Saturday, April 30

Daily WHUFC News - 30th April 2011

Manchester City preview
WHUFC.com
All the early team news and background for Sunday afternoon's big game at
the City of Manchester Stadium
29.04.2011

MANCHESTER CITY v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 1 MAY 2011
CITY OF MANCHESTERSTADIUM
KICK-OFF: 4.10PM


Introduction
• West Ham United travel to Manchester CIty knowing they face a battle to
ensure Barclays Premier League survival come the season end on 22 May. The
Hammers went into the weekend two points adrift of safety and will take on a
resurgent home side eager to add UEFA Champions League qualification to an
FA Cup final place.
• Sunday's fixture will be noticeable for the likely absence through injury
of FWA Footballer of the Year winner Scott Parker - the first Hammer to
claim the coveted prize since Bobby Moore in the 1963/64 season. Parker gets
his award on 12 May.
• West Ham are seeking to end a run of four straight defeats - a 4-2 home
loss to Manchester United on 2 April was followed by a 3-0 defeat at Bolton
Wanderers last Saturday. A fortnight ago there was a 2-1 home reverse
against Aston Villa and then a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea last Saturday.
• Manchester City are fourth in the standings, four points ahead of
Tottenham Hotspur and five adrift of Arsenal in third - although City have a
game in hand on the Gunners.
• City have not lost in 13 home matches in all competitions since a 2-1
defeat by Everton in the Barclays Premier League on Monday 20 December.
• West Ham United's biggest victories over Manchester City both came in the
same season - 1962/63. A 6-1 home Division One success on 18 May 1963 was
preceded by victory by the same margin in the away fixture on 8 September
1962.
• City's biggest home win against the Hammers was a 4-0 triumph on 17 August
1974.
• This is the 91st meeting between the two sides. West Ham have come out on
top on 35 occasions with 15 draws.
• West Ham's last league win at Manchester City came with Frederic Kanoute's
81st-minute goal on Sunday 27 April 2003 - although the Hammers were
relegated at the end of the season. There was also a 2-1 away win in the FA
Cup sixth round on 20 March 2006 on route to the final, thanks to Dean
Ashton's double.

Last time out
Saturday 23 April 2011
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea 3-0 West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen, Da Costa, Gabbidon, Bridge, Noble (Keane
59), Spector, Hitzlsperger, Sears (Obinna 81), Cole (Piquionne 78)
Subs not used: Boffin, Tomkins, Boa Morte, Kovac
Monday 25 April 2011
Barclays Premier League
Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Manchester City
Manchester City: Hart, Kompany, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Lescott, A Johnson (Dzeko
72), Barry, Silva (Boyata 90), De Jong, Y Toure, Balotelli (Vieira 83)
Subs not used: Taylor, Milner, Wright-Phillips, Jo
Goal: Dzeko 75

Previous meeting
Last-placed West Ham United welcomed Manchester City to east London on 11
December 2010. A goal in each half from Yaya Toure, on 30 and 73 minutes,
put City in control before Adam Johnson wrapped up the win with nine minutes
to play. James Tomkins forced a consolation in the 89th minute via Yaya
Toure's head.
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Ben Haim, Barrera (Cole
72), Parker, Spector, Stanislas (Dyer 64), Obinna, Piquionne (Hines 80)
Subs: Stech, Reid, Kovac, Boa Morte
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Kolo Toure, Boateng, Yaya Toure,
De Jong, Barry, Silva (Milner 86), Balotelli (A.Johnson 61), Jo
Subs: Given, Richards, Lescott, Vieira, Santa Cruz
This fixture last season
The most recent meeting between the two sides at the City of Manchester
Stadium saw City win 3-1 on 29 September 2009.
Former Hammer of the Year Carlos Tevez scored twice, with a goal in each
half. Carlton Cole had equalised the first goal but Martin Petrov then
struck to give the home side a 2-1 half-time lead. The teams were:
Manchester City: Given, Zabaleta, Toure, Lescott, Bridge, Wright-Phillips
(Santa Cruz 80), De Jong, Barry (Johnson 89), Petrov, Tevez, Bellamy
Subs: Taylor, Richards, Garrido, Sylvinho, Weiss
Goals: Tevez 5, 61, Petrov 32
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Da Costa, Tomkins, Ilunga, Diamanti, Kovac
(Stanislas 71), Parker, Noble, Jimenez (Hines 71), Cole
Subs: Kurucz, Spector, Nouble, Payne, N'Gala
Goal: Cole 24
Last six meetings
11 December 2010 - West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City
9 May 2010 - West Ham United 1-1 Manchester City
29 Sept 2009 - Manchester City 3-1 West Ham United
1 March 2009 - West Ham United 1-0 Manchester City
24 August 2008 - Manchester City 3-0 West Ham United
20 January 2008 - Manchester City 1-1 West Ham United

Overall record v Manchester City (all competitions) W 35 D 15 L 41

Background
• Carlos Tevez is City's top league scorer with 19 goals, two behind the
overall leader Dimitar Berbatov. Frederic Piquionne is the Hammers leading
marksman in the top-flight with six. Carlton Cole has five but eleven in all
competitions.
• Joe Hart has kept more clean sheets (15) than any other player in the
league this season.
• Victor Obinna and Mario Balotelli are former team-mates at Internazionale,
before both headed to England last summer. Obinna scored twice on a 31 July
2010 friendly win for Inter against City in Baltimore, Maryland. The first
goal came against Joe Hart, the second after the interval went in past
substitute keeper Shay Given.
• Fit-again Jack Collison scored the only goal at the Boleyn Ground on the
last occasion West Ham beat City on 1 March 2009.
• West Ham United have the most offsides of any team in the top flight this
season (110).
• Manchester City have been awarded nine penalties this season, more than
any other top-flight side, and scored eight of them.
Team news
• Wayne Bridge is ineligible for this fixture as he is on loan from
Manchester City.
• Scott Parker (achilles) is a major doubt with the Footballer of the Year
having also missed out last weekend against Chelsea. Mark Noble is also set
to be absent for at least a fortnight after a hernia operation while Kieron
Dyer has a hamstring injury.

• Gary O'Neil is out for the season at least with a serious ankle injury
suffered after an hour of the match against Aston Villa a fortnight ago.
• Junior Stanislas has returned to light training after his own hernia
problem.
• Central defenders Matthew Upson and Winston Reid have both been in full
training this week. Upson missed out against Chelsea after a chest
infection.
• Jack Collison has played four times for the reserves - including two full
90 minutes - after recovering from his knee injury and is back in the
first-team picture.
• Grant is still without long-term absentee Peter Kurucz (knee) and Junior
Stanislas (hernia) while Jordan Spence (Bristol City), Frank Nouble
(Charlton Athletic) and Olly Lee (Dagenham and Redbridge) are out on loan.
Herita Ilunga is not in the 25-man squad.
• City will be without former Hammer of the Year winner Carlos Tevez because
of a torn hamstring. Micah Richards is also out with a similar problem.
• Jerome Boateng is set to be another absentee with a knee problem while
Shay Given will not figure again this season with a shoulder injury.

Ten-year records
West Ham United
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via play-offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2000/01 Premier League 15th (42 points)
Manchester City
2009/10 Premier League 5th (67 points)
2008/09 Premier League 10th (50 points)
2007/08 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2006/07 Premier League 14th (42 points)
2005/06 Premier League 15th (43 points)
2004/05 Premier League 8th (52 points)
2003/04 Premier League 16th (41 points)
2002/03 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2001/02 Championship 1st (99 points - promoted to Premier League)
2000/01 Premier League 18th (34 points - relegated to Championship)
Referee
• Sunday's referee will be Howard Webb, who last took charge of a Hammers
game with the 3-1 aet defeat by Birmingham City in the Carling Cup
semi-final second-leg game on 26 January. His last City fixture was their
5-0 home win against Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League on 3 April.
• He took charge of the 2010 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and
Netherlands in South Africa.
• Webb began officiating in Yorkshire in 1989. He took charge of his first
Barclays Premier League match as a referee in October 2003 and has since
been the man-in-the-middle for a host of high-profile fixtures.
• Webb also refereed the 2005 FA Community Shield, 2006 FA Trophy final and
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, as well as taking charge of his
first UEFA Champions League match in 2006. The former police officer was
referee for the 2007 Carling Cup final and was selected as England's
representative at Euro 2008, taking charge of the first match of the
tournament between Austria and Poland and the Group D fixture between Greece
and eventual champions Spain.

Old boys
• Former Hammer of the Year Carlos Tevez, who left the Boleyn Ground to join
City's great cross-town rivals Manchester United at the end of the 2006/07
season, is out with an injury, having been suspended for the Boleyn Ground
fixture in December. He joined the blue half of the city for an undisclosed
fee in June 2009.
• Other famous faces to have played for both clubs are Craig Bellamy - on
loan at Cardiff City - Ian Bishop, James Cumming, Justin Fashanu, Kevin
Horlock, David James, Patrick Leonard, Steve Lomas, Trevor Morley, John
Payne, Stuart Pearce, Trevor Sinclair, Paulo Wanchope and Mark Ward.
General information
• For ticket information, click here.
• Sunday afternoon's forecast in Manchester is for a sunny day with a
maximum temperature of 17 degrees although it could turn overcast by the
evening.

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Waiting game for Grant
WHUFC.com
The manager is mindful that his team will take on Manchester City at the end
of a busy weekend
29.04.2011

Avram Grant will travel to Manchester City on Sunday afternoon with the
knowledge of how all the club's relegation rivals have fared. The
last-placed Hammers (32 points) are two points adrift of safety but will
have to watch on as Blackburn Rovers (35), Blackpool (34) and Wigan Athletic
(34) - the teams in 16th, 17th and 18th - all play home matches on Saturday.
That trio of games will be followed by 19th-ranked Wolverhampton Wanderers
(33), the team just one point and one place above West Ham, travelling to
Birmingham City on Sunday lunchtime. All five sides - including the Hammers
- have just four fixtures left this campaign and, for the bottom four, have
a virtually identical goal difference. Come the 4.10pm kick-off on Sunday,
all of that will be out of the manager's mind as he looks to plot a way past
high-flying City. "I've been some many years in football and I have faced
that so many times that I can't say if it's a good or bad thing [to play
last]," he told West Ham TV. "First we are worried about what we need to do.
This is the most important thing because we know that if we do our job and
we take points, we will stay in the league but of course there's one eye
open to see what the other teams are doing."

The manager should welcome Matthew Upson back into the fold after his
absence last weekend against Chelsea with a chest infection although Wayne
Bridge is ineligible because of the terms of his loan from City. It will
mean a new left-back with Upson or Danny Gabbidon both possible candidates
for the wide position.
A resilient rearguard action as seen in the goalless draw at Tottenham
Hotspur in March will certainly be the order of the day. "We need to do
everything we can to not concede because we always create our chances. When
we keep clean sheets or even if the opponent scores one goal, which of
course we don't want, we always have an opportunity [to take points]. "This
was the case last week against Chelsea. Manchester City are another really
good team with a lot of quality players but we showed last week that we can
compete with these teams. "It was a strange game against Chelsea, I don't
remember any team that have created so many chances against them but at the
end of the day we didn't take the points. There were some positives things
but now we need to take points."

Grant is relishing pitting his wits against an Italian manager for the
second successive week, but will put aside any pleasantries with Roberto
Mancini until the final whistle at least. "Roberto is a good manager. He is
a manager of a team with a lot of quality, he knows what to do but he needs
to do his job and I need to do mine."
Among Grant's duties will be to choose who to play in attack, with a
fully-fit complement of forwards eager to shine. He is also well aware that
the match could be decided by substitutions, and has several players
desperate to force their way into contention - especially with Scott Parker
and Mark Noble out. "Of course we have some injuries in the midfield which
are really difficult for us, but up front we have good players and good
players on the bench. Against Chelsea, when the players came from the bench
they created chances for us. So this is one of our strengths but we need to
deliver that strength."

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West Ham's Avram Grant unfazed by David Sullivan fears
BBC.co.uk
Page last updated at 16:05 GMT, Friday, 29 April 2011 17:05 UK

West Ham boss Avram Grant says he is not concerned that co-chairman David
Sullivan believes the club have a "25% chance" of avoiding relegation. The
Hammers are bottom of the the Premier League, two points from safety. "Now
we have four games to the end of the season and I don't know how the chances
are by percent, I am not a businessman," said Grant. "What I can tell you,
though, is that we have a good chance to stay and we will do everything to
do it."

West Ham have lost their last four matches and travel to fourth-placed
Manchester City on Sunday, prompting Sullivan to tell the Daily Telegraph:
"Obviously we are facing the reality that 70-75% we are likely to be in the
Championship next year. "But there is still a 25-30% chance we won't be. We
have to be realistic. The bookmakers put our chances at 28% and you have to
accept that."

However, Grant said he had not seen the interview with Sullivan but remained
bullish about his side's prospects. "I didn't read it so I can't tell you
but David is a businessman," he said. "I think we have a chance to stay up.
We are two points from the place that will keep us in the Premier League and
of course we can do it.
"We showed that even we had less chances before we played well and took
points."

Grant added: "If I say to you now there is a 51% or 32.5% chance, it doesn't
matter. It only matters in money because if he wants to give 25% more to the
players if they stay in the league, it is OK. "If you put the chances of us
staying up four months ago the chances were 10%, so it always changes. "If
we take four points from the next two games the chances will be more than
[the current figure] and it will continue like this until the end of the
season."

Sullivan also questioned the commitment of some of West Ham's players,
saying: "I'm sure a few of the players are already looking at where they
will be next season - their contracts are up, they'll be off." Grant
responded: "I can speak only about what I see. I could say yesterday [in
training], against Chelsea last weekend and the games before that the
players are giving everything. "Of course we can ask for more in quality but
they are giving everything and the spirit is good."

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Man City v West Ham
BBC.co.uk
Barclays Premier League
Venue: City of Manchester Stadium Date: Sunday, 1 May Kick-off: 1610 BST
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2;
listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport
website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS
Manchester City could recall Edin Dzeko after his winner at Blackburn.
Captain Carlos Tevez is back in England after having treatment on a
hamstring injury in Milan, but the Argentine is not ready for a first-team
return.

West Ham are without midfielder Mark Noble, who suffered a stomach injury at
Chelsea last weekend. Scott Parker is almost certain to miss out because of
an Achilles problem, while Wayne Bridge in ineligible, but Matthew Upson is
back after illness.

Manchester City
Injured/unavailable: Boateng & M Johnson (both knee), Given (shoulder),
Richards & Tevez (both hamstring), K Toure (club suspension)

West Ham
Doubtful: Parker (Achilles)
Injured/unavailable: Bridge (ineligible to face parent club), Dyer
(hamstring), Kurucz (knee), Noble (stomach), O'Neil (ankle), Stanislas
(hernia)

MATCH PREVIEW
Bottom of the table West Ham head to Eastlands, where they have never won a
Premier League match, hoping to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat. The
Londoners desperately need someone to breathe life into their relegation
battle in the manner of Carlos Tevez, whose late flurry of goals helped the
club beat the drop in 2007.
Scott Parker looks their most likely saviour, but the Hammers captain is
unlikely to feature because of an Achilles problem. The only consolation is
that former Upton Park favourite Tevez, now Manchester City skipper, is also
sidelined by injury. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan said this week that
the club have only a "25-30%" chance of staying up, publically questioning
the commitment of some players. Only time will tell whether such outspoken
views fire up Avram Grant's side, or further undermine morale.
Manchester City boosted their Champions League hopes with victory at
Blackburn, where Edin Dzeko finally ended his goal drought after failing to
score in his first nine Premier League games. City look well set for a
top-four spot, but Roberto Mancini's men have not won back-to-back league
games since New Year's Day.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Manchester City have lost just one of their last 11 league and cup games
against West Ham.
• The Hammers have never won a Premier League match at Eastlands.
Manchester City
• City have not won back-to-back league games since New Year's Day.
• They are unbeaten in seven league games at Eastlands since losing to
Everton in December.
• City's last six Premier League goals have been scored by six different
players.
West Ham
• The Hammers have won only one away league game in 2011 (at Blackpool).
• They have lost their last six Premier League matches in Manchester,
failing to score in four of them.
• West Ham have failed to win their last five games, losing the last four.
LEADING GOALSCORERS

Manchester City
Tevez: 22 goals (19 league); Balotelli: 10 goals (6 league)

West Ham
Cole: 11 goals (5 league); Piquionne: 9 goals (6 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Howard Webb
Assistant referees: Darren Cann & Bob Pollock
Fourth official: Mike Jones
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Man City (W1-0 v Blackburn, a): Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov,
De Jong, Barry, Adam Johnson (Dzeko 72), Yaya Toure, Silva (Boyata 90),
Balotelli (Vieira 83). Subs not used: Taylor, Milner, Wright-Phillips, Jo.
West Ham (L0-3 v Chelsea, a): Green, Jacobsen, Da Costa, Gabbidon, Bridge,
Noble (Keane 59), Hitzlsperger, Sears (Obinna 81), Spector, Cole (Piquionne
78), Ba. Subs not used: Boffin, Tomkins, Kovac, Boa Morte.

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Man City v West Ham preview
City pushing for top-four finish; Hammers desperate for points
Last updated: 29th April 2011
SSN

Form guide:
Man City: WLWLW
West Ham: LLLLD

Injuries:
Man City: Tevez, Richards, Boateng
West Ham: Noble, Parker, O'Neil

Sky Bet odds: Man City 2/5, Draw 7/2, West Ham 7/1

Opta stat: West Ham have only scored eight goals in the last 14 Premier
League meetings with Man City.

Manchester City will hope to strengthen their stake for a European spot when
they entertain rock-bottom West Ham on Sunday. Roberto Mancini's men
maintained their push for a place in next season's UEFA Champions League
when they triumphed 1-0 at Blackburn on Monday. That victory left City
fourth in the Premier League table with four games remaining and a crucial
four points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham, whose own European bid is on
the wane. Success against the Hammers would lift Mancini's side within two
points of third-placed Arsenal, and give their top-four finish hopes a boost
as they gear up for next month's FA Cup final against Stoke. At the other
end of the table, West Ham are in desperate need of points as they bid to
escape bottom place and keep their survival hopes alive. Victory at City
could see the Hammers, currently one point adrift of 19th-placed Wolves,
break out of the relegation zone. However, the East Londoners' form is not
on their side, having suffered four successive league defeats to leave them
without a win in five games. A 3-0 loss at the hands of Chelsea last time
out will not have done West Ham's confidence any favours, and Avram Grant's
men will be keen to rectify that result when they visit Eastlands. City
emerged 3-1 victors in the return fixture at Upton Park back in December,
and a similar outcome on Sunday would leave the Hammers' hopes of securing a
seventh successive season in the top-flight hanging by a thread.

Team news

Mancini could be tempted to recall Edin Dzeko to the team after the Bosnia
and Herzegovina striker, a £27million signing from Wolfsburg, scored his
first Premier League goal for the club against Blackburn after stepping off
the bench. The manager will again be without star hitman Carlos Tevez as he
continues his recovery from a hamstring injury. Micah Richards, who is also
out with a hamstring problem and Jerome Boateng (knee) remain unavailable.

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker is still struggling with an Achilles injury
and is almost certain to miss out. He is joined on the sidelines by fellow
midfielders Mark Noble and Gary O'Neil, who are out with hernia and ankle
injuries respectively. Wayne Bridge is ineligible to feature against his
parent club, but the Hammers' defence will be boosted by the return of
Matthew Upson from a chest infection.

Possible starting XIs:
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Barry, A
Johnson, Yaya Toure, Silva, Balotelli.

West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Da Costa, Upson, Bridge, Spector, Boa Morte,
Hitzlsperger, Piquionne, Cole, Ba.

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Sullivan admits Hammers fear
Co-owner rates survival chances at 25 per cent
Last Updated: April 29, 2011 4:18pm
SSN

David Sullivan believes West Ham only have a 25 per cent chance of staying
in the Premier League and has questioned the commitment of some of the
club's players.
Sullivan and David Gold became owners at Upton Park a year ago and, despite
only just avoiding relegation last term, had high hopes for a successful
campaign this season. However, the Hammers have found themselves languishing
in the drop zone for long periods and are currently bottom of the table, two
points adrift of safety with just four games remaining. A number of players
are likely to consider their futures in the summer if the club does drop
down to the Championship, and Sullivan believes that leaves manager Avram
Grant with a major dilemma. Sullivan doubts whether everybody in the squad
will be fully motivated during the run-in if they are already thinking about
leaving, labelling many modern footballers as 'spoilt'. "I could go in there
and give them a Churchill speech but whether it's going to do any good, I
don't know," he told the Daily Telegraph. "I think some players are spoilt,
I don't say just with our players, I'm saying with all clubs. How do you
motivate millionaires? It's a problem all managers have. "Alex Ferguson has
got that fear factor and I do think that a manager needs that fear factor.
You look at Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho. The players are
a little bit frightened of them. "But I'm sure a few of the players are
already looking at where they will be next season - their contracts are up,
they'll be off. "It means the manager might have a hard decision to make if
we go into the last game of the season needing a win to stay up - do you
trust the fate of the club to them or do you make the decision that you will
not play those players?
"It's a very difficult decision. Do you go for players who are committed to
the club? If you look at that last game and someone is on a Bosman, will
that player risk injury? Some will, some won't. It depends on the mentality
of the player."

Realistic

Sullivan feels West Ham will probably suffer relegation this season but,
regardless of the outcome of the next few weeks, he has demanded a response
next term.
He said: "Obviously we are facing the reality that 70-75 per cent we are
likely to be in the Championship next year. But there is still a 25-30 per
cent chance we won't be. "We have to be realistic. The bookmakers put our
chances at 28 per cent and you have to accept that. "I feel for the
supporters. We have fantastic supporters and I feel myself and David (Gold)
have let them down. We have failed to deliver and the bottom line in
football is that it's a delivery business. "Forget all the excuses - the bad
luck, the good luck, the injuries - because over a season it sort of
averages out. OK, it probably hasn't quite averaged out for us this year but
you can't blame that. "We didn't come here to be relegated, we didn't think
at the start of the season that we would be relegated and we have to put it
right next season.
"If we are in the Premier League we have to make sure we are not fighting
relegation, if we are in the Championship we have to make sure we are in the
top two this time next year."

New players

Sullivan also admits that West Ham will have to sell players if they slip
into the Championship and attract new faces that would be capable of
catapulting them straight back up. He said: "We will have to shed a few
players and a few players will not want to stay. We will have to bring in
new players to bring us back up. "I think a lot of the players at West Ham
will not want to play in that division [the Championship]. I don't think
it's going to be easy and you need players who are proven in that division
plus some young players who are fearless and who have the energy to play 46
games a season. "We have some players who find 38 games very difficult.
"I'm anticipating bringing in players who are £2 million, £3 million. I
can't name names but you are looking at players who might be, for example,
the leading goalscorers in the Championship. "If you buy two guys who can
get you 25 goals each, well that's 50 goals and gives you the basis for
going straight back up." Grant's position has been the subject of scrutiny
throughout the season and his future will also be discussed in the summer.
"We sit down at the end of every season, and whatever club we have been in,
with the manager and hear what his thoughts are, what our thoughts are and
we decide on the future at that point in time," Sullivan concluded.

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Numbers game for Grant
Published: 29 Apr 2011
The Sun

WEST HAM boss Avram Grant firmly believes the Premier League's bottom club
can avoid relegation — despite being labelled odds on certainties for the
drop by Iron's co-owner David Sullivan. Sullivan said this week that West
Ham only had a "25 per cent chance" of staying up and that the East End club
was "likely to be in the Championship next year". West Ham have four games
to save their season, beginning with Man City on Sunday. Grant believes that
his struggling side have more than a fighting chance of staying up, despite
Sullivan's concerns. Asked about the co-chairman's opinion, Grant said: "I
didn't read it so I can't tell you everything, but David is a businessman.
"I think we have a chance to stay up. We are two points from the place that
will keep us in the Premier League and of course we can do it.
"We showed that even we had less chances before we played well and took
points. "Now we have four games to the end of the season and I don't know
how the chances are by percent, I am not a businessman. "What I can tell
you, though, is that we have a good chance to stay and we will do everything
to do it. "If I say to you now there is a 51 per cent or 32.5 per cent
chance it doesn't matter," he said. "It only matters in money because if he
wants to give 25 per cent more to the players if they stay in the league, it
is okay. "If you put the chances of us staying up four months ago the
chances were 10 per cent, so it always changes. "If we take four points from
the next two games the chances will be more than the current figure and it
will continue like this until the end of the season."

Key players such as Scott Parker, Mark Noble, Gary O'Neil and Wayne Bridge
will be missing when the Hammers travel to Man City on Sunday. But Grant
mintains that the remaining players are just as committed to the cause,
despite some doubts expressed by Sullivan. "I didn't read the article so I
need to read it because sometimes it is translated not so good by the
media," said Grant. "But I can speak only about what I see. I could see
yesterday, against Chelsea last weekend and the games before that the
players are giving everything. "Of course we can ask for more in quality but
they are giving everything and the spirit is good. "West Ham is a massive
club and part of our vision is to stop fighting against relegation because
West Ham did it too much in the last years and also this season. "This
season we knew it would be difficult but of course we didn't want to be in
this place so we feel for the supporters. "We are doing everything for them
to feel good and I think even the supporters know the players give anything.
"They are behind us and if you saw the last game against Chelsea you heard
them more than we heard the Chelsea supporters."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Av some faith
By PAUL JIGGINS
Published: Today
The Sun

AVRAM GRANT has hit back at David Sullivan in the latest war of words at
West Ham telling him: "I trust ALL of my players." Co-owner Sullivan caused
a new storm at Upton Park by admitting he does not know whether he can trust
the Hammers' out-of-contract stars to give their all in the club's battle
against relegation. But boss Grant said: "I did not read or hear what David
Sullivan said. But I can say this - every player at this club has done
everything they can to try and help the team stay in the league. I trust all
of them." Grant is set to include Matthew Upson, Jonathan Spector, Danny
Gabbidon and Lars Jacobson - whose current deals all expire at the end of
the season - in his starting line-up at Manchester City tomorrow. The
Israeli said: "If you are professional by condition, it doesn't matter if
you have a contract, don't have a contract, if your wife smiles at you, if
the owners say nice things about you... I don't believe in these things. "It
doesn't matter as long as a player is professional by heart. "Also, when a
player is in the last days of his contract he wants to prove himself because
he wants a new contract."

But Sullivan is not so sure and he said: "I'm sure a few of the players are
already looking at where they will be next season - their contracts are up,
they'll be off.
"It means the manager might have a hard decision to make. "Do you trust the
fate of the club to them or do you make the decision that you will not play
those players? "It's a very difficult decision. Do you go for players who
are committed to the club? "If you look at that last game and someone is on
a Bosman, will that player risk injury? Some will, some won't. It depends on
their mentality."

Sullivan also admitted he rates the Hammers' chances of staying up this
season at '25 per cent'. Grant, whose side are bottom of the table with just
four matches to go, insisted: "I am not a businessman like David. "What I
can tell you, though, is that we have a good chance to stay up and we will
do everything to do it. It doesn't matter what percentage I rate our
chances. "If I say to you now there is a 51 per cent or 32.5 per cent chance
it doesn't matter. "It only matters in money because if he wants to give 25
per cent more to the players if they stay in the league, it is OK. "If you
put the chances of us staying up four months ago the chances were 10 per
cent so it always changes. "If we take four points from the next two games
the percentage will be more than this but it will still continue until the
end of the season."
This is not the first time this season Grant has been involved in a war of
words with the club's high-profile hierarchy. And the boss added: "They want
us to stay in the league. "But the most important thing for the players,
even if the owner says they are the best players in the league, is to focus
on what we need to do on the pitch. "I am focused on these things and not
other things."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Karren Brady's football diary
KARREN BRADY - First lady of football
Email the author
Published: Today
The Sun

Saturday, April 23
LOSING 3-0 at Chelsea and dropping to the bottom of the table is no way to
celebrate Scott Parker's election as the football writers' Player of the
Year. It must be a unique feat and I suppose it could be said he has unique
feet. Parker is a team man through and through and how we miss him at
Stamford Bridge, even though we play well without reward. Again. Already
unique in being the only female vice-chairman in football, I'm also the only
one, ever, to be married to a footballer and a football manager. As I've
said before my players are better than any others in the bottom half of the
league but I cannot prove it. Not yet anyway.

Sunday, April 24
EN route to the Dolce & Gabanna Lounge at Chelsea yesterday, I pass a young
lady who my host informs me is in the Champions League of WAGS. I can't
resist striking up a conversation. I ask her for the secret of her 'success'
my tongue firmly in my cheek. She replies "Boobs out, pelvic floor up and
away you go!" Classy.
Later today I have a few friends over for Easter lunch, a few PL faces among
them, and who should I see walking through my door, but the same young lady?
"Who are you here with?" I ask her. "Short man, enormous chest, always in a
bad mood. But extremely generous," she says with a wink. Oh Jesus. God save
his soul.

Monday, April 25
BESIDES being one of the world's richest and most powerful men, and the fact
that his first wife of two goes by the name Sheikha Alia bint Mohammed bin
Butti Al Hamed - the bint with the Butti, possibly - there's not an awful
lot known about Man City owner Sheik Mansour. I don't know whether the oil
zillionaire concerns himself with the behaviour of his minions but possibly
he should in the case of striker Mario Ballotelli who is setting new records
in being a complete pest. Contrast the pair - one is reticent, secretive, a
lover of chauffeured Daimlers; the other a loud, arrogant driver of a
Maserati which averages three parking tickets a day.
Guess which is which.

Tuesday, April 26
THE Championship leaders have not even been promoted yet and already there
is talk today of selling QPR for £100million. Worse, at a club that has had
10 managers in 10 years, some chatterbox has let it be known boss Neil
Warnock could be replaced in preparation for the Premier League. His only
season there, with his beloved Sheffield United, ended in relegation and his
resignation - and then a right royal row over Carlos Tevez with costs West
Ham are still finding burdensome.
But, no, he isn't barking. My husband played for him and says he's a
terrific boss.

Wednesday, April 27
IT may be the place here to repeat the words the Prime Minister uses to a
fretful MP in the Commons this afternoon and tell Jose Mourinho to "Calm
down, dear."
The Real Madrid manager's brilliance in bringing the best out of his teams
has long been admired. But it comes with a degree of paranoia that is
breathtaking. Some of the stories of his times at Chelsea would amaze even
the most tolerant of CEOs. Tonight after defeat in the bad-tempered
Champions League semi-final first leg he launches into Barcelona for somehow
persuading every referee to send off an opposing player. Maybe Pepe's red
card is a little unjust and certainly its effects are startling. Minus his
marker, Lionel Messi is free to employ his genius. Mourinho reminds me of
Mel Gibson with his bombastic mixture of fact and fiction to suit his cause.
Or, less spectacularly, Neil Warnock.

Thursday, April 28
IN Premier League dressing rooms there is a medal not quite as coveted as
for winning the title but which attracts large-scale envy because a player
who scores a super-injunction has to be particularly rich, famous and, if
only in his own eyes at least, appealing to women. So today I attend a
summit meeting of lawyers and a select few PL directors to discuss how the
seven or eight players who have managed to convince a judge that publicity
for adultery would have a seriously adverse affect on their families are
affecting the, ahem, reputation of football. I chatted to one of the
attendees who told me he'd been invited to a conference in Dubai but
couldn't make it because his wife didn't want to go. "I'd have taken my
girlfriend," he said, "but I couldn't get an injunction in time!"

Friday, April 29
IAN HOLLOWAY says he is already drawing up two sets of transfer plans - one
for if Blackpool stay up, the other for if they go down. I know the feeling.
Despite months of nervous tension among as many as 10 Premier League clubs,
there is little support for cutting the number of relegated teams - and that
makes sense.
Only West Brom of last season's promoted teams seem certain of remaining in
the top flight and I'm confident that the survival rate of the three who
eventually come up from the Championship will be one at the most.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Players Hammer Sullivan claims
By PAUL JIGGINS
Published: Today
The Sun

WEST HAM stars have hit back angrily at claims by co-owner David Sullivan
that some might not be fighting hard enough to beat relegation. A source
close to one player said: "It's a strange way to motivate players by
basically slagging them off. "Sullivan should surely be conquering, not
dividing." Sullivan sparked an Upton Park storm yesterday by questioning
whether players out of contract in the summer might be more interested in
finding a new club than beating the drop. The source added: "It's a bizarre
statement at this time of the season. "And if West Ham stay up with a goal
in the last minute of the last game and it's scored by a player who is out
of contract, Sullivan is then going to look pretty stupid." Boss Avram Grant
shrugged off the crisis yesterday, insisting he has complete faith in his
rock-bottom squad. But the players, who travel to Manchester City tomorrow
two points from safety with only four games left, are furious.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ba backs West Ham to find the fighting spirit needed to survive
Senegalese striker with a passion for darts claims that Grant's side are
still on target to avoid relegation
The Independent
By Simon Hart
Saturday, 30 April 2011

DAVID ASHDOWN

Demba Ba scored four goals in his first four games at West Ham

Had things worked out differently for Demba Ba, he might be preparing to
face Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley in a couple of weeks.

Instead, a failed medical at Stoke in January means the Senegal striker will
be acquainted with Roberto Mancini's men tomorrow in the colours of a West
Ham United side facing not just one but four "cup finals", to use the
language of teams mired in the battle for Premier League survival.

Fortunately, Ba is not a man to get down on his luck. "Stoke made a decision
and I respect it. West Ham made another decision and it was a good one for
them, I think, and a good one for me," says the 25-year-old, who grew up in
a family of 10 in the south-west suburbs of Paris.

Ba's philosophical stance befits an individual who survived a string of
rejections as a teenager seeking his way in the game – first by Lyons and
Auxerre in France, and then by Watford, Barnsley and Swansea City in this
country. "I didn't doubt myself or think about not making it in football, it
was more 'OK, this one is not the right one – let's take the next one'," he
recalls.

His five months as an 18-year-old in Watford's academy help explain his
excellent English – the London accent may also have something to do with his
friendship with Carlton Cole – and it also taught him "about movement, about
fighting spirit and about the English mentality. It helped me when I came to
West Ham".

He certainly took little time in making an explosive impact there with four
goals in his first four games though that also had something to do with
lessons learned during the circuitous career path he took between leaving
Vicarage Road and his eventual return to England.

Ba's fortunes began to turn during a week's trial with French fourth-tier
side Rouen in 2005, when he was pushed up into attack. "I had been playing
more in midfield – on the right or in the centre. The manager said, 'Look I
think you have more quality to be a striker' and it worked."

After a year at Rouen, Ba, at 21, moved into the Belgian top flight with
Excelsior Mouscron. Although he suffered a fractured tibia there, he
recovered in time to hit seven goals in the final seven games of the
campaign – earning himself a transfer to Hoffenheim in Germany. "People were
thinking it wasn't the best move and on paper it might not have been, but
when you see what happened it was the best move I could have made," says Ba,
who played his part in the rags-to-riches rise of the expensively backed
village team from south-west Germany, scoring 14 league goals as they won an
historic first promotion to the Bundesliga in 2008-09.

At Hoffenheim he worked under Ralf Rangnick, now coach of Manchester
United's Champions League semi-final opponents, Schalke. "I had a really
good relationship with him; he's a good, honest person. What he did with
Hoffenheim and what he's doing with Schalke at the moment is absolutely
brilliant. I learned a lot about how to press. He had an unbelievable
pressing technique; tactically he was very good." He learned something else
in Germany – a Dutch friend passing on his love of darts. "I improved
slowly. I am not doing 180 in every shot, I just like to enjoy it."

Ba left Hoffenheim in the same month as Rangnick, the collapse of his
proposed £6m transfer to Stoke opening the door for West Ham to sign him in
a deal whose cost is largely dependent on appearances.

Not surprisingly Ba is eager to play down the severity of the much-reported
problem with his left knee – a problem, he says, which dates back to the
surgery he underwent in Belgium on his fractured tibia.

"That is when the problem started but I can handle it. I handled it the
whole time I was in Germany and here as well. Every player has some little
injury and keeps on playing with it their whole career and it is the same
for me. It is not really an injury because when you're injured you don't
play and if you look at the fixtures this year I've played 30 [club games]."

He may have lost his darts en route to London but he brought his scoring
touch. At 6ft 2in and with the strength to shield the ball and two good
feet, he appears well suited to English football. He struck twice on his
full debut to help West Ham claw back a three-goal half-time deficit in a
3-3 draw at West Bromwich.

The catalyst for that comeback was Scott Parker's stirring half-time speech.
"It was the speech of a captain," he says of the Football Writers' Player of
the Year. "He mobilised every player – 'wake up and go outside and play'. We
went out with another mentality that we needed."

They will need that mentality in their remaining four matches. Ba offers an
emphatic "yes" when asked if the bottom-placed Londoners have the belief to
stay up, despite a run of four straight losses. Looking ahead to tomorrow's
visit to Eastlands, he draws confidence from last week's performance at
Chelsea that did not warrant a 3-0 defeat. "We'll try to have the same
performance as against Chelsea – unfortunately for us against Chelsea we
weren't lucky with our last pass or shot but hopefully in Manchester it will
be different. Maybe we will have fewer chances and play badly and win the
game, who knows?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham have four games to save themselves from financial oblivion
Squad break-up inevitable if Premier League status is lost
'There would be a £40m hole in our cash flow,' says Sullivan
Jamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk, Friday 29 April 2011 22.30 BST

Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Sunderland are all
that now stand between West Ham United and oblivion. Six years after Alan
Pardew guided the East End club back into the Premier League, Avram Grant
has four games to prise his side off the bottom of the table, starting with
Sunday's Eastlands meeting with Roberto Mancini's fourth-placed team.

Plunge into the Championship and a financial shadow will darken over the
club. West Ham have around £80m of debt and will become tenants of the
Olympic Stadium at Stratford for the start of the 2014-15 season, legal
challenges allowing. Balancing the books will be far trickier in the
proposed 60,000-seat stadium without the £45m a-year TV money from the
Premier League, despite what the club and the Olympic Park Legacy Company
may claim. Without Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City,
Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal as visitors, it seems unlikely that in the
Championship they could lift this season's average attendance of 33,000 to
60,000.

Asked how nervous he is regarding the challenge of staying up Grant says:
"It's money time now. We need to be at our best. This is the money time."
David Sullivan, the co-owner, is clear about the financial consequences if
his club sink. He says: "There would be a £40m hole in our cash flow which
would have to be met by myself and [co-owner] David Gold."

If West Ham are relegated it will be the beginning of the end for an
underachieving squad. Sullivan again questioned the players' commitment this
week, rating their prospects of staying up at only "25%". Scott Parker, West
Ham's only star turn this campaign and duly recognised as the football
writers' player of the year, is exempted from this criticism. But he would
be sold to raise cash, though relegation would slice his value from around
£15m to £10m. The midfielder would certainly be followed by many more, among
them Carlton Cole, Robert Green, Mark Noble, Demba Ba, plus Thomas
Hitzlsperger, the out-of-contract Matthew Upson and the loan signings Victor
Obinna, Wayne Bridge and Robbie Keane.

These are all seasoned enough performers to suggest West Ham should not be
two points from safety, and Julian Dicks, the former West Ham left-back, is
clear where the blame lies. "It is down to the players," he says. "I have
seen an improvements for certain games but it's not been continuous."

This has been the tale since Gold and Sullivan bought the club last January.
After Gianfranco Zola managed to avoid the drop but was sacked last summer,
Grant took over, only to suffer a whispering campaign against him. "I blame
the manager because I've always said the most important person at a club is
him," Tony Cottee, the former West Ham striker, says. "I was extremely
disappointed with Avram Grant's appointment."

On the opening day West Ham left Villa Park having lost 3-0, and a turbulent
eight months began. Standing 18th then, Grant and his troops had to wait
nearly five more months for the table to show they were above the relegation
zone.

Ahead of the visit of Wigan Athletic on 27 November West Ham were bottom, so
the club designated the match a make-or-break "save our season" encounter. A
3-1 win followed but they remained 20th. When a Freddie Sears strike
confirmed a 2-0 win at Wolves on New Year's day, Grant's mantra that
fortunes would improve had a glimmer of credence.

Yet matters on and off the pitch were about to worsen for him. On 8 January
Karren Brady, the vice-chairman, used her Saturday newspaper column to
reveal that the deal to sign Steve Sidwell from Aston Villa was vetoed by
her, not the manager, who then had to deal with awkward questions regarding
this intervention. A week later West Ham were bottom, following a
soul-destroying 5-0 reverse at Newcastle United, and Arsenal were due in
east London.

That morning, reports claimed that Grant would be sacked whatever the
result, with Martin O'Neill lined up to replace him. The owners were forced
into denials and the sense of turbulence surrounding the club was heightened
by the rumours. Arsenal defeated West Ham 3-0 but somehow Grant clung on.
Cottee again: "The owners deserve credit for rescuing West Ham when they did
as the club would have gone bankrupt. But since then they've made mistakes
including the handling of the Martin O'Neill situation. If they'd sacked
Avram Grant first they'd have got Martin."

Since that farrago, West Ham have escaped the dreaded drop zone for only a
fortnight in March. Now, four defeats from their past four outings – West
Ham's poorest sequence since the campaign's opening – have them once more in
trouble.

"The ramifications of relegation don't bear thinking about," Cottee says.
"They're £80m in debt [and] they pay a fortune to the players in wages. The
top ones would leave, the younger players would be vulnerable to the bigger
clubs: exactly what happened in 2003 when the club was relegated. And, they
move to the new stadium in 2014."

If West Ham overcome the legal challenges by Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton
Orient they will have to invest at least £95m in Stratford. This includes a
£40m loan from Newham council, extending the debt to £120m. The OPLC says it
has assurances that relegation would not affect the club's ability to take
over the stadium, and Ian Tomkins, the club's Olympic Stadium director,
says: "The business plan has been modelled on different scenarios. The
stadium is not only about West Ham United – concerts, potential naming
rights, there's a whole range of [financial] opportunities.

"It is about taking West Ham United to the next level, breaking out of what
can become an almost cyclical pattern of staying up and then the threat of
relegation."

Grant is still hopeful he can arrest the pattern now, and start building a
firm base over the summer, with Premier League status intact. He says: "I
like this stage of the season because you see the real character, the real
players."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers won't let stars go cheaply
Harry Harris, ESPNsoccernet
April 29, 2011

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has told ESPNsoccernet that the club's top
stars won't be sold off on the cheap even if the east London club are
relegated. Football Writers' Player of the Year Scott Parker would almost
certainly be signed by a Premier League club, while Carlton Cole, Robert
Green and captain Matthew Upson, who is out of contract at the end of the
season, would also likely move on. But owners Sullivan and David Gold have
pledged to stick around should the worst case scenario occur, and the top
players will have to stay too, unless interested clubs pay the market value.
"Nobody will be sold cheap. If we do not get a genuine market price, they'll
all be playing in the Championship next year," Sullivan told ESPNsoccernet.
Sullivan has openly confessed there will be a £40 million "black hole" in
the club's finances if they go down, but the two owners will personally meet
the deficit and won't rely on player sales to cover it.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Friday, April 29

Daily WHUFC News - Web Item

West Ham's 'spoilt' players may not put their bodies on the line to keep
club up says David Sullivan
Daily Telegraph
By Jason Burt 11:00PM BST 28 Apr 2011

David Sullivan has questioned the commitment of some West Ham United players
as the club battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

In a frank and heartfelt interview with The Telegraph, the club's co-owner
and chairman also rated the team's chances of survival at just "25 per cent"
and said he personally will have "let down" the supporters if the demotion
happens. Sullivan, clearly frustrated, questioned whether some modern-day
footballers cared enough because they are "spoilt" by the huge amounts of
money they earn and this can affect their performances. West Ham are bottom
of the Premier League with just four matches to go, starting with Sunday's
trip to Manchester City, and Sullivan said that this season's struggles have
shocked him. "We didn't come here to be relegated, we didn't think at the
start of the season that we would be relegated and we have to put it right
next season," he said. "If we are in the Premier League we have to make sure
we are not fighting relegation, if we are in the Championship we have to
make sure we are in the top two this time next year."

Sullivan has thought about addressing the squad for the season's run-in, to
ram home the importance of not getting relegated, but admitted: "I've been
thinking about it but I think the players might think it's a joke. "I could
go in there and give them a Churchill speech but whether it's going to do
any good, I don't know. "I think some players are spoilt, I don't say just
with our players, I'm saying with all clubs. How do you motivate
millionaires? It's a problem all managers have. "Alex Ferguson has got that
fear factor and I do think that a manager needs that fear factor. You look
at Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger and Jose Mourinho. The players are a little
bit frightened of them. "But I'm sure a few of the players are already
looking at where they will be next season — their contracts are up, they'll
be off. "It means the manager [Avram Grant] might have a hard decision to
make if we go into the last game of the season needing a win to stay up — do
you trust the fate of the club to them or do you make the decision that you
will not play those players? "It's a very difficult decision. Do you go for
players who are committed to the club? If you look at that last game and
someone is on a Bosman [free transfer], will that player risk injury? Some
will, some won't. It depends on the mentality of the player."

There is a clear frustration in Sullivan's voice – and a personal toll also.
The 62 year-old said he wakes up "10 times a night" worrying about the fate
of the club he acquired in January 2010, but insisted he would rebuild the
squad over the summer — with an exodus of players expected. "I'm battling
on," he said. "Obviously we are facing the reality that 70-75 per cent we
are likely to be in the Championship next year. But there is still a 25-30
per cent chance we won't be. "We have to be realistic. The bookmakers put
our chances at 28 per cent and you have to accept that. "I feel for the
supporters. We have fantastic supporters and I feel myself and David [Gold,
the co-chairman ] have let them down. We have failed to deliver and the
bottom line in football is that it's a delivery business. "Forget all the
excuses – the bad luck, the good luck, the injuries – because over a season
it sort of averages out. OK, it probably hasn't quite averaged out for us
this year but you can't blame that. "I can't sleep at night. It hasn't
affected my health but it has affected my mind. I wake up 10 times a night
thinking about the state of the club. I ask myself, 'What can we do?' I know
there is only so much you can do. "But I can't switch off at all. I'm sure
most of our supporters can't either. We are supporters also. Supporters who
have made a huge investment, but that is secondary, and we, as supporters,
are gutted at the way things have developed. "We can scramble and stay up
and salvage something but we can't delude ourselves it's been a good season.
But at least we are in a better position to re-form for next season. "There
is no point denying it, but we are very depressed and we are very depressed
for the club's supporters. I feel I have let them down. I'm not a loser in
life and to get relegated is a serious loss. "It's not the end of the game
but it's like a boxing match and you take a bashing for three rounds. It's a
12-round fight and there are nine rounds to go, but you are in serious
trouble."

Sullivan insisted that he did not regret acquiring West Ham and inheriting
the perilous financial state of the club he now runs. "We haven't gone to
West Ham to make money," he insisted. "We would have bought Sheffield
Wednesday for £3 million or £4 million if we wanted to make an investment.
But we are not Sheffield Wednesday supporters; we are in this for the long
haul. Whatever it takes, we will turn this around."

Sullivan's and Gold's experience at their former club, Birmingham City, will
help. On the two occasions they were relegated from the Premier League, they
immediately returned to the top flight each time. "I hope that will count
for something," he said. "If it comes to it, we know what needs to be done
and we can put together a side to get us back up straight away. "I don't
accept it has come to that yet and there is a long way to go still. But
there is certainly no point being in denial and declaring 'we won't be
relegated'. "Against that the club is in a worse financial state. We will
have to shed a few players and a few players will not want to stay. We will
have to bring in new players to bring us back up. "I think a lot of the
players at West Ham will not want to play in that division [the
Championship]. I don't think it's going to be easy and you need players who
are proven in that division plus some young players who are fearless and who
have the energy to play 46 games a season. "We have some players who find 38
games very difficult. "I'm anticipating bringing in players who are £2
million, £3 million. I can't name names but you are looking at players who
might be, for example, the leading goalscorers in the Championship. "If you
buy two guys who can get you 25 goals each, well that's 50 goals and gives
you the basis for going straight back up."

Grant's future will also be decided. "We sit down at the end of every
season, and whatever club we have been in, with the manager and hear what
his thoughts are, what our thoughts are and we decide on the future at that
point in time," Sullivan said.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 29th April 2011

Carlton banks on Scott
WHUFC.com
The latest to add to the accolades for Scott Parker has been is club-mate
Carlton Cole
27.04.2011

Carlton Cole has paid tribute to the outstanding Scott Parker after he won
the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award. Parker will
be honoured at a special gala dinner in London in a fortnight's time, and
Cole said the No8 deserved all the accolades. Parker, like hernia-victim
Mark Noble who was hurt at Chelsea last Saturday, is battling to be fit for
the final three weeks of the season. Positive news has come with Jack
Collison's second successive 90 minutes in a run of four games for the
reserves, while Junior Stanislas is close to a first-team training return
after his own hernia issues. Winston Reid has also been back in action on
the practice pitches after a knock. It is Parker, though, that Cole said
everyone was looking to. "Scotty is one of those players that is a leading
player on the pitch, he leads by example, he will say how he feels," Cole
said. "Scotty won't shy away from anything, from a challenge, those are the
sort of characters you need in your team. "Especially when we are fighting
relegation as well, Scotty as a player and a person, is someone who will
always stand up and be counted - you need people like him. "Any accolade he
gets, any pat on the backs, Scotty deserves. That is how I look at it. I
hold him highly up there as one of the best players in the league at the
moment. "For the last three years, as soon as he got over the niggly
injuries he had when he was first here, once he started getting momentum, he
has not stopped. He is like a juggernaught."

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West Ham's Daniel Gabbidon charged over Twitter post
BBC.co.uk
Page last updated at 17:18 GMT, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:18 UK

West Ham's Daniel Gabbidon has been charged by the Football Association in
relation to recent comments he made on social networking website Twitter.
The Welsh defender, 31, was charged on Thursday with improper conduct and/or
bringing the game into disrepute. Gabbidon, who made the comments after a
2-1 defeat at home by Aston Villa on 16 April, has until 1600 BST on
Wednesday 4 May to respond to the charge.
Team-mate Carlton Cole was fined last week for comments made on Twitter.
Gabbidon posted the message - which included swearing - in the wake of the
defeat at Upton Park, where Gabriel Agbonlahor scored an injury time winner
to keep West Ham deep in relegation trouble. The West Ham player ended his
final Twitter entry by writing: "U know what.... u will never get another
tweet from me again, you just don't get it do you. Bye bye."

Striker Cole was sanctioned by the FA for comments he made on Twitter about
Ghana fans during their friendly against England. He was also charged with
improper conduct and fined £20,000, as well as being warned about his future
conduct. In January, Dutch winger Ryan Babel was fined £10,000 and warned
about his future conduct by the FA over a post he made on Twitter.

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Mark targets Blackburn
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 28th April 2011
By: Staff Writer

Mark Noble could yet figure in West Ham's season-defining final three games
after it was revealed that initial injury fears were unfounded. The
23-year-old midfielder is set to undergo treatment on a hernia problem that,
it had been suggested, could rule him out for the remainder of the season.
However Noble is set to return for the home games against Blackburn and
Sunderland plus the visit to Wigan according to latest reports - although it
is thought that this weekend's trip to Manchester City comes too soon. With
Scott Parker also unlikely to feature at the City of Manchester Stadium and
with Gary O'Neil out until next season, Avram Grant's midfield options are,
once again, extremely limited. Jonathan Spector - who had the game of his
career against the other Mancunian club earlier in the season - is a likely
candidate to start, as is Freddie Sears who has impressed out wide in recent
outings.

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Sullivan says 75% chance of relegation
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 28th April 2011
By: Staff Writer

David Sullivan has spoken for the first time about the possibility of West
Ham being relegated from the Premier League this season. The club's
co-chairman - unusually quiet in recent weeks, in stark contrast to the same
stage of last season when Gianfranco Zola was battling to avoid the drop -
talked about the massive financial implications of relegation, whilst
gloomily predicting that Avram Grant's squad only have 'a 25-30 per cent
chance of staying up'. "There would have to be a dramatic change in players
coming and going as we could only keep those who are committed to the club
and willing to play in the Championship," he told tonight's Standard. "We
would also be totally committed to getting promoted immediately. "It would
be a huge setback if we were to go down but this is the club we support and
David [Gold] and I see it as a long-term project. Whatever happens we will
be sticking with the club. There is no more pressure than the pressure we
put on ourselves. "David and I took over a club £110m in debt. We are
keeping the club afloat and paying down the debt. We remain totally
committed to the club."

Sullivan also claimed that the club's existing '£10-12million [annual] hole
in the cash flow' would rise to £40million should West Ham drop into the
Championship.

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Here we go again...
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 28th April 2011
By: Staff Writer

Danny Gabbidon has become the latest recipient of an FA charge after he was
accused with 'bringing the game into disrepute'. Hot on the heels of team
mate Carlton Cole and manager Avram Grant, the Welsh defender was hit with
the charge after telling followers of his Twitter account 'f*ck the lot of
you will never get another tweet from me again' following the recent 2-1
home defeat to Aston Villa. Gabbidon's outburst is thought to have been in
reaction to a string of negative 'Tweets' from disappointed supporters
immediately following the game which was lost to an injury-time winner.
Unsurprisingly the FA were swift to sniff the opportunity for another
£20,000 boost to their bulging coffers and hit Gabbidon with the charge this
evening. A statement on the FA's site read: "West Ham United defender Daniel
Gabbidon has today been charged with Improper Conduct and/or bringing the
game into disrepute by The FA. "The charge follows media comments made on
Twitter on 16 April 2011. Gabbidon has until 4pm on 4 May 2011 to respond."

Carlton Cole was fined £20,000 and warned over his future conduct for a
Tweet made during the 1-1 draw between England and Ghana at Wembley last
month.
The heinous crime perpetrated by the West Ham striker was to imply - albeit
in jest - that immigration officers were preparing to swoop on the
20,000-strong away support.

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The story of Billie the grey
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 28th April 2011
By: Staff Writer

88 years ago today West Ham faced Bolton in the first ever FA Cup Final
staged at the new Wembley Stadium.

Delayed for over 40 minutes due to the massive crowds estimated to be in
excess of 200,000 (the stadium had a capacity of 127,000) - and by a
compulsory, rousing and heartfelt 'three cheers' for the attending King
George V - the game was eventually - and controversially - won by Wanderers
courtesy of goals from David Jack and Jack Smith.

Jack gave the Trotters an early lead amidst farcical scenes; West Ham
half-back Jack Tresadern became entangled in the crowd, pushed right up
against the touchline after taking a throw-in and Bolton profited from the
resulting space; Jack's shot was hit so hard that it rendered a supporter,
standing behind the net, unconscious upon impact.

More farce followed on the quarter-hour mark as a crowd surge behind one end
led to another charge from the mounted police in order to clear the playing
area. After the Red Cross had attended to a number of injured fans, play
resumed; Dick Richards' shot was cleared off the line as Bolton clung on to
their slender advantage.

The crowd problems - and obvious threat to public safety - forced West Ham
captain George Kay, ironically a former Bolton player, to request an
abandonment of the game; a request Kay persisted with throughout the match,
to no avail. Half-time followed - and went after just five minutes, as the
players were forced to take refreshment on the pitch as the heaving crowds
rendered access the the changing rooms impossible.

Vic Watson - United's biggest attacking threat on the day who remains, to
this day, the club's greatest goalscorer of all time - failed to take
advantage of any half-chances afforded him which proved to be the Irons'
ultimate undoing. The game was won after Wanderers added a controversial
second as referee David Asson adjudged a Smith shot to have carried over the
line.

West Ham protested bitterly; initially the ball had been kept from leaving
the field of play by a spectator on the touchline to Bolton's advantage
before hitting the post and bouncing clear of goal, according to them. Asson
insisted that the ball had instead crossed the goal-line and rebounded off a
spectator, much to the Irons' annoyance.

Charlie Paynter, West Ham's manager was left to rue the impact police horses
had had on the pitch: "It was that white horse thumping its big feet into
the pitch that made it hopeless. Our wingers were tumbling all over the
place, tripping up in great ruts and holes," he reflected.

Despite going home as the losing team, West Ham United's part in football
history was cemented by the appearance of the aforementioned and
now-legendary mounted 'white horse' that appeared amongst the vast throngs
in order to disperse the crowds.

However a little known fact is that the horse - Billy* - was actually grey,
and only appeared white due to the quality of the film used to record the
event.

Billy's mount, PC George Scorey of the Metropolitan Police later recalled
how his job on the day was made easier by the massive crowd's 'good nature'.


Sadly our equine friend passed away just seven years after the match with
which he will forever be remembered; former partner Scorey was subsequently
presented with one of Billy's hooves, mounted, in memory of his former
companion.

Meanwhile, West Ham had to wait another 42 years before finally getting
their hands on the FA Cup...

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Spector - We're stronger now
Hammers star confident of survival
Last Updated: April 28, 2011 10:15am
SSN

Jonathan Spector rates the current West Ham team as superior to the one that
staged a great escape under Alan Curbishley four years ago. The Hammers
looked set to be relegated in 2007 before embarking on a magnificent late
charge, winning seven of their last nine games to beat the drop.
Curbishley's side contained the likes of Carlos Tevez, Yossi Benayoun, Bobby
Zamora and Lucas Neill, but Spector feels West Ham are stronger this term.
The American, one of the few survivors from 2007, is confident the Hammers
can find their best form during the remainder of the season and avoid the
trapdoor once again. "It is a very different team from the one we had that
stayed up four years ago," Spector said in the Daily Mirror. "It is a strong
team that we have right now, probably stronger than we had back then. "It
hasn't happened for us this season but now we have to come together as a
group and get some points."

Massive games

West Ham may be in a better position than they were at the equivalent stage
four years ago but they remain two points adrift of safety with just four
games to go.
The next challenge is a clash with high-flying Manchester City on Sunday,
and Spector is determined to rise to the occasion. "They are massive games
coming up and it is a big stage for us," he told the club's official
website. "There is certainly the added pressure of that Premier League
status, which we definitely want to hang on to.
"Every player wants to play. There could be quite a few players who could
have an important role and have a massive impact on the games we have left.
"There have been times when we have played really good football and a lot of
people have been looking at us and saying: 'They are too good to go down'.
"They were saying that about Newcastle a couple of seasons ago and we don't
want to repeat what they did. "I am not sure there is a secret. It is about
hard work and determination and the guts to want the ball, to want to play
and to stick to your gameplan even if it is not going well for you."

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Jacobsen rallies Hammers
Defender pinpoints Blackburn & Wigan games
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me on Twitter @skysportspeteo. Last
Updated: April 28, 2011 9:30pm
SSN

West Ham defender Lars Jacobsen insists they can still get out of trouble in
the fight for survival. The Hammers find themselves rooted to the bottom of
the table, two points adrift of safety with only four games left in the
campaign. West Ham face Manchester City, Blackburn, Wigan and Sunderland in
their final four games and Jacobsen admits the games against fellow
strugglers Blackburn and Wigan are games they cannot afford to lose. "As I
see it there are five teams that can be relegated and several of the teams
will meet each other," Jacobsen told onside.dk. "So there can be many
things. We still believe, although it will be difficult.

Must-win

"We cannot afford to lose to either Wigan or Blackburn - they are games we
need to win. "So it is clear that they will be two key battles as they are
two teams who are also struggling and perhaps the two teams we can catch.
"We cannot afford to lose to either Wigan or Blackburn they are games we
need to win. "

First up for West Ham is a trip to Champions League-chasing Manchester City
on Sunday and Jacobsen believes they can get a result at Eastlands. "If we
go with the same attitude we showed against Chelsea I think we have a good
chance to get something from City," added Jacobsen. "I know we lost 3-0 to
Chelsea, but we could have got something from there if we had been a little
sharper as we had many chances."

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Thursday, April 28

Daily WHUFC News - 28th April 2011

Wolves 3-1 Reserves
WHUFC.com
Steve Lomas's side end the 2010/11 Barclays Premier Reserve League with
defeat in the Midlands
27.04.2011

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER RESERVE LEAGUE
WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL 2011
KICK-OFF: 7PM

Final score - Wolverhampton Wanderers reserves 3-1 West Ham United reserves

92 mins - West Ham come forward one last time through Collison, but Driver
loses control and fouls Forde. The Hammers break through Moncur but his pass
for Hall is wayward and as Ihiekwe intercepts. A second or two later,
referee Fletcher blows for full-time. West Ham finish fourth in the Southern
Group behind Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa, but ahead of West Bromwich
Albion and Wolves. Highlights and exclusive reaction from this evening's
match will appear on whufc.com soon. Until next season...

90 mins - We're going to have at least two more minutes.
89 mins - It has not been West Ham's night in any way shape or form, but
let's not forget that they have enjoyed a fairly successful season.
86 mins - Gorman is replaced by Sam Whittall. The winger gets a decent
reception from the small crowd.
85 mins - Hall tries to pick out Collison's run. Ihiekwe intercepts but Hall
wants a free-kick for handball. The referee waves away his appeals.
84 mins - Moncur lobs the ball over the top for Edgar to chase. He looks as
if he is in on goal, but the ball just gets away from him far enough for
Ihiekwe to get a foot in and it rolls harmlessly through to Ikeme.
82 mins - Rooney shoots powerfully from 25 yards. His effort flicks off
Wearen and behind for a corner. Rooney takes it left-footed and Boffin comes
to claim. The Belgian has had a busy night tonight.
79 mins - It just isn't happening for West Ham in the final third. They are
still working hard, but the attacking moves and passing are just not coming
off.
75 mins - Fifteen minutes to go and if any team looks like scoring the next
goal, it's going to be Wolves. Rooney crosses but it turns into a shot and
Boffin pushes the ball aside for a corner. Gorman takes it and it flicks off
a player's head for another corner. McNaughton heads it clear.
73 mins - Collison gives the ball away from a quickly-taken free-kick and
Wolves break again down their right. Doherty crosses and Rooney picks the
ball up, but the Northern Ireland international screws his shot well wide.
72 mins - Moncur has some time to come forward before shooting low from 25
yards, but he drags his low effort wide of the near post.
70 mins - Potts is replaced by Sanchez for the final 20 minutes. The
Spaniard goes to right-back, with Driver coming across to the left.
69 mins - Gorman and Doherty combine again down the right - they've been a
constant menace - before the right-back pulls the ball into the path of
Rooney. He shoots powerfully, but Boffin beats the ball away.
67 mins - Gorman is a talented dribbler and he leaves Potts for dead inside
the penalty area before crossing low across the face of goal. The ball is no
more than three yards from the line, but there is no player in old gold to
apply the finish.
65 mins - McAlinden should make it 4-1, but his header from Forde's
left-wing cross is too high. Two changes for West Ham - Hall and Wearen on
for Tombides and Abdulla. For Wolves, Ebanks-Landell is replaced by Sam
Griffiths.
64 mins - There are some frustrated players out there in claret and blue,
but they need to pick themselves up as a goal could change this game
immediately. Tombides gets some space inside the box and lays the ball back
for Moncur. He chooses to take a touch instead of shooting first-time and
the chance is lost.
60 mins - West Ham's chance to have a go. Tombides holds the ball up and
Edgar runs at the Wolves defence. He shoots from 25 yards at least, but the
ball flies and dips just wide. The attendance is announced as 176.
58 mins - Wolves just keep coming forward. Forde this time, running past
Driver and shooting low and a yard wide of the far post.
57 mins - Another great chance for Wolves. Griffiths again has time and
space to pull the ball back for Rooney, but he leans back and his left-foot
effort flies over the top.
56 mins - This could get ugly if the Hammers don't up their game. The ball
drops to Rooney about 30 yards out and he shoots early. The ball flies a
couple of yards wide of the target with Boffin at full stretch.
54 mins - GOAL! West Ham have a mountain to climb. Gorman picks up the ball
near the corner flag before running at Potts, cutting on to his left foot
and curling a fantastic shot over Boffin's outstretched left hand and into
the far top corner.
53 mins - That's a better moment for West Ham. Moncur frees Faubert and he
out-paces Doherty before pulling the ball back for Tombides. He takes a
touch and feeds Moncur 20 yards out, but the midfielder's shot is just too
high.
51 mins - Driver needs the physio on after an aerial collision. I think he
suffered a bang on the head there. After some treatment, he is fine to
continue.
50 mins - GOAL! Wolves come again and Rooney has time and space in the
centre of the field to find the rampaging Doherty. Faubert has not tracked
the full-back's run and he has time and space to take a touch before
hammering the ball past Boffin at the Belgian's near post.
49 mins - Chance for West Ham to threaten, but Faubert's pass for Collison
curls away from the midfielder and into the arms of Ikeme. Wolves break
immediately and Hemmings has space to shoot, but his effort flashes just
past the angle of post and crossbar.
48 mins - Eyjolfsson does really well to repel McAlinden inside the box.
Collison had passed the ball straight to Doherty, leaving Potts and
McNaughton out of position and allowing Griffiths to run free down the
right.
46 mins - West Ham get the second half underway... The floodlights have been
turned on here, but it's still far from dark here in Shropshire.

The two teams emerge from the tunnel ahead of the second half - the final
half of the Barclays Premier Reserve League season for both clubs. Can West
Ham find the winner that sees them finish third in the Southern Group table?
No sign of any changes from either manager.

Half-time score - Wolverhampton Wanderers reserves 1-1 West Ham United
reserves

47 mins - That's half-time. West Ham started brightly and took an early
lead, but Wolves have come back strongly and deserved their equaliser. Join
us again in 15 minutes for the second half.
45 mins - We'll have one added minute...
44 mins - Better. Potts and Abdulla combine to win the ball from Griffiths
on halfway. Tombides breaks clear down the left and crosses deep for
Faubert. He takes a touch before pulling the ball into the path of Moncur,
whose first-time shot flicks the side-netting. Close.
43 mins - Moncur makes a good run through the middle but Faubert doesn't
spot him until late. The midfielder loses the ball. It's been that sort of
half for West Ham,
41 mins - Driver looked to have been fouled by Forde there, but the referee
gave nothing. Seconds later, a frustrated Driver kicks out at the No11. Mr
Fletcher calls the two players together but doesn't show a card.
39 mins - McNaughton concedes a corner. Rooney crosses and Boffin punches
powerfully clear. Wolves pick up possession and Ihiekwe wins a header inside
the box, Griffiths keeps the ball alive and crosses, but McAlinden slices
his volley well wide. Wolves have been the better team this half, of that
there is no doubt.
37 mins - Abdulla loses the battle in midfield, allowing Rooney to hook the
ball forward to Griffiths, who takes a touch but drags a low shot across the
face of goal and out for a goal kick.
35 mins - Ebanks-Landell pushes Tombides over. Faubert delivers, Eyjolfsson
flicks on and Harris needlessly concedes a corner. McNaughton wins the
delivery, but his header bounces straight into the arms of Ikeme.
32 mins - Griffiths shoots but his effort hits Abdulla and spins wide right
to Harris. He crosses for the striker, but Eyjolfsson gets enough of a head
on the ball to concede a corner. Eyjolfsson clears the initial delivery, but
Wolves keep it and Gorman crosses for McAlinden, but his header flashes well
wide.
29 mins - West Ham come forward down the right and win a throw. Driver lobs
it back to Eyjolfsson, but his cross is high and hanging and an easy catch
for Ikeme.
28 mins - That lad Griffiths is at it again, running at McNaughton before
Eyjolfsson comes across and blocks his cross. More cheers from the man in
front of me and his friend.
26 mins - GOAL! Wolves are level and Griffiths is not involved. Harris picks
out the run of right-back Doherty, who takes a touch and finishes
confidently past Boffin.
25 mins - No9 Leigh Griffiths has caught the eye for Wolves. He is certainly
the favourite of the man two rows in front who keeps shouting 'Come on
Leigh'.
21 mins - Wolves' young team are full of energy and enthusiasm as you might
expect, but West Ham still look dangerous. Tombides tries to spin away from
Ebanks-Landell, but the defender is just too strong. Shame, as otherwise the
Australian would have been clean through.

17 mins - The No9 beats Abdulla before nutmegging Driver and forcing Boffin
into a plunging save. Potts heads half-clear and the ball is worked to
Griffiths again. He finds Rooney, who blazes high and wide from a great
position inside the box.
16 mins - Collison gets forward down the right and lays the ball back for
Faubert. His curling cross is just too strong for Tombides but the ball is
headed behind by Ebanks-Lindell. The corner is cleared and Wolves break
through Griffiths.
14 mins - Lomas, his coaching staff and the substitutes are shielding their
eyes from the sun on the far side. Over here in the main stand, it's a bit
cool in the shade! West Ham have taken control again in recent moments and
look a threat down both flanks. Tombides shows just that by controlling,
beating a man and shooting wide from 20 yards.
10 mins - Eyjolfsson heads the ball straight to Rooney. When he plays the
ball wide right, Edgar pushes Doherty to the floor. Free-kick about 35 yards
from goal wide on the Wolves left. It's taken short to Gorman, but his cross
is hacked clear at the near post by McNaughton.
8 mins - The home side have come back into things and are looking a bit more
dangerous. A few loose clearances have given Wolves a chance to get on the
front foot - something Lomas will want his players to cut out.
7 mins - Eyjolfsson is penalised for holding down McAlinden. Rooney delivers
the free-kick and McNaughton heads it straight up in the air, but Boffin is
there to catch the high ball.
6 mins - Wolves No9 Leigh Griffiths has the ball in the net from
close-range, but one of his team-mates had long since been flagged for
offside.
5 mins - West Ham have started really well. Tombides wins a free-kick, then
does well to hold the ball up well again before Edgar crosses, but his
delivery flies behind for a goal kick.
3 mins - GOAL! Faubert! Boffin's long straight clearance is allowed to
bounce by the Wolves defence and the No11 uses his pace to get in behind. He
looks up and carefully lobs the ball over the advancing Ikeme. Great finish
to a very direct move!
2 mins - Tombides breaks the offside trap but he's got to hold the ball up
and wait for support. Moncur and Collison play a one-two but the former is
crowded out.

7pm - Wolves get us underway kicking from right to left as I look at it.
Forde delivers the first cross from wide on the left but it's an easy catch
for the towering Boffin.

6.57pm - Here come the West Ham players, led by captain Callum McNaughton.
Jeff Beck's 'Hi Ho Silver Lining' welcomes the home side out of the tunnel a
short time later. Our referee tonight is Russell Fletcher. I would think
West Ham will employ a 4-3-3 formation, with Driver, Eyjolfsson, McNaughton
and Potts across the back, Abdulla anchoring the midfield behind Moncur and
Collison and Tombides leading the line ahead of Faubert and Edgar.

6.55pm - It is sunny but chilly evening at Telford as we eagerly await
kick-off here at The New Bucks Head. I am afraid to say that my enthusiasm
for the game has not been shared by too many supporters. A quick look around
and I would say there are only about 100-odd people here this evening.
That's a shame, because West Ham have plenty of promising youngsters on
show, as I'm sure Wolves do too.

Good evening and welcome to the town of Telford for tonight's climax to the
2010/11 Barclays Premier Reserve League season.
West Ham United will be eager to finish the campaign on a high when they
take on Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Steve Lomas's side looking to end a
run of three matches without a victory at The New Bucks Head.

Blue Square Bet North side AFC Telford United's tidy stadium is bathed in
warm late-April sunshine for what promises to be a keenly-contested affair
between two young sides. For West Ham, however, Jack Collison, Julien
Faubert and Ruud Boffin provide some welcome first-team experience and
know-how.

At the other end of the age spectrum, first-year scholar Danny Potts makes
his reserve-team debut, becoming the 49th player to turn out for West Ham's
second-string this term. Midfielder Ahmed Abdulla makes his team-leading
18th reserve-team appearance of the season, while Callum McNaughton, George
Moncur and Dylan Tombides will be keen to end encouraging personal seasons
in style.

The Hammers defeated Wolves 2-0 in the reverse fixture at Bishop's Stortford
on 22 February, with Cristian Montano and Anthony Edgar getting the goals. A
victory tonight would lift West Ham above Aston Villa and guarantee them a
third-place finish in the Southern Division behind Arsenal and Chelsea.

Wolverhampton Wanderers reserves: Ikeme, Doherty, Ebanks-Landell
(S.Griffiths 65), Ihiekwe, Hemmings, Gorman (Whittall 86), Rooney, Harris,
Forde, L.Griffiths, McAlinden
Subs not used: McCarey, Kempton

West Ham United reserves: Boffin, Driver, Eyjolfsson, McNaughton, Potts
(Sanchez 70), Abdulla (Wearen 65), Moncur, Collison, Edgar, Faubert,
Tombides (Hall 65)
Subs not used: Larkins, Lletget

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spector takes centre stage
WHUFC.com
Jonathan Spector is this season showing much of the early promise that
caught Sir Alex Ferguson's eye
27.04.2011

There may not be a surprise in store when the Hammer of the Year is crowned
next month but another hard-working midfielder will also deserve plenty of
plaudits come the end of the campaign. Jonathan Spector has been a loyal
servant since joining back in June 2006 - and is the club's longest serving
first-teamer after Mark Noble and Danny Gabbidon. Until this campaign he was
most known as a versatile defender but he has become central to the cause as
a central midfielder. Long respected by the Hammers faithful for his
hard-working and honest play, Spector has added attacking verve and fearless
forward running to his game. So much so that he was there in the box almost
heading past Petr Cech to open the scoring in Saturday's 3-0 defeat at
Chelsea and also the one who slipped a sublime pass through for Robbie Keane
to nearly level matters when just a goal down. It may be that his
opportunity has come with an injury to Footballer of the Year Scott Parker,
the overwhelming favourite for the club prize as well, but Spector is just
happy to be involved. He is determined to keep the team in the top-flight.
"I think every player wants to play. They are massive games [coming up] and
it is a big stage for us. "There is certainly the added pressure of that
Premier League status which we definitely want to hang on to."

Spector was there back in 2006/07 with the last 'Great Escape', coming on as
an early substitute for George McCartney at Old Trafford on the final day
and performing heroically against his old club Manchester United. He is
certainly ready, if asked, to channel that never-say-die attitude once
again. "It is a very different team from the one we had that stayed up [four
years ago]. It is a strong team that we have right now, probably stronger
than we had back then. But it hasn't happened for us this season but now we
have to come together as a group and get some points."

Spector is never one to shirk a challenge or be overawed by his opponent -
anyone who saw him play in wins for the United States against Egypt and
Spain on route to the FIFA Confederations Cup final back in 2009 will
testify to that. Now 25 and an experienced Premier League performer, he
would love to have a major impact in a game again this season, as he did
with two superb goals against Manchester United in this season's 4-0 Carling
Cup romp. Modest off the pitch but unerringly confident on it, Spector would
settle for anyone stepping up to the plate in the final four games - just as
long as the club survive. "There could be quite a few players who could have
an important role and have a massive impact on these games that we have
left. "There have been times when we have played really good football and a
lot of people have been looking at us and saying 'they are too good to go
down'. They were saying that about Newcastle a couple of seasons ago and we
don't want to repeat what they did. "I am not sure there is a secret. It is
about hard work and determination and the guts to want the ball, to want to
play and to stick to your gameplan even if it is not going well for you. "

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mark KO is hard to stomach
By ROSS GREGORY
Published: Today
The Sun

MARK NOBLE looks certain to miss West Ham's vital game at Manchester City.
Tests confirmed that the midfielder, 23, does have a stomach problem - and
it could signal the end of his season. The injury is still being assessed
but if it is a hernia, as feared, it would require surgery. Losing him would
be another massive blow to the Hammers' survival hopes, with fellow midfield
stars Scott Parker and Gary O'Neil also sidelined. West Ham are bottom with
just four games to go to save their skins. Parker is unlikely to return
until after Sunday's game at Eastlands, having already missed the last two
matches with an Achilles problem, while O'Neil's season is over because of
an ankle injury. That would mean another start in midfield for American
defender Jonathan Spector. The 25-year-old was part of the West Ham side
which pulled off the 'Great Escape' four years ago by beating Manchester
United at Old Trafford. He said: "It is a strong team that we have right
now, probably stronger than we had back then. "But we have to come together
as a group now and get some points."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spector: Current Hammers are better than 2007 escape artists
Published 23:00 27/04/11 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror

Jonathan Spector has claimed Avram Grant's side are better than the West Ham
team which staged the Great Escape in 2007. And the American has called on
the the Premier League's bottom side to show "guts" and prove it in their
final four games, starting at Manchester City on Sunday. The former
Manchester United defender was part of Alan Curbishley's side which won
seven of their last nine matches - including a last-day win at Old Trafford
- to beat the drop four years ago. That team included Argentina's Carlos
Tevez, Australian captain Lucas Neill, Bobby Zamora and Yossi Benayoun. But
Spector, one of the few Upton Park survivors of that team, reckons the
current side have more all-round strength. And he called on the Grant's men,
who are set to be without Scott Parker as well as Mark Noble and Gary O'Neil
at Eastlands, to finally prove their quality. "It is a very different team
from the one we had that stayed up four years ago," reckoned Spector, who
moved to Upton Park in 2006. "It is a strong team that we have right now,
probably stronger than we had back then. It hasn't happened for us this
season but now we have to come together as a group and get some points."

In 2007, the Hammers were still five points adrift with four games to go
while Grant's side are now two points from safety. Tevez was the star of the
side four years ago before his contribution cost the Hammers £25m in fines
and compensation. But the Irons went down in 2003 – with 42 points – despite
having a team full of big international names like Paolo Di Canio, Tomas
Repka and Freddie Kanoute and a host of England stars such as David James,
Glen Johnson, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Trevor Sinclair and Jermain Defoe.
And Spector, who is likely to start in the decimated Hammers midfield
against Champions League-chasing City, reckons it will take a brave team
effort this time. "They are massive games coming up and it is a big stage
for us," he told www.whufc.com. "There is certainly the added pressure of
that Premier League status, which we definitely want to hang on to. Every
player wants to play. There could be quite a few players who could have an
important role and have a massive impact on the games we have left. "There
have been times when we have played really good football and a lot of people
have been looking at us and saying: 'They are too good to go down'. They
were saying that about Newcastle a couple of seasons ago and we don't want
to repeat what they did. "I am not sure there is a secret. It is about hard
work and determination and the guts to want the ball, to want to play and to
stick to your gameplan even if it is not going well for you."

West Ham face a decision over the fitness of Player of the Year Parker, who
has missed the last two games with an Achilles injury, with the Hammers
facing Blackburn, Wigan and Sunderland in their final three games. "I don't
know about next Sunday, but Parker will definitely be fit for the week
after," Grant said. "He's a good player but we can do it without him."

Skipper Matthew Upson has returned to training after missing the defeat at
Chelsea due to illness. But Mark Noble needs a hernia operation after
suffering a stomach injury in the same game and will struggle to play again
this season. He had already missed six weeks this term with appendicitis and
has had groin problems in the past.

O'Neil is already out for the campaign with a serious ankle injury. Danny
Gabbidon, who is set to move to left-back with Wayne Bridge unable to play
against his parent club, said: "The last three games will be big games. But
every game from now on is big. We are not writing off Man City and thinking
just the three after that as the more you lose the harder the next games
becomes. "And those games are hard as well as the teams are down the bottom
and fighting for their lives as well. So we look to Man City and have to
believe that we go there and get some points from that and if we do it will
be a great confidence boost for the team going in and getting something
there and that sets us up nicely for those three games"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham fear Noble could be out for the season
Published 14:27 27/04/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror

Mark Noble today appeared certain to miss West Ham's Barclays Premier League
game at Manchester City on Sunday, although the full extent of his stomach
injury was still being assessed. Tests yesterday confirmed the midfielder
did have a problem, which was feared could be a hernia. Should further
assessment back that up, the 23-year-old would likely require surgery that
would end his season. Noble left the field on a stretcher an hour into
Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Chelsea after going down with pains in his lower
stomach. He had already missed six weeks this term with appendicitis and has
had groin problems in the past. Losing him would be another massive blow to
West Ham's survival hopes, with fellow midfielders Scott Parker and Gary
O'Neil also currently sidelined. Parker is unlikely to return until after
Sunday's game, having already missed the last two matches with an Achilles
problem, while O'Neil's season is over because of a serious ankle injury.
That would mean another start in midfield for Jonathan Spector, who had been
known primarily as a defender until this term. The 25-year-old is just happy
to be playing as he looks to help the Hammers climb back off the foot of the
table during the final month of the campaign. He told his club's official
website, www.whufc.com: "I think every player wants to play. They are
massive games (coming up) and it is a big stage for us. "There is certainly
the added pressure of that Premier League status, which we definitely want
to hang on to."

Spector was part of the West Ham side which pulled off the 'Great Escape'
from relegation four years ago by beating Manchester United at Old Trafford.
"It is a very different team from the one we had that stayed up," he said.
"It is a strong team that we have right now, probably stronger than we had
back then. But it hasn't happened for us this season but now we have to come
together as a group and get some points." He added: "There could be quite a
few players who could have an important role and have a massive impact on
these games that we have left. "There have been times when we have played
really good football and a lot of people have been looking at us and saying,
'They are too good to go down'. "They were saying that about Newcastle a
couple of seasons ago and we don't want to repeat what they did. "I am not
sure there is a secret. It is about hard work and determination and the guts
to want the ball, to want to play and to stick to your gameplan even if it
is not going well for you."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers give veteran scout unceremonious send off
Published 23:00 27/04/11 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror

West Ham have sacked long-serving Roger Cross as chief scout. Veteran Cross
has been the Hammers talent-spotter for years and spent two decades at the
club as a player and then on the backroom staff where he was also reserve
team boss. Cross grew up as a Hammers hopeful at the same time as the Boys
of 66 – Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurts and Martin Peters – and returned to the
club after a spell with Tottenham as a senior spy. But with Hammers looking
to shake up their staff the 62-year-old has been made redundant and will be
given a settlement for his services. Cross's job of finding new talent has
been overtaken by the owners consulting agents who have pushed the recent
stream of players towards Upton Park. But the long-serving scout was
responsible for week-to-week covering of games and future opposition - and
he was told the news by one of the club's human resources officers. However
many West Ham insiders fear this will be the start of a handful of cutbacks,
whether Avram Grant's strugglers survive or not, as the heirarchy look to
trim the payroll. The way Cross was told the news came as a shock, with the
decision broken by a member of staff rather than one of the leading figures
at the club.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mark Noble injury blow hits West Ham United's fight for Premier League
survival
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt 9:11PM BST 27 Apr 2011

West Ham's chances of avoiding relegation have suffered a severe blow with
Mark Noble set to miss the next three weeks after suffering a hernia injury.
It had been hoped that the 23-year-old midfielder, who joins Scott Parker on
the sidelines, had simply suffered a strain after leaving the pitch on a
stretcher after an hour of last Saturday's 3-0 defeat away to Chelsea. Noble
has already missed six weeks of the season with appendicitis and it's
believed that his latest setback is a recurrence of an existing problem. He
will miss West Ham's crucial game at Manchester City on Sunday along with
next weekend's home match against Blackburn Rovers and the away fixture at
Wigan Athletic. It remains to be seen whether he can recover in time to
feature in West Ham's final game of the season, at home to Sunderland, which
may determine their league status. Bottom of the table West Ham are
understood to be less confident than they were that Parker, who has an
Achilles problem, will make Sunday's match. A third midfielder, Gary O'Neil,
will not play again this season after suffering an ankle injury.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stoke, Birmingham and West Ham tracking goalkeeper Bozovic
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 10:45 PM on 27th April 2011
Daily Mail

Stoke, Birmingham and West Ham are monitoring 6ft 5in Montenegro goalkeeper
Mladen Bozovic. The 25-year-old, who plays for Hungarian champions Videoton,
has been watched by Hamburg and Schalke in the German Bundesliga but is seen
as ideal cover for Premier League sides as he is available for around
£2million.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Noble's absence adds to West Ham concerns for relegation struggle
Midfielder set to miss game at Manchester City with stomach injury and may
be out for the rest of the season
The Independent
By Ben Rumsby
Thursday, 28 April 2011

Mark Noble appears certain to miss West Ham's Premier League game at
Manchester City on Sunday, although the full extent of his stomach injury
was still being assessed. Tests yesterday confirmed the midfielder did have
a problem, which was feared could be a hernia. Should further assessment
back that up, the 23-year-old would likely require surgery that would end
his season. Noble left the field on a stretcher an hour into Saturday's 3-0
defeat at Chelsea after going down with pains in his lower stomach. He had
already missed six weeks this term with appendicitis and has had groin
problems in the past.

Losing him would be another massive blow to West Ham's survival hopes, with
fellow midfielders Scott Parker and Gary O'Neil also currently sidelined.
Parker is unlikely to return until after Sunday's game, having already
missed the last two matches with an Achilles problem, while O'Neil's season
is over because of a serious ankle injury.

That would mean another start in midfield for Jonathan Spector, who had been
known primarily as a defender until this season. The 25-year-old is just
happy to be playing as he looks to help the Hammers climb back off the foot
of the table during the final month of the campaign. He said: "I think every
player wants to play. They are massive games [coming up] and it is a big
stage for us. There is certainly the added pressure of that Premier League
status, which we definitely want to hang on to."

Spector was part of the West Ham side which pulled off the "Great Escape"
from relegation four years ago by beating Manchester United at Old Trafford.
"It is a very different team from the one we had that stayed up," he said.
"It is a strong team that we have right now, probably stronger than we had
back then. But it hasn't happened for us this season but now we have to come
together as a group and get some points."

He added: "There could be quite a few players who could have an important
role and have a massive impact on these games that we have left. There have
been times when we have played really good football and a lot of people have
been looking at us and saying, 'They are too good to go down'. They were
saying that about Newcastle a couple of seasons ago and we don't want to
repeat what they did. "I am not sure there is a secret," Spector added. "It
is about hard work and determination and the guts to want the ball, to want
to play and to stick to your gameplan even if it is not going well for you."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
UP OR DOWN, WEST HAM WANT MARTIN O'NEILL
Daily Express
West Ham will make another bid for Martin O'Neill
Thursday April 28,2011
By Matt Law

WEST HAM will make another move to tempt Martin O'Neill back into management
at the end of the season even if Avram Grant keeps the club in the Premier
League. And if the Hammers fail to get O'Neill then they have identified his
clone, Norwich City boss Paul Lambert, as an alternative. Grant is expected
to be sacked at the end of the season whether West Ham stay up or are
relegated to the Championship, and the streamlining of staff has already
started after the club parted company with long-serving chief scout Roger
Cross. Sources at Upton Park claim O'Neill is still the No1 choice of
co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold to replace Grant, despite the fact
he turned down the job in January. Having been sounded out by the Hammers,
O'Neill was upset that his possible appointment was leaked out while Grant
remained in charge ahead of the home game against Arsenal. Despite being
offered a bonus of about £3million to keep West Ham up, O'Neill did not
accept the job and has now been out of work for eight months since quitting
Aston Villa days before the start of the season. If they are relegated, the
Hammers would be prepared to offer O'Neill a similar incentive to get them
promoted at the first attempt. West Ham hope O'Neill will have a change of
heart in the summer, when they can sort out Grant's pay-off terms before
formally approaching him. But if O'Neill holds out for a more attractive
offer from elsewhere, then West Ham will also enquire about Lambert, who is
closing in on a second successive promotion with Norwich. Lambert has won
many admirers for leading Norwich out of League One and to the brink of
promotion to the Premier League. His side currently occupy the second
automatic promotion place with only two Championship games of the season
remaining.

Having played under O'Neill at Celtic, Lambert's management style has been
compared with that of his former boss and the pair share similar training
and playing philosophies. Lambert turned down an approach from Burnley in
January and may be similarly reluctant to take up the challenge at Upton
Park. Whatever happens over the final four Premier League games of this
season, West Ham insiders are expecting big changes to the backroom and
playing staff. Former Hammers forward Cross is the first member of the
current staff to leave, bringing an end to an association with the club that
started as a 15-year-old on the groundstaff in 1964. He made eight
first-team appearances as a player for West Ham, returning to the club 10
years ago as a member of the backroom staff and most recently held the
position of chief scout.

It is unclear whether Cross will be replaced after his role was diminished
by the active part agent Barry Silkman has played in identifying and signing
new players since Sullivan and Gold took control of the club. The Hammers
will need to quickly identify new signings, with a number of their current
squad expected to leave.
Aston Villa are confident of signing goalkeeper Robert Green, while there
will be a battle involving Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal for the services
of Football Writers' Player of the Year Scott Parker. Strikers Carlton Cole
and Frederic Piquionne have also attracted the interest of Premier League
clubs.

West Ham's hopes of survival have been dealt a blow by the news they are set
to be without midfield duo Parker and Mark Noble for Sunday's trip to
Manchester City. Parker did not train yesterday because of the Achilles
tendon injury that kept him out of the Aston Villa and Chelsea games, and it
is looking increasingly likely that he will now be saved for the Hammers'
final three matches against Blackburn, Wigan and Sunderland. Noble, 23, is
also expected to miss at least the City game after tests revealed he is
suffering a hernia problem that will require treatment. West Ham are now
assessing the extent of the issue to determine whether he will be able to
play again this season.

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