clear that a return to competitive

football is still Collison’s number one priority. ‘If I can get myself right, I can do a good job at a decent level, so for the next two months I’ll be focused on making sure that, come July 1st, I’m ready to go into a tough pre-season and to play again next season,’ he said.

And whoever he plays for, there will be few fans cheering him on as enthusiastically as those of West Ham – still, his club.

‘That’s still the first result I look for every weekend,’ he said. ‘I’m

in touch with a lot of the boys, I still do some work with one of my old physios there and the media department have been very helpful with my writing, so it would be wonderful to go back there one day and play against them.’

But for all his fan’s enthusiasm, inside Jack Collison beats the heart of a dedicated pro. Sen-timent only goes so far. ‘I didn’t score enough goals at Upton Park first time around,’ he said, ‘so I’d love the chance to score there for someone else!’. BBM

Jack Collison Soccer School’s next coaching course is at Shenfield High School on May 26-27th. See jackcolli-sonsoccerschool.com or @jcsoccerschool for more details.

On the ball

Relegation: Could Jack Collison have helped Avram Grant keep West Ham in the Premier League?

Why Carlton Cole’s departure will be a sad day for the fansDavid Bowden on how this very special relationship has developed

Carlton Cole

In sport there is a finite line between hero and

villain and in football that line is even thinner. One minute you are idolized the next you are the pantomime villain.

Take Frank Lampard and Jermain Defoe. Both were adored during their days at West Ham because they were academy boys that came good but in a matter of months Lampard had turned into Fat Frank, and Defoe turned into Judas Jermain.

Defoe left in a cloud af-ter requesting a transfer just days after the Ham-mers were relegated in 2003. Naturally a young boy would want to further his career in the Premier League but after a word in the ear from his agent, Defoe sulked and fouled his way through the early stages of his debut Champi-onship campaign with West Ham. Suddenly he had turned from hero to villain in moments.

Now the Irons have a number of ‘cult heroes’ in this current set up - Adrian, Kouyate, Sakho to name a few but per-haps the most obvious is none other than Carlton Cole. A player perhaps

not blessed with the most talent in the world but what he lacks in natural ability he more than makes up with in passion and heart for the east end club.

When Alan Pardew signed the big man, there wasn’t much an-ticipation on the former Chelsea man but within minutes of his debut he burst through on goal and smashed home with his first touch. The whole

of Upton Park stood to attention for this new man.

One of the longest serving members of the current squad, Carlton has turned into one of the most loved charac-ters in the squad both on and off the pitch.

His tweets at times are of the ilk of a typical Hammers fans. Having heated exchanges with Tottenham fans as well as conversing with West

Ham fans on a regular basis. On the pitch he works his socks off, as I said he isn’t the most technical player in the world, but I think he is fully aware of that fact. He is your typical West Ham United cult hero.

In the mould of Christian Dailly, Thomas Repka, and Marlon Harewood, the West Ham number 24 is the latest in line for unlikely hero status. Goal-scorer

9 seasons spent at the club

COLE

Always believe: Carl-ton Cole is popular with West Ham’s fans

in the play-off final and bagging 15 goals in that campaign Cole helped the Hammers to regain their Premier League status. He always carries that infectious smile on his face as he plays and you can just tell that he genuinely loves playing for the club.

When I attended the away game at St Mary’s I was genuinely shocked when I heard the abuse in the concourse for Carlton Cole when he was announced as a starter. A man who is one of the most loyal players amongst the squad still receiving grief despite all his effort over the years, sums up some of our ‘fans’.

The outpour of emotion when it was an-nounced that Coley was

on his way to the West Brom training ground on deadline day con-firmed to me that he has well and truly secured cult hero status.

Carlton may well have been treated poorly by the Hammers board and management over the years having been released then resigned, then allowed to travel up to the Midlands only for a chance of first team football to be snatched from him just as the pen was handed to him.

Despite all this he maintains a strong affinity for the club and that’s all we want as fans, honest hard working in-dividuals who obviously bleed claret and blue.

Coley, I salute you, and I will always believe in you. BBM

Star: Diafra Sakho’s form means it is likely Cole will leave the club

Amalfitano is a little luxury you can’t afford not to keepThe French midfielder gives West Ham a huge number of options

Morgan Amalfitano

It has been a crazy cou-ple of months behind

the scenes at West Ham.Preparations for the

big move to Stratford progress, the future of manager Sam Allardyce remains in the balance whilst commanding cen-tre-half Winston Reid has fortunately been persuaded to commit his long-term future to the club.

Amidst all the head-lines, one piece of news to slip under the radar has been West Ham’s decision to activate the option of a two-year extension in Morgan Amalfitano’s contract.

Whilst the 30-year-old might not be the first name on Big Sam’s team sheet, keeping the Frenchman at the club has to be considered the correct verdict.

Amalfitano’s £1million summer arrival from

Marseille was a shrewd piece of business by the Hammers, especially as the midfielder had already proven his Premier League pedigree during a 2013/14 loan spell at West Brom.

Moreover, at such a cut price, the player’s versatility of being able to fill in anywhere across the midfield added extra validation for the dead-line day signing.

Joining once the season is already in full

swing is never easy but Amalfitano has acquitted himself well during his maiden campaign at Upton Park, even if his role has usually seen him operate from the fringes.

Coming off the bench to notch a goal in his home debut against Liverpool certainly helped the Frenchman, who continued to make telling contributions despite limited opportu-nities during the team’s impressive first half of

the campaign. Things have soured a

little since the turn of the year, a sentiment epitomised by a petulant red card just minutes after replacing skipper Kevin Nolan in the FA Cup loss to former club West Brom, but that dip in performance is hardly unique and could be planted at the door of almost any Hammers player.

Whilst everyone at the club will be looking to

LIAM NEWMAN@ThatLiamNewman

Staying put: Morgan Amalfitano will be at West Ham next year

2015-16 with hopes of a top 10 finish, the prima-ry objective is to remain a Premier League outfit for when we move into the Olympic Stadium.

Amalfitano is the type of player you’d want around the squad and certainly has the quality to grace the top-flight, even if he isn’t quite of the desired standard for West Ham’s long-term aspirations.

Moreover, if Alex Song’s loan doesn’t become permanent and Matt Jarvis is sold, then it will be important to retain most of the other midfielders for sheer numbers alone.

It seems inevitable that there will be a summer shake-up of some sorts, perhaps even including a change of manager, but the owners will be wary of initiating a major transformation to the playing staff at such a crucial time in the club’s history.

Keeping Amalfitano at the club makes perfect sense, even if he is to en-dure another year spent chiefly on the sidelines.

As far as his playing qualities are concerned, Amalfitano’s attributes are a great luxury to have.

The midfielder has already shown during his brief spell at Upton Park that he knows where the goal is and he has also displayed a level of crossing ability that would be a great luxury option to possess from the bench – especially when chasing a late goal

or looking to utilise the aerial threat of Andy Carroll and co.

Perhaps most pleasing, though, is the fact Amal-fitano applies himself in the right way.

Fans, coaches and colleagues will forgive the odd mistake such as that stupid sending off at the Hawthorns if a player is willing to put in a shift and a palpable willingness to impress has been an omnipresent trait during the French-man’s maiden year with the club.

Likewise, an enthusi-asm towards performing the basics well is a char-

acteristic that should serve the Frenchman well throughout the remainder of his West Ham career.

The benefits of a full pre-season schedule with the club shouldn’t be overestimated either and there is a good chance that Hammers fans will see an improved Amalfi-tano in 2015-16.

Starting opportunities will presumably remain restricted, regardless of who’s in charge, but the Frenchman is unquestionably a useful member of the squad.

Amalfitano’s status at the club is a glowing

testimony of Allardyce’s good work since being appointed manager four seasons ago and to have a player of this ilk as a fringe star underlines the improvement made to personnel during that period.

Should this summer bring a conclusion to Big Sam’s time at E13 then there can be no argu-ments that he’ll have left the club in a much better state than he inherited.

Perhaps activating Amalfitano’s contract extension will prove to be one last masterstroke from the departing gaffer. BBM

Unknown: Doubt over Alex Song’s future meant West Ham had no choice but to keep Morgan Amalfitano

The endless rumours surrounding just

who could replace Big Sam have gathered pace since our season came to an almost juddering halt as the Christmas decora-tions came down.

The managerial car-ousel has well and truly gone into overdrive with names that are being linked with a job that continues to get increas-ingly attractive as we get closer to the big move to Stratford.

One of the more left field monikers linked with the vacancy should Big Sam’s services not be renewed is Everton man-ager Roberto Martinez.

Now I’ve got to be honest, I simply couldn’t see Roberto trading in Everton for West Ham simply because they’re a bigger club.

Surely he’d only leave them for one of the established top four but whilst Everton may

Bright, young and innovative Martinez is just what we needThe Everton boss would play in a style that would impress our fans

Roberto Martinez

KWAME BOAKYE@KwamsMoriarty

be bigger there is far more potential at the Hammers because of the aforementioned new stadium and let’s not forget we do like to pay our managers a decent wedge.

So if Martinez could be persuaded to trade in Merseyside for the East End would he be a good fit?

Yes I think so. The man has won a major trophy and he didn’t win it at City or Chelsea where any Tom, Dick or Harry can pick one of those up.

He did it at little, old, unfashionable Wigan and that deserves endless respect.

When I look at the list of past managers in the Hammers hot seat and

I’m talking about names such as Redknapp, Pardew, Curbishley, Zola, Grant and even Allardyce, there wasn’t a single trophy between them when they picked up the managerial reigns.

So by virtue of that FA cup triumph, Martinez already has a more impressive trophy count than just about all the West Ham managers of recent years combined.

Style of play has often been a thorny issue amongst the natives of the Boleyn and thinking long term if West Ham are to fill an extra 19,000 seats in the plush new surroundings of Strat-ford, an aesthetically pleasing style of play will be needed.

Martinez at Swansea, Wigan and Everton has always produced and built teams that play open, expansive, attack-ing football so surely there’d be no issues on that particular front.

In fact Martinez might just be seduced by what he could create on a far bigger stage and more glamorous location than that of the crumbling Goodison Park.

As far back as I can re-

Impressive: Could West Ham tempt Roberto Martinez?

member, and Redknapp is the first West Ham manager I can really remember, we’ve never really gone after sought after managers, it’s always been the cheap/easy option taken by the board.

I mean look what they went and did after ‘arry left, they employed Glenn Roeder and we went down.

And when Gold and Sullivan dispensed of Gi-anfranco Zola did they scour Europe to find us

a managerial messiah to take us to the proverbial next level?

No they went and hired Avram Grant and we went down. There’s a pattern forming isn’t there?

In recent memory we simply haven’t shown any kind of ambition when appointing man-agers and that simply has to stop now.

If Sam is to depart in the summer and with every bore draw and meek defeat that seems

more and more likely, the powers that be need to show some serious cojones.

Going after a manger of Martinez’s calibre would be very encourag-ing. He’s bright, young, innovative has a trophy on his CV and he also espouses the kind of football that would put bums on seats in the Olympic Stadium.

He’s a bit of an unre-alistic target but if you never ask, you never know. BBM

Adrian fan has superb

birthday

Winner: Martinez won the FA Cup with Wigan

Those of you who have followed Lucy Woolford’s articles over the last couple of years might have no-ticed that our scribe has got something of a soft spot for ‘keeper Adrián.

Imagine then her delight when she got to meet him after a recent home game.

‘I took my Dad with me and, as luck would have it, it was his birthday,’ she explained. ‘I couldn’t

have arranged it better if I’d tried!

‘We met up with Adrián within minutes of the win against Burnley.

‘I mentioned that it was my Dad’s birth-day and Adrián asked his age. ‘Too old’, was my Dad’s reply.

With his big, trademark grin, Adrián told us about his grandfather’s 90th birthday, which the family happened to be celebrating that day at the Boleyn Ground.’

This book should come with a health

warning: ‘Contents may cause readers to throw objects in a violent manner and swear exces-sively’. Why? Because they will be thinking ‘Why didn’t I think of this first?’.

Tim Crane’s idea is as straight forward and, when you think about it, glaringly obvious as its title, and once the rest of football wakes up to it, expect other clubs to rush to create similar tributes to their greats. Not that many of them can hold a candle to Bobby Moore, of course, so it is only fitting that he leads the way.

Over the years, many ex-players and hang-ers-on have been quick to talk about ‘the Bobby I knew’, but there are few better placed to give a real insight into the man than his work colleagues – those who played alongside him.

Whilst the reminis-cences of such club legends as Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters are well known and have been heard many times before, Crane’s labour of love also takes in the memories of some of

West Ham’s forgotten men, like Andy Smillie, Peter Shearing and Harry Obeney. Bit-part players maybe, but all with a story worth listening to.

Some of Moore’s 89 West Ham team-mates have passed away but where they are not available, the author has tracked down and

spoken to their nearest and dearest to get stories from as close to the horse’s mouth as possible.

Not only is there a wealth of stories – like classmates of the 14-year-old Billy Bonds being disappointed it wasn’t someone famous when a young Moore was sent to his school to

present prizes – but also holiday snaps and wed-ding photos, showing just how much of a team West Ham were, on and off the pitch, and how in both settings, Moore was at the heart of the action.

The imminent move away from Upton Park and the pitch where so many club legends were created has created an environment for huge nostalgia, but to use such a dismissive term to describe a book like this would be an insult.

Crane has created a unique time capsule of memories of one of the most important parts of the club’s history, and it is one for which everyone who cares about West Ham should be hugely grateful. It is hard to imagine any true Irons fan who would not want to read every word of it.

* Order your copy now by sending a cheque for £28 (which includes p&p) made payable to Tim Crane and sent to: Mr T Crane, 47 Glengall Grove, Cubitt Town, London E14 3NE. Al-ternatively, use the link: www.bobbymoore89.co.uk

Book review

A simple but hugely effective glimpse into West Ham’s pastJulian Shea is impressed with Tim Crane’s new take on an Irons hero

Supporters’ club of the month

#4: Chicago HammersBBM: When and why was the group founded?Matt: I moved to Chi-cago from East London about two years ago. I couldn’t find anything on social media and the club didn’t know of any supporters groups over here, so I started at twitter account @chicagohammers and a Facebook page.

I got in contact with a few people in Chicago and got some advice from the New York supporters club on how to reach out to people in my area. It’s gone from there really.

Officially, we’ve been around since 2013, but there’s been active support in Chicago for a few years. We’re just a bit more organised now.How many members in your group today?

I’d say there’s probably around 30 or so people that have turned up to our local pub, The Globe, at some point or other, but we probably get around 8-10 people on a regular basis.

It’s always busier for the big games, and the early kick offs back home (the Spurs game was on at 6am here) reduce numbers.

Considering we started

out with 3 lads and we’re now up to 30 plus, I think we’re doing ok.Where do you watch games?

We watch matches at The Globe Pub, which is on the north side of the city not too far from where the Chicago Cubs play. The pub serves good European beer and a full English breakfast, which is a rarity here. How many times do members travel to games?

This season, we’ve had several people go to games both home and away. People often plan their trips to England

around the football fixtures, so they can be sure to watch a game in person.

It’s funny how people travel to the other side of the planet with their wife, telling her about a dream trip to London, but then they end up going to Burnley away.What are the benefits of being part of your group?

Being able to meet up with friends and talk about West Ham is a big bonus. Since we’re a smaller group than some of the other Chicago based supporters’ clubs, we actually know one

another. Some of us play football together during the week.

We’ve got a good group of people together who are all of the same mindset; come down for a chat, a few beers, a bacon sandwich and a laugh and you’re always welcome. What is your website address? What’s your Twitter handle? Are you on Facebook?

Twitter - @chicag-ohammers - Face-book - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-Ham-mers/460919043976173 BBM

On the up: The Chicago Hammers are growing fast

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West Ham Ladies

Little looks forward to bright future despite Cup final loss David Blackmore hears from a happy and upbeat West Ham captain West Ham Ladies

captain Stacey Little has spoken of her disappointment and anger following the Hammers heavy defeat in London Capital Cup final earlier this month.

But the midfielder maintains there have been plenty of positives to take from Julian Dicks’ first season in charge.

‘Compared to how we ended our last campaign, we can’t moan too much about this season,’ Little said. ‘We were second from bottom last season but this season we’ve finished mid-table.

‘That’s not to say it’s not been a frustrating season. We’ve been so inconsistent at times and this season has really been a season of highs and lows.

‘We’ve had some really good results - we drew against Brighton, drew twice in the league against Charlton and beat Cardiff twice as well as Spurs but it’s been the teams below us which we’ve seemed to struggle against.

‘If we had picked up points against these teams we would have been much higher in the

league.’ The 27-year-old pointed out a number of facts that demonstrated the side were making progress and paid tribute to the impact the manag-er has had on the team.

‘One positive that instantly springs to mind from this season has been that, before our final game of the season at Portsmouth, no team had done the double over us,’ she added. ‘It’s been a positive that we managed to get to a cup

final and it could’ve been two finals had the Essex Cup situation not happened.’

‘Julian [Dicks] has also been a massive positive for us this season. The manager last season left us half way through the season but Julian has come in and been fully committed. He has been a breath of fresh air and has raised the profile of the Ladies team.’

Little reflected on a number of highlights

from throughout the season, insisting the games against QPR and Cardiff were particularly memorable.

‘I think the Cardiff game away sticks in my mind from this season because we were going there expecting it was going to be tough but the way we fought for each other was amazing.

‘We were one nil up for quite a while before they equalised and then we went onto score and win.

‘Our game against QPR, our first game of the season, was also a highlight. Usually it would be us conceding late goals and there is no better feeling than being on top and getting a late goal to win the game.’

She added: ‘We’ve had a massive say in who wins the league this season. Cardiff felt like they had a chance before we beat them, Charlton probably fancied them-selves too before we got a draw with them.

‘It feels good because I can remember when it used to happen to us too.’

Looking ahead to next season and Little believes a host of new players are needed to

Proud: West Ham Ladies captain Stacey Little says the club have made progress

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help the Ladies push onto the next level. We need new blood next season,’ she continued. ‘There were times this season where we had a few injuries and we were really crying out for more strength in depth.

‘We also had a few players who weren’t performing and without strength in depth, people do become complacent.

‘I don’t know much about the set ups at Spurs and Portsmouth but I know Charlton and Brighton have a lot more money going into them than we do.

‘We need to be able to offer new players a good deal. Even if it’s just expenses.

‘Hopefully new chairmen coming in might help to change

that with new and more sponsors. Charlton have won three trophies this season - money talks. It really does.’

Finally, reflecting on the London Capital Cup final, which the Hammers lost 5-0, Little concluded: ‘We’ve played Charlton three times this season and got two draws so we knew about their key players.

‘There were some of our players who played well but there were oth-ers who just didn’t turn up on the day, which was very hard to take.

‘We hadn’t been playing well in the games leading up to the final but we’ve got results against top teams be-cause we’ve fought hard but we didn’t do that against Charlton.’ BBM

Impact: Julian Dicks led the team this year

The one vote that could really make a big difference in May

The last word

Will West Ham chose to take a new path or stick to the long term plan?

Rather like the one faced by the British

public at the General Election, West Ham’s owners have an impor-tant and difficult choice to make.

In the same way the voters had two distinct visions for the future in front of them when they walked into the ballot box, David Gold and David Sullivan must decide whether to keep Sam Allardyce in charge or opt for someone else to lead us into the Olym-pic Stadium.

In many ways Allard-yce’s reign at Upton Park mirrored the life of the coalition government.

David Cameron became Prime Minister with the country’s econ-omy in crisis following the global financial crash of 2008, while Big Sam inherited a side who had just been relegated from the Premier League and a deeply divided squad.

Both Cameron and Allardyce instigated sweeping changes designed to stabilise and then reform.

In Cameron’s case that included in string of financial austerity meas-ures, while Allardcye

fundamentally changed the Hammers style of play.

While the impact of the Prime Minister’s policy can be debated by economists it is clear West Ham made sig-nificant improvements under their northern manager.

He took the club back

to the Premier League at the first attempt and has successfully kept the side up for the last three seasons.

The Hammers will finish comfortably mid-table this season and he has also reformed the club’s squad. It is clear West Ham have a younger, hungrier and

more talented group of players than they have had for a decade.

So why isn’t it certain he will be given another term of office?

Like Ed Miliband and the Labour Party there are those who feel West Ham should and can do better.

They are not motivated by queues for food banks, rocketing house prices in London that make it virtually impos-sible for young people in the capital to get on the property ladder or an impoverished National Health Service.

Instead it is the style of football, the ambivalent attitude towards the cups and a reluctance to introduce youth team players into the first team mix.

But what of the alter-natives? Is there a man of substance who can de-liver us to the promised land? Or will we simply find a slimeball who will charm his way into the seat and take us to ruin?

The country ultimately decided to play it safe.

Don’t be surprised if West Ham’s owners opt for a change in Govern-ment. BBM

Decision time: Will West Ham go for more of the same or take a punt on a brighter future?

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