WHUFC.com
All the background and team news for the Hammers' first trip to the Keepmoat
Stadium
11.08.2011
WEST HAM UNITED v CARDIFF CITY
npower CHAMPIONSHIP
SATURDAY 13 AUGUST 2011
KICK-OFF: 3pm
FULL AUDIO COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• West Ham United start their 2011/12 npower Championship away campaign with
their first trip to Doncaster Rovers since Sunday 1 March 1958. The Hammers
have never played at the Keepmoat Stadium.
• Sam Allardyce's men will hope it is a good omen as that was the club's
first ever promotion season to the top flight of English football, with the
Hammers going on to win the old Division Two and Doncaster finishing last.
• West Ham began their campaign with a 1-0 home defeat by Cardiff City while
Doncaster went down 2-1 at Brighton and Hove Albion. Rovers bounced back in
midweek with a 3-0 home defeat of Tranmere Rovers in the Carling Cup first
round.
• The Hammers were relegated last season after finishing last in the
Barclays Premier League. Doncaster finished in 21st place in the
Championship, one spot above the relegation zone.
• This is West Ham's fifth spell outside the top flight since the promotion
season of 1957/58. Those previous occasions lasted for three seasons, two
seasons, one season and two seasons, and in those eight campaigns the lowest
second-tier finish was seventh.
• West Ham spent six seasons in the Premier League, having last been
promoted in 2004/05. Doncaster have been a Championship club since the
2008/09 campaign.
• West Ham's best away win at Doncaster was the 4-1 success in the old
Division Two on 6 March 1937. Rovers have won 3-0 on two occasions and also
recorded a 4-1 triumph at home against the Hammers on 17 November 1951, also
in the old Division Two.
• James Tomkins was an unused substitute for England when they lost 1-0 to
Greece at the Keepmoat Stadium in a UEFA European U21 Championship qualifier
on 3 March 2010.
• Joey O'Brien scored at the Keepmoat Stadium for Bolton Wanderers in a 5-0
pre-season friendly win on 1 August 2008.
• Kevin Nolan scored a last-minute winner against Doncaster when Newcastle
United won 2-1 at St James' Park on 24 October 2009, en route to promotion
to the Premier League. Nolan also played in the 1-0 win at the Keepmoat
Stadium on 23 March 2010.
• Sam Allardyce was the manager of the Bolton Wanderers team featuring
Abdoulaye Faye that became the first side to beat Doncaster Rovers in the
Keepmoat Stadium when they won 4-0 in an FA Cup third-round tie on 6 January
2007. Doncaster had played their first game there five days before.
• Eleven of the Hammers' last 12 away matches have featured three or more
goals. West Ham have not won an away game since 2 February 2011, meaning
they have not won on the road in the last seven trips out of east London.
Team news
West Ham United
• Peter Kurucz (knee) and Gary O'Neil (ankle) are both definitely out.
Julien Faubert (hamstring) missed out against Cardiff last week but was back
in training this week.
• Junior Stanislas, Zavon Hines and Frank Nouble are also hoping to force
their way into the manager's matchday squad.
• New recruits George McCartney and John Carew are not yet ready to be
involved.
• Marek Stech, Jack Collison and Pablo Barrera played in midweek for Czech
Republic U21s, Wales and Mexico respectively, with the latter travelling
back to England from Philadelphia in the US on Thursday. Robert Green and
Scott Parker were back at the club on Thursday after England duty.
• Jordan Spence is on a season-long loan at Bristol City while Olly Lee and
Cristian Montano are on month-long stays at Dagenham & Redbridge and Notts
County respectively.
Doncaster Rovers
• The hosts have a number of injury problems, most notably star striker
Billy Sharp being out with an ankle injury suffered at Brighton last week.
James Hayter also hurt his knee in that match and could also be absent at
the weekend.
• Doncaster lost on-loan Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason to an ankle injury
in the midweek win against Tranmere Rovers. Also in the treatment room of
late have been James O'Connor, James Chambers, Martin Woods, Brian Stock,
Adam Lockwood, Shelton Martis and Mark Wilson.
Last time out
Sunday 7 August 2011
npower Championship
West Ham United 0-1 Cardiff City
West Ham United: Green, O'Brien, Tomkins, Reid, Ilunga, Sears (Barrera 82),
Noble (Collison 74), Parker, Nolan, Taylor, Piquionne (Cole 75)
Subs not used: Boffin, Faye
Tuesday 9 August 2011
Doncaster Rovers 3-0 Tranmere Rovers
Doncaster Rovers: Woods, Friend, Naylor (Keegan 60), Spurr, Hird, Mason
(Baxendale 79), Oster, Gillett, Bennett, Coppinger, Brown (Barnes 63)
Subs not used: Sullivan, Radford, Wilding, Ball
Goals: Brown 5 pen, Mason 29, Bennett 59
Last six meetings
(Championship unless stated)
1 March 1958 Doncaster Rovers 1-2 West Ham United (old Division Two)
19 October 1957 West Ham United 1-1 Doncaster Rovers (old Division Two)
16 March 1957 West Ham United 1-1 Doncaster Rovers (old Division Two)
3 November 1956 Doncaster Rovers 3-0 West Ham United (old Division Two)
26 March 1956 Doncaster Rovers 2-1 West Ham United (old Division Two)
22 October 1955 West Ham United 6-1 Doncaster Rovers (old Division Two)
Overall record v Doncaster Rovers (all competitions) W 7 D 5 L 10
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points)
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 to Premier League 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)
Doncaster Rovers
2010/11 Championship 21st (48 points)
2009/10 Championship 12th (60 points)
2008/09 Championship 14th (58 points)
2007/08 League One 3rd (80 points - promoted to Championship)
2006/07 League One 11th (63 points)
2005/06 League One 8th (69 points)
2004/05 League One 10th (66 points)
2003/04 Third Division (now League Two) 1st (92 points - promoted to League
One)
2002/03 Conference 4th (67 points)
2001/02 Conference 9th (58 points)
Referee
• Saturday's referee will be Scott Mathieson. He had the honour of getting
the 2011/12 npower Football League season up and running when he took charge
of Blackpool's 1-0 win at Hull City on Friday 5 August.
• He took charge of two Doncaster games last season - the 2-1 home win
against Millwall on 6 November 2010 and the 1-1 home draw with Preston North
End on 12 April 2011.
• His first and only West Ham United match to date came with the 1-1 draw at
Walsall on 20 December 2003.
Old boys
• Doncaster midfielder Giles Barnes, the nephew of former Hammers player
Bobby Barnes, is on a six-month contract at the Keepmoat Stadium.
• Players to have represented both clubs include Rufus Brevett, Brian Deane,
Fred Dell, Trevor Hartley, Jack Kirkaldie, Billy Linwood, Paul Marquis,
George Ratcliffe, Fred Shreeve, Hal Tate, George Wagstaffe, Albert Walker.
Next up
• West Ham United are on the road again on Tuesday night when they go to
Watford, while Doncaster are at home on the same evening against Nottingham
Forest.
General information
• For ticket information, click here.
• Saturday's forecast in west Yorkshire is for a cloudy day, with
temperatures peaking around the 20C mark.
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Big Sam on Thursday
WHUFC.com
The manager has spoken about George McCartney and John Carew and his hopes
for Saturday
11.08.2011
Sam Allardyce has faced the press before Saturday's trip to Doncaster Rovers
and spoke for the first time at length about his two new recruits. The
manager said his team were determined to bounce back after the opening-day
disappointment. His plans were frustrated by the midweek postponement of the
Carling Cup tie with Aldershot but he said it least meant any new injuries
were avoided.
How difficult was it to have the match postponed in midweek?
SA: We were disappointed [Aldershot was postponed] but we understand it. It
was not that there was any issue around the football. It was just there
weren't enough numbers available to police it. Everyone looks forward to the
start of a new season and then obviously the players and manager as well.
What can you do? You just have to wait for the next game to come along,
however disappointing it is.
How has it affected your plans?
SA: For me, it would have been about looking at the players that were
available and one or two of the younger ones. I have missed that opportunity
now. I haven't got as big a selection process as I might have. If players
had played it would have given them match practice and an opportunity to
show what they can do. Unfortunately that has not been the case. We have
kept them all fit which is very good and just waiting to hear if Pablo
[Barrera] is OK. It is just the cost of the journey on him [back from
Philadelphia with Mexico]. We will weigh that up in the next day or so.
Important for football to take a stand on what is going on around the
country?
SA: Football has a responsibility off the field as well as on it. You are
representing the greatest sport in the world. Certainly the Championship is
one of the biggest leagues in the world now, we know the Premier League is
the biggest but in terms of a spectator sport our division is one of the
biggest in Europe. We have a responsibility because of the coverage we get
and that is something the players know and we talk to them about. The
younger player when he gets in the first team has to think about the club as
well and how he handles himself. Others will look at him and want to be him,
for the right reasons and not the wrong ones. It is all in our code of
conduct on how we are disciplined and how you must take responsibility on
and off the pitch.
Any bids for Green, Parker and Cole?
SA: There have been no bids recently. We hope that will continue. The
players are committed to the football club… I was only disappointed in the
result last Sunday, not the performance.
You've signed John Carew. How is he doing?
SA: We have just got to get his physical condition right and get him ready
to go into the demands of the Championship. Once he is right, he will be a
major asset to us.
And George McCartney. Can you talk about his return?
SA: There are two things with that one. One is that he is a very good player
that has lost his way in the last season or so. Secondly the fact that
looking back at his history at West Ham he was a popular player and a very
good one . We have secured an opportunity for the player and the club to
come together and be as good as we used to be. We used to be in the Premier
League, hopefully he can help us get back there and then he can secure a
full-time contract with us.
Thoughts on Doncaster?
SA: It is a very nice stadium particularly compared to the old one. While a
small stadium, it is nicely designed, lovely pitch and the team is well
supported. The chairman and Sean O'Driscoll have done an outstanding job at
Doncaster and as always do not get the credit they actually deserve. For a
small club with its history to have stayed it the Championship as long as
they have is a regular and constant overachievement. With everyone working
hard together, you can reap the benefit. Sometimes you don't have the best
financial status but you can breed success with continuity, loyalty and the
backing of each other. That is a perfect example of chairman and manager
working together for the benefit of everybody.
Team's away record has been poor in recent history?
SA: Worse than poor! It is a massive pressure on ourselves as early as game
two. Instead of securing a result against Cardiff, we don't have anything,
so you go to Doncaster trying to make up for that as quickly as we can.
Getting no points at home means you have to make up with a win away
somewhere. That has to come at the earliest possible time. We do have to
overcome the awayday blues at West Ham. It really is a big problem over the
last couple of years.
Everyone has faith in you and the players seem very positive?
SA: I would be disappointed if they lost faith after one result! I am a
great believer in what is the right way and the right thing to do and to
guide the players through the more difficult periods. It is easier to remind
players what to do when things are going well but not to lose their focus on
one bad result. Keep the eye on the performance. We want to improve on that
and the result. But what we have got to do to stop hysteria is to keep calm
and win football matches. We have to win them home and away as quickly as
possible.
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Carlisle await first-round winners
WHUFC.com
West Ham United and Aldershot now know who the winners of their first-round
tie will face
11.08.2011
West Ham United will welcome Carlisle United to the Boleyn Ground if they
can overcome Aldershot Town in the Carling Cup first round. The second-round
draw took place on Thursday night, even though the Hammers' opening match in
the competition this season against the Shots was postponed on Tuesday. That
tie, which promises to be a tricky test against Dean Holdsworth's side, will
now take place on Wednesday 24 August, with all tickets at £5 for kids and
£10 for adults. No date has yet been set for the prospective second-round
fixture against the League One side, with Aldershot also sure to be
relishing the possibility of a potential home tie against a team from the
division above them. West Ham have only met Carlisle on four previous
occasions, with the most recent being a 2-0 home win in the old Division One
on 1 February 1975. The Hammers have never lost against the Cumbrian side
with three wins and a draw. The Hammers got as far as the Carling Cup
semi-final last season and were just eleven minutes from Wembley. Sam
Allardyce has a fine pedigree in the competition, having reached the final
with Bolton Wanderers in the 2003/04 season.
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Reid ready for Rovers
WHUFC.com
Winston Reid is relishing the opportunity to help the Hammers pull off an
important victory at Doncaster
11.08.2011
Winston Reid is relishing the opportunity to develop his flourishing
partnership with James Tomkins at Doncaster Rovers. The central defensive
pair have played alongside one another on four occasions so far this season
- three times in pre-season and in last Sunday's 1-0 npower Championship
defeat by Cardiff City - and conceded just two goals. The 23-year-old New
Zealand international and his 22-year-old partner may lack a little in
experience, but both are looking rock solid when challenged by opposition
attackers. "It is going well with me and Tonks," said Reid. "It is early
days for us, but I feel we coped well with the two strikers last Sunday as
they didn't get too many chances out of us. "Our understanding will come as
we play together and I am enjoying playing alongside him."
West Ham's poor defensive record was largely to blame for the club's
relegation from the Premier League last term and new manager Sam Allardyce
has placed much emphasis on the Hammers tightening things up at the back if
they are to be promoted this term. Reid confirmed that he and his fellow
defenders had been putting in the hours to ensure they will not be breached
anywhere near as often this time around. "It has been part of training,
looking at keeping tight at the back," he said. "We have been doing a lot in
defensive work. "We have kept some clean sheets in pre-season which has been
good and that is something that, as defenders and as a team, we are looking
to do as well as we can throughout the season."
If Reid and Tomkins can help to keep the opposition out on a regular basis,
then the young Kiwi has a great opportunity to better the seven starts he
made for the club during his first season at the Boleyn Ground. "I see it as
a part of growing in football, an experience," he explained. "It was tough
at times of course but that was mainly because it was tough season for
everyone, but you learn and it is always a learning curve when you first
arrive at a new club. "I am just looking to play as much as I can now. With
every game I play, hopefully I will become more confident and settled and I
can play my part for the team."
Reid insisted that, despite last Sunday's disappointment, manager Sam
Allardyce has instilled a confidence and belief in the players - himself
included - that they can bounce back to winning ways at the Keepmoat Stadium
and get their promotion train well and truly on track. "The manager has been
great," he said. "He has just said he is counting on me like all the
players, to do a job. We are looking forward to the season ahead, we have
only played one game so there is a lot to look forward to here I feel. "We
have only played one game in the new season. We all believe in ourselves and
the team that we can do what is required to get us up. It is a long season
with a lot of games ahead and we are confident we can do this. "There is a
lot of belief in this team and hopefully we can show that in our games."
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Big Sam - No bids for trio
Hammers boss has no problems with players' commitment
Last Updated: August 11, 2011 10:31pm
SSN
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed there have been no
recent bids for experienced trio Robert Green, Scott Parker and Carlton
Cole. Goalkeeper Green, midfielder Parker and striker Cole have all been
tipped to leave Upton Park before the close of the transfer window following
the Hammers' relegation from the Premier League. Green was linked with West
Brom prior to the Baggies' signing of Ben Foster, Stoke City missed out on a
deal for Cole and Tottenham Hotspur are rumoured to be interested in Parker.
All three players featured in last week's 1-0 home defeat by Cardiff City
and Allardyce confirmed the trio remain part of his plans ahead of
Saturday's Championship game at Doncaster Rovers. There have been no bids
recently," said Allardyce. "We hope that will continue. "The players are
committed to the football club. I was only disappointed in the result last
Sunday, not the performance."
McCartney deal
Meanwhile, Allardyce has expressed his delight at making George McCartney
his sixth signing after landing the full-back on loan from Sunderland. He
added: "There are two things with that one. One is that he is a very good
player that has lost his way in the last season or so. Secondly the fact
that looking back at his history at West Ham he was a popular player and a
very good one. "We have secured an opportunity for the player and the club
to come together and be as good as we used to be. "We used to be in the
Premier League, hopefully he can help us get back there and then he can
secure a full-time contract with us."
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'First Things First,' as Carlisle Await in the Carling Cup, 2nd Round!
August 12th, 2011 - 2:52 am by S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
The draw for the 2nd round of the Carling Cup took place on Thursday
evening. West Ham or Aldershot drew a home tie with Carlisle Utd. But
'first things first,' the 1st round tie has been re-arranged for the evening
of 24 August 2011; while the date of the 2nd round tie will be announced in
due course.
That 2nd round draw brought back long ago memories of a 1976 trip to Cumbria
and a 0-1 win in the old 1st Divison (courtesy of a Frank Lampard goal).
Although I cannot recall the score in the corresponding home fixture that
season? Also, hands up those fans that remember us buying, the lanky
Carlisle centre half, Bill Green in roughly the same period?
At his weekly Thursday press conference, Sam Allardyce accepted that the
seriousness of the recent civil disturbances necessitated the postponement
of the Aldershot tie. But when pressed, he did admit that he regarded it as
a lost opportunity to play his squad players and one or two of the promising
youngsters. Indeed, Allardyce stated that he would have liked to have
explored some selection options ahead of the Championship away game against
Doncaster Rovers. Inevitably, questions were also asked about West Ham's
poor away record over the last couple of seasons. Big Sam responded by
recognising that it was an issue that must be overcome. And the best way to
begin doing that was to chalk up a quick away win. One of the consequences
of the home loss, to Cardiff City, is that it puts additional pressure upon
getting 3 points in the Rovers game. Because if you drop points at home,
you inevitably need to retrieve them on the road, in order to get the
promotion campaign back on track.
And that is the reality of it. A further loss will step up the pressure
further and a third loss would quickly develop in to a mini-crisis.
Especially as a target as been publicly set of not losing more than eight
Championship matches this season! West Ham must get the result on Saturday
to stop the press fanning the flames of crisis and supporter discontent.
All due respect to Doncaster Rovers, but West Ham should win the match. If
not then we must, at the very least, secure a draw. As Allardyce as
asserted, the result against Cardiff City was bad, but the performance was
good. If we approach the match on Saturday in the right way we can come
away with the three points and set ourselves up nicely for the visit of
Leeds Utd. Approaching the game in the right way, means not taking victory
for granted, putting in the graft, making our class tell and being far more
efficient in front of goal.
The manager also confirmed that no recent bids have been received for Green,
Parker or Cole and he welcomed that. I still expect that a bid will come
in for Scott Parker before the window closes, with Spurs or Arsenal being
favourites to submit a bid. However, Green and Cole look increasingly
likely to stay. Personally, I reckon Sam has probably set a summer deadline
for receipt of bids, after which they will be duly rejected. Hence his
warning to Arry and Spurs not to leave any bid until the last minute.
There is also a report this morning that Sven wants to take Robbie Keane to
Leicester City. It could be a good move for the Foxes, after all, Keane
should still be a cut above the Championship. However, these days, whenever
Keane's name is mentioned the image that comes to mind is his glaring, point
blank, miss against Blackburn Rovers! That must surely rank with Samassi
Abou's open goal, against Arsenal, as amongst the worst Hammers misses of
all time? Please feel free to suggest any additional candidates for this
dubious distinction!
Finally, a warm welcome to George McCartney, on rejoining the club. With
McCartney, Illunga and Brown, we now have good competition for the left-back
spot. All being equal, now for another right-back, centre-back and a
striker. Will Anton Ferdinand also return on loan? It is a possibility,
although it depends on the other options available in the loan market. As
for a striker, Lafferty and Maynard are currently in the frame. Of those
two, Maynard would probably be the preferred option. But can they get
Bristol City to do the deal? Or perhaps we are all barking up the wrong
tree and a deal for a striker will come, unexpectedly, out of left field?
SJ. Chandos.
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West Ham new signing won't play at Doncaster
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Friday, August 12, 2011
8:23 AM
Hammers loan signing George McCartney will not feature at the Keepmoat
Stadium on Saturday. West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is delighted to have
secured the loan signing of former Hammer George McCartney, but he will not
be making his debut at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday. The 30-year-old left
back re-signed for West Ham on a season-long loan on Wednesday and Allardyce
is hoping that the Northern Ireland international can help return the club
to the Premier League. "He's a very good player who has lost his way in the
last season or so since he went back to Sunderland," said the manager. "But
when you look back on his history at the club, he was a very popular player
here and a very good one."
Injury and a loss of form meant that McCartney spent much of last season on
loan at Championship rivals Leeds United, but the Elland Road club did not
pursue their interest in the player. "We see it as an opportunity for us to
come together and be as good as we used to be. The club used to be in the
Premier League under George, so hopefully he can help us get back there and
he can secure a full-time contract here with us."
He will not go straight into the first team however, despite being fit. "His
fitness is very good," insisted Allardyce. "He is just lacking a competitive
game or two because he has only played two or three games in the reserves at
Sunderland. "He completed the whole of their pre-season so hopefully a
couple of behind closed doors game and then we see where he lies and goes
into the squad on the bench."
The manager has pencilled in the Carling Cup tie against Aldershot on August
24 as a possible return for the popular defender. "It would be nice to get
him started in the Aldershot game and the same goes for John Carew as well
as some of the other lads who want to impress me as a manager to select them
in the first team and to put the pressure on the lads who own the shirts at
the moment."
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Doncaster injury crisis could give West Ham a boost
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Friday, August 12, 2011
9:00 AM
West Ham will look to bounce back from their opening-day defeat at home to
Cardiff City when they travel to the Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Only a week into the new season and already Doncaster Rovers are suffering
an injury crisis. With James O'Connor, James Chambers, Martin Woods, Brian
Stock, Adam Lockwood, Shelton Martis and Mark Wilson all currently on the
treatment table, Rovers were dealt a double blow at Brighton on Saturday.
Leading 1-0 thanks to Billy Sharp's strike, all looked rosy for Doncaster
until Sharp was stretchered off, fellow striker James Hayter hobbled off and
Brighton won it in the 98th minute! However, they did bounce back on Tuesday
night with a thumping 3-0 home Carling Cup win over Tranmere. Sean
O'Driscoll has been the Rovers boss for five years now, masterminding their
rise to the heady heights of the Championship, but he is likely to be
severely tested by this injury list. While the Hammers have splashed some
cash during the summer, O'Driscoll has contented himself with free
transfers, the most notable of which is Giles Barnes, nephew of former West
Ham star Bobby Barnes, who is looking to resurrect his career after a torrid
time at West Brom.
He has always been a tricky player, much as his uncle was, and that should
make him the one to watch. Chris Brown was another free capture from Preston
and the former Norwich striker is likely to lead the line. Rovers were
fourth from bottom last season, finishing six points clear of the bottom
three and that was largely due to home form that saw them collect 30 points,
including a 3-1 victory over Premier League-bound Norwich City. They did
blow hot and cold though and a 6-0 home defeat by Ipswich Town merely
emphasises that. West Ham have not played Doncaster since 1958 when they won
2-1 at Belle Vue, though they did lose 3-0 to Rovers two years before that.
That epitomises the gulf that used to exist between these two teams. They
have not met in over half a century and if West Ham go into the game
thinking a league game against Rovers is beneath them, they are likely to
come unstuck.
Possible team: Woods, Naylor, Spurr, Friend, Dumbuya, Gillett, Coppinger,
Oster, Bennett, Barnes, Brown.
Prediction: Doncaster Rovers 0
West Ham United 2
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