Thursday, June 16

Daily WHUFC News - III 16th June 2011

Pitch passes Olympic tests
WHUFC.com
The Boleyn Ground pitch has been put through its paces ahead of the move to
the Olympic Stadium
16.06.2011

The sight of the Hammers playing football at the Boleyn Ground is a frequent
one, but the sight of them being thrown around the historic stadium is not.
However, this week a group of Olympic hopefuls were given the opportunity to
hurl hammers, discuses and javelins all over West Ham United's famous pitch.
With the playing surface about to be re-laid ahead of the 2011/12 season,
head groundsman Dougie Robertson invited the athletes and UK Athletics
officials to the ground to conduct a number of tests ahead of the planned
move to the Olympic Stadium in the summer of 2014. The aim was to see how
the Boleyn Ground pitch - a Desso Grassmaster field comprising natural grass
reinforced with synthetic grass fibres - would react to a 7.25kg hammer, 2kg
discus and a point-ended javelin landing on it. The athletes, from the
Newham and Essex Beagles club, included Great Britain Under-23 hammer throw
champion Amir Williamson, former English Schools' shot putt champion Matthew
Baptiste, javelin hopeful Demi Bromfield as well as coach and former
Olympian Paul Head and his son and fellow hammer thrower Tom. Following a
number of tests, Robertson and visiting UK Athletics project manager Rob
Borthwick declared them a success, concluding that no lasting damage would
be done to the playing surface by any athletics events held at the Hammers'
new home. Robertson said: "The testing was a complete success. The need for
the tests was to prove that a Desso stabilized surface would work with
athletics as it is does for football. "A variety of tests were carried out
to check if any damage would be caused to the heating pipes and surface
marking."

Borthwick told West Ham TV he was equally happy with the test results. "We
were here because we hope to have the same surface the club has got at the
Boleyn Ground at the Olympic Stadium," he said. "Some people have questioned
whether the two sports can live together and we've been working very closely
over the last few months and this is just part of the process. "The
technical assessment was to test whether we could use the pitch in the
summer and if it would do any damage, and I think we've conclusively proved
that it won't do any damage. "It's a good pitch for us and a good pitch for
the football club. "The one that we came here with the least confidence
about was the hammer because it goes some distance and reaches some height
and is a pretty solid object hitting the ground. "We have had a look with
the groundsman and he's very happy about the impact that it causes. He's
been able to quickly sort that and it's as right as rain so we're very
happy. "It's a relief. We work around the world in stadia that have normal
grass but West Ham have the high-quality Desso grass which is a stable
surface for football. "West Ham are famed for keeping the ball on the ground
and we want the club to have a good surface that we can work with too.
Everybody was hoping this would be the outcome, so we're delighted."

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West Ham United sign Kevin Nolan from Newcastle United
BBC.co.uk
Page last updated at 13:21 GMT, Thursday, 16 June 2011 14:21 UK
By Paul Fletcher
BBC Sport

Newcastle United captain Kevin Nolan has completed his move to West Ham
after signing a five-year contract. The 28-year-old, who played under
Hammers manager Sam Allardyce at Bolton, has joined the Championship side
for an undisclosed fee. "Having the chance to link up with Sam again is a
massive thing," said Nolan on the West Ham website. "West Ham have shown a
certain hunger and desire to make sure that I became their player." Talks
had broken down between Nolan and Newcastle over the length of a new
contract. "I am aware that the club made Kevin a good offer to stay, but
could not agree over the contract," Magpies manager Alan Pardew told the
Shields Gazette. "I would like to thank Kevin for his sterling efforts as a
player and captain of this club, especially since I took over last season.
"He displayed admirable leadership qualities, and I wish him every success
at West Ham. It's a great club and I'm sure he will thrive there."

Nolan, who is expected to take the captain's armband at Upton Park, pledged
to pay back the faith West Ham had shown in him by giving him a long deal.
"The be all and end all was that this club wanted me and the owners put
faith in me and have given me a security of contract," added Nolan. "Now
it's my time to repay them and hopefully I will do that. "I'm very sad to
leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another massive club in my eyes, and
hopefully I can be as successful as I was there [at Newcastle]. "I've come
to West Ham because of the tradition of the club and everything about it.
I've always enjoyed playing at Upton Park."

Nolan is currently recovering from surgery on an ankle injury but is
expected to be fit for the start of pre-season training. He scored 12 goals
in the Premier League last season and 18 during the 2009-10 campaign as
Newcastle won promotion back to the top flight. Nolan joined Newcastle for a
fee of £4m in January 2009 from Bolton, for whom he made almost 300
appearances after joining as a schoolboy. It is thought that the Hammers,
who were relegated from the Premier League, made an initial offer of £1.5m
for Nolan but that the eventual fee could rise to as high as £4m. The former
England Under-21 international, who was the Football League player of the
year in 2010, had a close relationship with Allardyce at Bolton. Allardyce
was appointed at the start of the month and made his first signing on
Tuesday with the capture of defender Abdoulaye Faye on a free transfer from
Stoke.

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Nolan confirmed
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 16th June 2011
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have confirmed the capture of former Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan.
The 28-year-old has, as expected, completed his move to West Ham less than
72 hours since Abdoulaye Faye, another ex-Bolton star became Sam Allardyce's
first signing for the club. Nolan - who will earn around £50,000 per week -
has signed a five-year deal with the Hammers although the fee involved,
thought to be circa £4million, remains undisclosed. The deal has been
almost overwhelmingly approved by Irons fans posting on the KUMB.com forums
- a virtually unprecedented situation. News of Nolan's signing was confirmed
by West Ham on their website at whufc.com this afternoon. "It's been a bit
of a whirlwind, but obviously once I knew that they wanted me, they have
shown a certain hunger and desire to make sure I become a West Ham player,"
he said. "Having the chance to link up with Sam again is a massive thing and
obviously coming to such a massive club is great for me. I'm very sad to
leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another massive club in my eyes and
hopefully I can start off and be as successful as I was there. "I came to
West Ham because of the tradition of the club and everything about it. I've
always enjoyed playing here and there was also the chance of linking up with
Sam and working with him again.
"The be all and end all was that the club actually wanted me and the owners
put faith in me and have given me a security of contract. Now it's my time
to repay them and hopefully I will do that."

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Championship Betting: Nolan helps West Ham woo punters
Championship / Michael Lintorn / 16 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

West Ham have made the biggest signing of the summer so far in the
Championship in the shape of Kevin Nolan, causing their title odds to crash.
Nothing screams sign of intent more than somehow persuading a player that
scored a dozen Premier League goals last season to join you in the
Championship, which is why West Ham have been backed in to be crowned
champions of the second tier after completing the shock signing of Kevin
Nolan.

Having at one stage traded at 8.6 to make an immediate return to the Premier
League in the most impressive manner achievable, the Irons jumped in from
7.6 to 6.2 after making a move that will take some beating when it comes to
judging the biggest Football League capture of the summer.

It was common knowledge that the former Bolton midfielder's future at St
James' Park was unclear after negotiations over an extension to his contract
which expires next year broke down, however it is still something of a
surprise that the 28-year-old didn't hold out for some top-flight interest.

Nolan, who was named in the PFA team of the year and netted 17 times as the
Magpies topped this division in 2008-09, has credited West Ham's offer of a
five-year deal and the presence of his ex-Bolton boss Sam Allardyce for his
decision to drop down, labelling his new side a "massive club".

Indeed, the luring of Allardyce and Nolan to east London, in addition to the
arrival of Abdoulaye Faye and planned purchase of five more players leaves
it possible that they will end the window in better nick than they started
it, despite the expected exits of Robert Green, Scott Parker and Demba Ba.

But while their business to date gives them a great chance of promotion, it
is worth noting that a relegated team have taken the title in just two of
the last 11 seasons, and West Ham have only ever won the league twice, so
though a top-six finish looks likely at 1.43, don't bank on them for top
spot.

Leicester are the most fancied of the clubs already there to claim first
place at 7.8, with support also shown for Reading [13.5], Middlesbrough
[14.0] and Steve McClaren's new side Nottingham Forest [15.0].

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Hammers seal Nolan deal
Midfielder leaves Newcastle to sign five-year contract at Upton Park
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @skygraemebailey. Last Updated: June
16, 2011 2:58pm
SSN

West Ham United have confirmed the signing of midfielder Kevin Nolan from
Newcastle United. The 28-year-old has put pen-to-paper on a five-year deal
after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee, believed to be £3million.
Nolan finds himself reunited with his former Bolton boss Sam Allardyce at
Upton Park. "It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but obviously once I knew that
they wanted me, they have shown a certain hunger and desire to make sure I
become a West Ham player," said Nolan.
"Having the chance to link up with Sam again is a massive thing and
obviously coming to such a massive club is great for me. I'm very sad to
leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another massive club in my eyes and
hopefully I can start off and be as successful as I was there. "I came to
West Ham because of the tradition of the club and everything about it. I've
always enjoyed playing here and there was also the chance of linking up with
Sam and working with him again. "The be all and end all was that the club
actually wanted me and the owners put faith in me and have given me a
security of contract. Now it's my time to repay them and hopefully I will do
that."

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Nolan Signs for 5 Years
June 16th, 2011 - 2:17 pm by Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die

It has just been confirmed on the club website that Kevin Nolan has become a
West Ham player. He's on a 5 year deal, said to be worth £55k a week.
Personally, I think this is a fabulous signing, and a real statement of
intent. It's highly likely he will be given the captain's armband, assuming
Scott Parker does indeed leave. Spurs today bid £4 million for Parker, which
is laughable. I hope they were given a real flea in their ear. Personally,
if he has to go, I hope it is to Arsenal.

There are persistent rumours that Ricardo Gardner will be the club's next
signing, and that Craig Bellamy and Jimmy Bullard are also being looked at.
I'm rather encouraged that this is the quality of player we're looking at,
even if they all seem to be getting on a bit. They've all been there, done
that, and experience may be vital in getting us back into the Premier League
at the first attempt.

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Nolan seals West Ham switch
Published: Today
The Sun

WEST HAM have completed the £3.5million signing of Kevin Nolan from
Newcastle. The Toon skipper, 28, has penned a five-year contract at Upton
Park. He links up with former boss Sam Allardyce who he worked with at
Bolton. Nolan said: "It's been a bit of a whirlwind. "They have shown a
certain hunger and desire to make sure I become a West Ham player. "Having
the chance to link up with Sam again is a massive thing and obviously coming
to such a massive club is great for me. "I'm very sad to leave Newcastle but
I'm coming to another massive club in my eyes and hopefully I can start off
and be as successful as I was there. "I came to West Ham because of the
tradition of the club and everything about it. "I've always enjoyed playing
here and there was also the chance of linking up with Sam and working with
him again. "The be all and end all was that the club actually wanted me and
the owners put faith in me and have given me a security of contract. "Now
it's my time to repay them and hopefully I will do that."

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Kevin Nolan praises Big Sam and 'massive' new club plus aims dig at
Newcastle
Published 15:03 16/06/11 By Football Spy
The Mirror

Kevin Nolan today completed his surprise move to relegated West Ham. The
28-year-old midfielder has left Newcastle for an undisclosed fee, believed
to be up to £4million, and agreed a five-year deal at Upton Park. New
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce will make Nolan the club's captain in the hope he
can repeat his heroics of two seasons ago, when his 17 goals helped the
Magpies bounce straight back into the Barclays Premier League after their
relegation. The deal is a real coup for Allardyce, who has landed a player
he knows well from their successful spell together at Bolton and who hit 12
top-flight goals last term. As well as taking over as skipper from the
out-of-contract Matt Upson, Nolan's arrival will also soften the blow of
Scott Parker's inevitable move back to the Premier League with Tottenham his
likely destination.

However, Nolan's departure from St James' Park, after he failed to agree an
extension to his contract, has not gone down well on Tyneside with fellow
midfielder Joey Barton admitting the news made him feel "sick". And Nolan
himself admitted the move came out of the blue. "It's been a bit of a
whirlwind, but obviously once I knew they wanted me, they have shown a
certain hunger and desire to make sure I become a West Ham player," he told
www.whufc.com. "Having the chance to link up with Sam again is a massive
thing and obviously coming to such a massive club is great for me. "I'm very
sad to leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another massive club in my eyes,
and hopefully I can be as successful as I was there. "I've come to West Ham
because of the tradition of the club and everything about it. I've always
enjoyed playing here and there was also the chance of linking up with Sam
and working with him again."

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew today admitted the Magpies could not reach an
agreement with their skipper over the length of his new contract. And Nolan
added: "The be all and end all was that this club wanted me and the owners
put faith in me and have given me a security of contract. Now it's my time
to repay them and hopefully I will do that." Pardew, a former boss at Upton
Park, said: "I would like to thank Kevin for his sterling efforts as a
player and captain of this club, especially since I took over last season.
"He displayed admirable leadership qualities and I wish him every success at
West Ham. It's a great club and I'm sure he will thrive there. "We are
looking to complete on a number of deals over the next month or so and I am
sure with the quality of signings I anticipate coming into the club, we
should look forward to exciting times in the upcoming season as we look to
establish the club as a genuine force in the top half of the Premier
League."

The Hammers had already added defender Abdoulaye Faye to their squad and a
third ex-Bolton player, full-back Ricardo Gardner, is expected to join
imminently.
Allardyce wants to bring in at least another four players with a striker
next on his wishlist

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Kevin Nolan completes move from Newcastle to West Ham
28-year-old will be new West Ham captain
Fee for midfielder believed to be up to £4m
Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 16 June 2011 14.35 BST

Kevin Nolan has completed his move from Newcastle to relegated West Ham for
an undisclosed fee, believed to be up to £4m. The 28-year-old midfielder,
who has agreed a five-year deal at Upton Park, will also become the club's
new captain, replacing the out-of-contract Matthew Upson. The deal is a coup
for the new West Ham manager, Sam Allardyce, who knows Nolan well from their
successful spell together at Bolton. Nolan admitted the move came out of the
blue. "It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but obviously once I knew they wanted
me, they have shown a certain hunger and desire to make sure I become a West
Ham player," he told the club's website. "Having the chance to link up with
Sam again is a massive thing and obviously coming to such a massive club is
great for me. I'm very sad to leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another
massive club in my eyes, and hopefully I can be as successful as I was
there. "I've come to West Ham because of the tradition of the club and
everything about it. I've always enjoyed playing here and there was also the
chance of linking up with Sam and working with him again."

The Newcastle manager, Alan Pardew, said: "I would like to thank Kevin for
his sterling efforts as a player and captain of this club, especially since
I took over last season. "He displayed admirable leadership qualities and I
wish him every success at West Ham. It's a great club and I'm sure he will
thrive there. "We are looking to complete on a number of deals over the next
month or so and I am sure with the quality of signings I anticipate coming
into the club, we should look forward to exciting times in the upcoming
season as we look to establish the club as a genuine force in the top half
of the Premier League."

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West Ham sign Kevin Nolan from Newcastle United
Kevin Nolan has completed his surprise move to relegated West Ham.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Telegraph staff and agencies2:13PM BST 16 Jun 20112

The 28-year-old midfielder has left Newcastle for an undisclosed fee,
believed to be up to £4 million, and agreed a five-year deal at Upton Park.
New West Ham manager Sam Allardyce will make Nolan the club's captain in the
hope he can repeat his heroics of two seasons ago, when his 17 goals helped
Newcastle bounce straight back into the Premier League after their
relegation. The deal is a real coup for Allardyce, who has landed a player
he knows well from their successful spell together at Bolton and who hit 12
top-flight goals last term. As well as taking over as skipper from the
out-of-contract Matt Upson, Nolan's arrival will also soften the blow of
Scott Parker's inevitable move back to the Premier League with Tottenham his
likely destination. However, Nolan's departure from St James' Park, after he
failed to agree an extension to his contract, has not gone down well on
Tyneside with fellow midfielder Joey Barton admitting the news made him feel
"sick".

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but obviously once I knew they wanted me,
they have shown a certain hunger and desire to make sure I become a West Ham
player," he said. "Having the chance to link up with Sam again is a massive
thing and obviously coming to such a massive club is great for me. "I'm very
sad to leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another massive club in my eyes,
and hopefully I can be as successful as I was there. "I've come to West Ham
because of the tradition of the club and everything about it. I've always
enjoyed playing here and there was also the chance of linking up with Sam
and working with him again."

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has admitted the club could not reach an
agreement with their skipper over the length of his new contract. And Nolan
added: "The be all and end all was that this club wanted me and the owners
put faith in me and have given me a security of contract. Now it's my time
to repay them and hopefully I will do that." Pardew, a former manager at
Upton Park, said: "I would like to thank Kevin for his sterling efforts as a
player and captain of this club, especially since I took over last season.
"He displayed admirable leadership qualities and I wish him every success at
West Ham. It's a great club and I'm sure he will thrive there.
"We are looking to complete on a number of deals over the next month or so
and I am sure with the quality of signings I anticipate coming into the
club, we should look forward to exciting times in the upcoming season as we
look to establish the club as a genuine force in the top half of the Premier
League."

West Ham had already added defender Abdoulaye Faye to their squad and a
third ex-Bolton player, full-back Ricardo Gardner, is expected to join
imminently.
Allardyce wants to bring in at least another four players with a striker
next on his wishlist.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - II 16th June 2011

Hammers nab Nolan
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have completed the signing of Newcastle United captain Kevin
Nolan
16.06.2011

West Ham United are delighted to confirm the signing of Kevin Nolan from
Newcastle United. The highly-rated midfielder has joined the Hammers on a
five-year contract for an undisclosed fee and is expected to form an
integral part of manager Sam Allardyce's squad. The powerful 28-year-old,
who previously worked under Allardyce during a successful ten-year spell at
Bolton Wanderers, becomes the club's second summer signing following the
capture of Abdoulaye Faye from Stoke City.
"It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but obviously once I knew that they wanted
me, they have shown a certain hunger and desire to make sure I become a West
Ham player," said Nolan. "Having the chance to link up with Sam again is a
massive thing and obviously coming to such a massive club is great for me.
I'm very sad to leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another massive club in my
eyes and hopefully I can start off and be as successful as I was there. "I
came to West Ham because of the tradition of the club and everything about
it. I've always enjoyed playing here and there was also the chance of
linking up with Sam and working with him again.
"The be all and end all was that the club actually wanted me and the owners
put faith in me and have given me a security of contract. Now it's my time
to repay them and hopefully I will do that."

The club hope to bring at least seven new players to the Boleyn Ground over
the summer as the new manager puts together a squad capable of winning
promotion to the Premier League at the first attempt. The Liverpool-born
player has long been considered one of the best attacking midfield players
in English football, scoring 80 goals in 436 career appearances in all
competitions. An influential figure, Nolan captained Bolton for four years
before being handed the armband again following his £4m move to Newcastle in
January 2009. The 6ft midfielder knows exactly what is needed to get out of
the Championship, having gained promotion with both Bolton in 2000/01 and
Newcastle in 2009/10 - a campaign that also saw him voted into the PFA
Championship Team of the Year by his fellow professionals. Nolan also helped
the Trotters to reach the 2004 League Cup final and made 12 appearances in
the UEFA Cup, scoring in victories over PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv and FC Zenit
Saint Petersburg during the 2005/06 season. In all, the former England
Under-21 international totalled 345 appearances and 50 goals for Bolton
before making a successful switch to Newcastle two-and-a-half years ago.
Nolan enjoyed a productive time at St James' Park, scoring 18 goals as the
Magpies soared to the Championship title in 2009/10 before netting 12 more
as Newcastle finished last season 12th in the Premier League table.

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Hammers draw Shots in Carling Cup
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will host Aldershot Town in the Carling Cup first round
following Thursday's draw
15.06.2011

West Ham United will host Aldershot Town in the Carling Cup first round
following Thursday morning's draw. The Hammers, who reached the semi-finals
of the same competition last season, were seeded and placed in the Southern
section of the draw, meaning they avoided the eleven other Championship
clubs in the draw. The first-round tie will be played in the week commencing
Monday 8 August 2011. The final will take place at Wembley on Sunday 26
February 2012. Aldershot, who are managed by former Wimbledon and Bolton
Wanderers striker Dean Holdsworth, finished 14th in League Two last season.
The Shots have never got past the third-round stage of the League Cup and
were beaten 3-0 at home by Watford in last season's first round.

Holdsworth played under new West Ham manager Sam Allardyce for four seasons
at the Reebok Stadium before embarking on a successful coaching career with
Newport County following his retirement. He has been in charge at the
Recreation Ground since January 2011. West Ham have reached the League Cup
final on two previous occasions, finishing as runners-up to West Bromwich
Albion in 1966 and Liverpool in 1981. Outside of wartime football and minor
cup competitions, West Ham have met Aldershot just twice previously. The
Hammers were held to a goalless FA Cup third-round draw at the Boleyn Ground
on 5 January 1991 before completing a 6-1 replay victory at the same venue
eleven days later.

Among the players who have represented both clubs are Dale Banton, Bobby
Barnes, Alan Dickie, Neil Finn, George Matthews, Reg Wade and Alan Wooler.

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Pre-season update
WHUFC.com
A West Ham United XI will travel to Blue Square North side Bishop's
Stortford on Saturday 16 July
16.06.2011

A West Ham United XI will contest a pre-season friendly match at Blue Square
Bet North club Bishop's Stortford in the build-up to the 2011/12 campaign.
The club's Woodside Park home is well-known to the club as it has regularly
played host to West Ham's reserve-team fixtures in recent seasons. The club
also took Hammers reserve-team captain Callum McNaughton (pictured) on loan
last season.

The first-team squad will prepare for their npower Championship promotion
push by partaking in a busy pre-season schedule at home and abroad. Sam
Allardyce will take his players to Switzerland for the four-team Uhren Cup
competition, where they will face Swiss Super League champions FC Basel and
third-placed BSC Young Boys before returning to England for fixtures at
League One new boys Wycombe Wanderers and League Two side Dagenham &
Redbridge. An extra 500 tickets has been made available for the trip to
Wycombe on Saturday 23 July, taking the club's total allocation to 1,000.
Further tickets may be released to Hammers supporters should there be
sufficient demand.

Tickets for the visit to Adams Park are priced at £12 for Adults, £6 for
Seniors/Students and £4 for Juniors. To purchase, call in person at the West
Stand Ticket Office, telephone 0871 222 2700 or send a cheque or postal
order to The Ticket Office, PO Box 6731, London, E13 9RA.

Pre-season friendly schedule

Monday 11 July, 6pm - BSC Young Boys v West Ham United (Uhren Cup, Bruhl
Stadium, Grenchen, Switzerland)

Wednesday 13 July, 7.30pm - FC Basel v West Ham United (Uhren Cup, Bruhl
Stadium, Grenchen, Switzerland)

Saturday 16 July, 3pm - Bishops Stortford v West Ham United XI (Woodside
Park)

Saturday 23 July, 3pm - Wycombe Wanderers v West Ham United (Adams Park)

Tuesday 26 July, 7.45pm - Dagenham & Redbridge v West Ham United (Victoria
Road)

Tuesday 2 August, 7.45pm - Sutton United v West Ham United XI (Borough
Sports Ground, Ganders Green Lane)

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Demba Ba close to move from West Ham to Newcastle
BBC.co.uk
Page last updated at 11:03 GMT, Thursday, 16 June 2011 12:03 UK

Newcastle United hope to finalise a deal for West Ham striker Demba Ba
within the next 24 hours. The Senegal international is expected to travel to
Tyneside for talks.
The 26-year-old former Hoffenheim forward is understood to have a release
clause in the three-year contract he signed with West Ham in January. Ba
scored seven goals in 13 appearances for the Hammers in the 2010/2011
season, but could not prevent their relegation from the Premier League. If
the deal goes through, he will become the first high-profile name to leave
West Ham following their drop down to the Championship. Newcastle boss Alan
Pardew is known to be in the market for at least one striker following Andy
Carroll's £35m move to Liverpool in January. "We are looking to complete on
a number of deals over the next month or so," Pardew told the Shields
Gazette. "I am sure with the quality of signings I anticipate coming into
the club, we should look forward to exciting times in the upcoming season as
we look to establish the club as a genuine force in the top half of the
Premier League."

Ba's potential transfer comes as Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan heads in the
opposite direction, with the 28-year-old midfielder expected to complete a
switch to Upton Park on Thursday. His impending departure is a blow for
Pardew, who was keen to retain the services of Nolan, Joey Barton and Jose
Enrique, three of his highest earners. However, Nolan rejected the terms of
an extension, Barton has not been offered a new deal and Enrique is yet to
respond to Newcastle's contract proposal.

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Pards on Nolan
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 16th June 2011
By: Staff Writer

Alan Pardew has wished his former captain Kevin Nolan well with his
impending move to West Ham. Pardew, who managed the Irons between 2004 and
2007 admitted that he was disappointed to lose the 28-year-old midfielder -
but insisted that Nolan will be a huge success at the Boleyn Ground. "I
would like to thank Kevin for his sterling efforts as a player and captain
of this club, especially since I took over last season," Pardew told the
Shields Gazette. "He displayed admirable leadership qualities, and I wish
him every success at West Ham. It's a great club and I'm sure he will thrive
there."

Pardew also revealed that he had tried to hold on to Nolan, but insisted
that there would be no hard feelings despite his decision to leave the north
east. "I am aware that the club made Kevin a good offer to stay, but could
not agree over the length of the contract offered," added Pardew. "This
obviously happens in football and everybody needs to move on."

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Pardew urges fans to move on
Toon boss wants to draw line under impending Nolan departure
Last Updated: June 16, 2011 1:00pm
SSN

Alan Pardew has called on Newcastle and their fans to move on from the
imminent exit of captain Kevin Nolan. The 28-year-old midfielder is expected
to wrap up his move to West Ham on Thursday for an undisclosed fee, thought
to be in the region of £4million, after spurning a contract extension with
the Magpies. Manager Pardew had hoped to keep last season's 12-goal leading
scorer Nolan, who had two years remaining on his contract, but admits the
two parties simply could not reach an agreement. He told the Shields
Gazette: "I am aware that the club made Kevin a good offer to stay, but
could not agree over the length of the contract offered. "This obviously
happens in football and everybody needs to move on. "I would like to thank
Kevin for his sterling efforts as a player and captain of this club,
especially since I took over last season. "He displayed admirable leadership
qualities, and I wish him every success at West Ham. It's a great club and
I'm sure he will thrive there."

Nolan was finalising the details of his transfer as the Magpies closed in on
two of their targets, with Hammers striker Demba Ba due on Tyneside on
Thursday and the move for Swansea full-back Neil Taylor progressing. Pardew,
who has already signed Lille midfielder Yohan Cabaye, has an interest in
several other men, including Paris St Germain striker Mevlut Erding, Bayer
Leverkusen midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta and St Etienne's Blaise Matuidi,
and is confident he will strengthen his squad despite Nolan's imminent
departure. He said: "We are looking to complete on a number of deals over
the next month or so, and I am sure with the quality of signings I
anticipate coming into the club, we should look forward to exciting times in
the upcoming season as we look to establish the club as a genuine force in
the top half of the Premier League."

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Parker bid rejected
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 16th June 2011
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are understood to have rejected a derisory bid for Scott Parker
from Tottenham. According to reports, the north London club placed a
£4million bid for the current Football Writers' Player of the Year - less
than half the price West Ham have privately placed on the midfielder's head.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ba set for Toon move
Newcastle win race for West Ham striker
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @skygraemebailey. Last Updated: June
16, 2011 9:54am
SSN

Newcastle United have won the race for Demba Ba, Sky Sports sources
understand. A number of clubs have been tracking Ba since it emerged he
could leave on a free transfer following West Ham's relegation from the
Premier League. The Senegal international has been weighing up his options,
but it emerged it was a straight fight between Everton and Newcastle. Ba has
now decided that his future is best served on Tyneside, and Sky Sports
sources understand he is now travelling to the North East. The 26-year-old
will finalise his deal in the next 24 hours and could be confirmed as a
Newcastle player before the weekend.

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Aldershot in the Carling Cup
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 16th June 2011
By: Staff Writer

West Ham will face Aldershot in the first round of the Carling Cup. The
League Two outfit - who finished 14th last season - will visit the Boleyn
Ground in the second week of the season, a few days after West Ham's first
Championship fixture. The two clubs have only met on two previous occasions
in their history; both meetings came in the third round of the FA Cup back
in 1991 when Aldershot gave up home advantage before holding the Irons to a
goalless draw at the Boleyn. West Ham won the third round replay 6-1
through goals from Trevor Morley (2), George Parris, Stuart Slater, Ian
Bishop and Jimmy Quinn. The highlight of the first round draw is undoubtedly
the all Nottingham derby between Forest and Notts County. All ties take
place in the week commencing 8th August.

Full first round draw

Rochdale v Chesterfield
Port Vale v Huddersfield Town
Rotherham United v Leicester City
Hull City v Macclesfield Town
Hartlepool United v Sheffield United
Leeds United v Bradford City
Doncaster Rovers v Tranmere Rovers
Walsall v Middlesbrough
Barnsley v Morecambe
Accrington Stanley v Scunthorpe United
Derby County v Shrewsbury Town
Oldham Athletic v Carlisle United
Bury v Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday v Blackpool
Burnley v Burton Albion
Preston North End v Crewe Alexandra
Nottingham Forest v Notts County
Brighton & Hove Albion v Gillingham
AFC Bournemouth v Dagenham & Redbridge
Ipswich Town v Northampton Town
Cheltenham Town v Milton Keynes Dons
Bristol Rovers v Watford
Plymouth Argyle v Millwall
Oxford United v Cardiff City
West Ham United v Aldershot Town
Southampton v Torquay United
Charlton Athletic v Reading
Portsmouth v Barnet
Stevenage v Peterborough United
Southend United v Leyton Orient
Wycombe Wanderers v Colchester United
Hereford United v Brentford
Exeter City v Yeovil Town
Bristol City v Swindon Town
Crystal Palace v Crawley Town/AFC Wimbledon

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The unwanted
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 16th June 2011
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have contributed eight players to the Premier League's end of
season list of free agents. The list - some 123 players long - was published
by the Premier League last night. West Ham, Birmingham and Blackpool are
included despite being relegated last season. The eight released by West Ham
are Anthony Edgar, Holmar Orn Eyjoffson, Danny Gabbidon, Lars Jacobsen,
Filip Modelski, Jonathan Spector, Adam Street and former club captain
Matthew Upson.

The full list is as follows:

Arsenal: Thomas Cruise, Roarie Deacon, Mark Randall.

Aston Villa: Durrell Berry, John Carew, Ellis Deeney, Calum Flanagan, Harry
Forrester, Arsenio Halfhuid, Isaiah Osbourne, Robert Pires, Nigel Reo-Coker,
Moustapha Salifou.

Birmingham City: Marcus Bent, Lee Bowyer, Sebastian Larsson, James McFadden,
Mitchell McPike, James O'Shea, Stuart Parnaby, Kevin Phillips, Daniel
Preston, Luke Rowe, Robin Shroot, Maik Taylor.

Blackburn Rovers: Jordan Bowen, Jason Brown, Zurab Khizanishvili, Benjani
Mwaruwari, Michael Potts, Maceo Rigters.

Blackpool: David Carney, Daniel Coid, Ishmel Demontagnac, Rob Edwards, Jason
Euell, Marlon Harewood, Richard Kingson, Malaury Martin, Paul Rachubka, Andy
Reid, Salaheddine Sbai.

Bolton Wanderers: Tamir Cohen, Johan Elmander, Ricardo Gardner, Joey
O'Brien, Jlloyd Samuel, Samuel Sheridan.

Chelsea: Samuel Hutchinson, Carl Magnay, Danny Philliskirk, Jan Sebek,
Michael Woods.

Everton: Kieran Agard, Hope Akpan, Nathan Craig, Gerard Kinsella, Lee
McArdle, Iain Turner.

Fulham: Zoltan Gera, Eddie Johnson, Diomansy Kamara, John Pantsil, Matthew
Saunders.

Liverpool: Jason Banton, Deale Chamberlain, Douglas Cooper, Sean Highdale,
Steven Irwin, Nikola Saric.

Manchester City: Javier Garrido, Scott Kay, James Poole, Shaleum Logan,
Andrew Tutte, Javan Vidal, Patrick Vieira, James Wood.

Manchester United: Conor Devlin, Owen Hargreaves, Gary Neville, Paul
Scholes, Edwin van der Sar.

Newcastle United: Sol Campbell, Shefki Kuqi, Patrick McLaughlin.

Stoke City: Abdoulaye Faye, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Ibrahima Sonko.

Sunderland: Michael Kay, Nathan Luscombe, Daniel Madden, Robert Weir, Nathan
Wilson, Mvoto Jean-Yves, Bolo Zenden.

Tottenham Hotspur: Jonathan Woodgate.

West Bromwich Albion: Giles Barnes, Marcus Haber, Dean Kiely, Abdoulaye
Méîté.

West Ham United: Anthony Edgar, Holmar Eyjolfsson, Daniel Gabbidon, Lars
Jacobsen, Filip Modelski, Jonathan Spector, Adam Street, Matthew Upson.

Wigan Athletic: Steven Caldwell, Daniel De Ridder, Joseph Holt, Jason
Koumas, Thomas Lambert, Thomas Oakes, Francis Pollitt, Abian Serrano Davila.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Adriano Basso, Jody Craddock, John Dunleavy, Marcus
Hahnemann, David Jones, Nathan Rooney.

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Exclusive - Ward: Allardyce's old boys can take West Ham back up
TalkSport
By Nick Rostron-Pike
Thursday, June 16

Mark Ward has claimed Sam Allardyce will take West Ham back to the Premier
League if he continues to go back to the future. The Hammers boss is set to
complete a deal for Kevin Nolan this week and the Newcastle captain could be
joined at Upton Park by Bolton winger Ricardo Gardner. Both midfielders
played under Allardyce at the Trotters and Ward believes this familiarity
will breed success in east London for the former Newcastle manager. Speaking
to the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show, he said: "Nolan is going to be a
great buy for West Ham. "Sam has got to get his boys behind him and the one
thing that needs to happen this season is for West Ham to get out of this
division. "They're going to move to the Olympic Stadium and a lot of the
fans aren't happy. It's paramount that they get out of that division for the
supporters. "Sam Allardyce is an excellent appointment. When he gets the
boys that he trusts, the likes of Kevin Nolan, people who he's worked with,
he'll get them straight back up."

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Norwich City interested in Luis Boa Morte
June 15, 2011 · 3 Comments
Footie-online.co.uk

Footie Online has heard from our sources that Premiership new boys Norwich
City are interested in signing West Ham's Luis Boa Morte. The 33 year old
winger who started out his career at Arsenal has a wealth of experience
playing in the top flight, with West Ham and also Fulham West Ham who are
adjusting to life as a Championship club would be keen to offload Boa Morte,
who last summer signed a new two year deal at Upton Park. Being one of the
highest paid players on the books at West Ham, manager Sam Allardyce could
well be tempted to sell Boa Morte to Norwich for a nominal fee.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 16th June 2011

Hammers close on double deal
Allardyce set to sign two players of Premier League quality
Last Updated: June 15, 2011 5:00pm
SSN

West Ham have announced they expect to confirm the signings of two 'proven
Premier League players' within the next 24 hours. The Hammers are preparing
for life in the Championship next season after suffering relegation from the
top flight last month, and there is likely to be plenty of transfer activity
in and out of Upton Park.
While a number of the club's high-profile names have been linked with moves
elsewhere, new manager Sam Allardyce has already started working on
potential reinforcements. Newcastle midfielder Kevin Nolan has been
identified as a primary target and is having a medical at West Ham after a
fee was agreed between the clubs. The Hammers have now declared they are
close to clinching a double deal and hope to have further news by Thursday
evening. "West Ham United can confirm that the club hope to announce two new
signings - both proven Premier League players - within the next 24 hours,"
read an official statement. The statement added that West Ham, who have
already brought in Senegal centre-back Abdoulaye Faye, expect to make at
least seven signings this summer.

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Hammers to grab Gardner
Left-back set to move to Upton Park on free transfer
Last Updated: June 15, 2011 8:06pm
SSN

Skysports.com understands West Ham are poised to sign Ricardo Gardner on a
free transfer. The Jamaican left-back is available after seeing out his
contract at Bolton and is now expected to pen a two-year deal at Upton Park.
He was offered the chance to stay at the Reebok Stadium but has decided to
embark on a new challenge with the Hammers. West Ham are preparing to mount
a challenge for promotion from the Championship and announced earlier on
Wednesday that they were set to bring in two 'proven Premier League players'
within the next 24 hours. Gardner certainly fits into that category, having
plied his trade with the Trotters for the majority of his career. He joined
Bolton from homeland club Harbour View in 1998 and was a virtual
ever-present in the team until last season, when he had a spell on loan with
Preston. Newcastle midfielder Kevin Nolan is also expected to seal a switch
to West Ham after undergoing a medical with the Londoners.

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The Hammers Go the Extra Mile!
June 15th, 2011 - 10:51 pm by S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

In my last blog post I urged the club to 'go the extra mile' and submit an
improved bid for Kevin Nolan. It appears that is exactly what they did and,
as things stand tonight, Nolan is on the verge of signing. Make no mistake,
this is potentially a pivotal deal for the club. It sends out the message
that West Ham are deadly serious about winning promotion next season. More
importantly, it secures the club a true leader as club captain, someone who
exercises a positive influence both on and off the pitch. With Faye, signed
earlier this week, we have signed two strong, committed players who will
provide the steel and leadership that we are going to need to get out of the
Championship.

Sure, Faye had a few injury problems last season, but overall his career
injury record is good. Hopefully, he was just unlucky with injuries last
season. But one thing is clear, Faye was a bit of a cult hero at Stoke
City, for his commitment and monumentual performances at centre half. Rest
assured, there is less likely to be uncontested, soft headed goals conceded
with Faye in the team. He is 33 years of age, but Faye can do a good job at
Championship level and he is just the sort of experienced player that we
needed at centre back. Moreover, the likes of Tomkins, Spence and Fry will
benefit from playing alongside such an experienced player and, hopefully,
they will learn from him.

The impending Nolan deal is very good news for West Ham. I cannot believe
that Alan Pardew is happy about losing such an influential player, after all
Nolan has been Newcastle Utd's leading scorer in each of the last two
seasons (17 in the Championship promotion season and 12 in the PL last
season). To me, it smacks more of a board level dictated decision to sell,
I may be wrong, but that is how it appears to me. They have allegedly
implemented this club policy of not giving long-term contracts to players
over a certain age and that is the context within which the Nolan move has
become possible.

As I said previously, a first choice midfield including Nolan, Noble and
Collison will easily be the best in the Championship. It has power,
tenacity, running, passing/vision and goals. Nolan will become the new club
captain, but both Noble and Collison must also take extra responsibility
next season. For me, there is a misplaced emphasis upon Noble's alleged
lack of pace. For goodness sake, he is not that sort of box to box
midfielder. He is a passer of the ball, a player that can dictate play and
has the vision to create openings for others. He is a midfielder in the
mould of Danny Blanchflower, Johnny Haynes or Johny Giles, none of whom had
any pace, but regally dictated play with the quality of their vision and
passing. And I really do not care if anyone scoffs at the comparison with
those greats, Noble has the ability to become that sort of player and,
hopefully, a season in the Championship will give him the belief and
confidence to do it.

Look at the 3-3 draw with WBA last season. Parker (for that speech at
half-time) and Ba (for his goals) rightly got credit for the come back, but
whose passing created those second half goals, Mark Noble. He admittedly
made mistakes at times last season (i.e. against Villa at home), but now
needs to show his greater maturity and start playing to his strengths. With
Nolan and Collison as his midfield partners, he should be able to take on
the play maker role and stamp his authority on matches. The problem with
the modern English game is that midfield play has become all about pace and
power, box-to-box type players, at the expense of artistry and guile.
Playmakers have increasingly come to be seen as a bit of a luxury and that
is wrong. As long as the balance is right then there should be room for
these skillful ball players. The fans of a club like West Ham, with a
tradition of midfield play makers stretching from Len Goulden through
Stanley Earle, Phil Woosman, Martin Peters, Trevor Brooking, Alan Devonshire
to Eyal Berkovic and Yossi Benayoun, will appreciate their value more than
most!

Another player that should progress next season is Jack Collison. Collison
is a fantastic player, who can do the' box-to- box' thing, but is also a
very good passer of the ball. Collison is a midfielder with goals in him
and he must develop that aspect of his game. I am anticipating that a
season in the Championship will be the making of him. If we get Nolan, as
now looks likely, we must ensure that we keep Noble and Collison. In
addition, we should also strive to retain Jon Spector at the club. He has
shown that he can do a good job in midfield and will have no problems
impressing in the Championship. Then it is a matter of keeping either Kovac
or Boa Morte next season or bringing in another midfielder as cover; if none
of the Academy midfielders are yet ready for regular starts. We will need
strength in depth next season, with 46 Championship matches, plus cup ties.
Personally, I would use the cup matches next season to give playing time to
squad players and blood promising youngsters. Nothing must distract us from
the goal of promotion next season!

So it appears that Sam Allardyce is following the time honoured strategy of
building the spine of the team first. He has brought in a strong centre
half and a midfield leader, will a striker follow next? It also begs the
question, what is going to happen with our keeper next season? Will Rob
Green stay or will Stech or Boffin step up? Personally, I might be tempted
to give Stech his big chance in the first team, with an experience keeper
coming in as an insurance policy. But we shall see, no doubt the issue is
on Allardyce's 'to do list.'

There are strong rumours that we are showing an interest in Everton's
Yakubu. A move to Leicester City has apparently broken down and West Ham
might be ready to make a move. He certainly scored goals last season on
loan to Leicester City, but if we do make a move it will not be for the £6m
fee, allegedly, offered last season. Everton must be kicking themselves
over knocking back that bid! There is also a story that Richardo Gardner
could be signed in tandem with Kevin Nolan. Gardner is not a player that I
have strong views about one way or the other, to be honest. But he is left
sided, can play right along that flank and that is an area that needs
addressing in the rebalancing of the squad.

So, the transfer deals have started. I have a feeling that there might be
some more surprising deals in the coming weeks. Scott Parker will go, if
West Ham's valuation is met and Ba and Hitzlsperger are allegedly already
gone. I am not so sure about Rob Green and Carlton Cole though? The
concensus has it that Green is being lined up by Aston Villa, while Cole is
interesting Stoke City and QPR. However, it has been reported that Stoke
City are only intending to bid £3.5m for Cole. For that sort of silly fee,
he might as well stay and fight for his place.

Whatever, no doubt Sam Allardyce will check to see if player-exchange deals
are possible as part of any big money outgoing deals. For instance, it may
'go against the grain' to sell to Spurs, but there are one or two of their
players that might strengthen our squad if they could be included in any
deal of Parker. Heresy I know, but our one and only focus must be on West
Ham achieving promotion and getting in the players to make it happen. Much
admired ex-players and disliked PL rivals can just get on with it next
season and we will, hopefully, see them in 2012-13!

SJ. Chandos.

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Hammers splash £16.5m on Nolan
Published: Today
The Sun

WEST HAM were last night celebrating after signing Kevin Nolan - but it will
cost them a massive £16.5million. Newcastle's captain had a medical at Upton
Park having put pen to paper on a five-year contract worth around £50,000 a
week. Throw in a £3.5m fee plus a further £500,000 if Hammers are promoted
next season and it's a hefty investment by owners David Gold and David
Sullivan. SunSport exclusively revealed a week ago that new West Ham boss
Sam Allardyce had kicked off his rebuilding with a bid for Nolanand
Blackpool striker DJ Campbell. The midfielder - who played under Allardyce
at Bolton and Newcastle - is seen as a direct replacement for Scott Parker,
who is set to leave the club following relegation. West Ham have had no bids
for the inspirational midfielder yet but accept he is almost certain to move
on. The Scouser is also set to become captain, taking over from Matthew
Upson, who is out of contract and also poised to leave.

Nolan was Newcastle's top scorer last season with 12 goals and is a fans'
favourite at St James' Park. His departure has already caused unrest in the
dressing room with team-mate Joey Barton admitting the move makes him feel
'sick'. Nolan still had two years left on his £40,000-a-week Toon contract
but talks over a new deal had broken down after months of negotiating.
Newcastle offered him a £500,000 bonus if the club finished 10th or above
next season, plus an extra 12 months on his contract with a £10,000-a-week
pay rise. But Nolan, 28, wanted a five-year deal and talks collapsed. A Toon
insider said: "Kevin was a big part of the club and the feeling is that he
has done a great job for Newcastle in his time. "But the offer made to him
was seen as extremely generous to reflect that. The fact that a final
agreement couldn't be reached is a shame and the fans will be hurt but the
powers that be are thinking of the best terms for the club as a whole."

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has signed French midfielder Yohan Cabeye, who is
expected to slip straight into Nolan's position at the heart of the team and
Toon insiders reckon more signings are imminent as part of Pardew's own
rebuilding. West Ham also plan to plough on with shaping a team which can
get them straight back up to the top flight. But Thomas Hitzlsperger is set
to leave because Germany boss Joachim Lowe will not pick anyone playing
outside the top division. Meanwhile, winger Pablo Barrera is a target for
Real Zaragoza. The Mexican, 23, signed a four-year deal last season but made
just six starts. West Ham will have to take a hit on the £4m they paid for
him.

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Stoke won't be Obinna winners
Published: Today
The Sun

STOKE are set to lose out to Galatasaray in the race for ex-West Ham striker
Victor Obinna. Potters boss Tony Pulis has made a fresh bid for the Nigeria
international after failing to land him from Inter Milan last summer. But
the 24-year-old free agent, who scored eight goals during his Hammers loan
spell last season, will now snub Stoke once more for a lucrative move to
Turkey. A source close to Obinna said: "There are good offers from Stoke as
well as Napoli, but the most interesting so far is from Glatasaray. "They
are ready to almost double his wages and pay him a huge signing-on fee."

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Joey 'sick' as Toon sell Kev
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today
The Sun

JOEY BARTON admitted he feels 'sick' at Kevin Nolan's £3.5million move from
Newcastle to West Ham. Skipper Nolan's decision to drop into the
Championship has caused a storm on Tyneside after the midfielder teamed up
with former Toon boss Sam Allardyce in a deal worth £16.5m in all. Barton
tweeted: "Just on my way to Ascot, feel sick. Great player, leader, captain,
person, trainer and mostly a friend for life. Devastated to see him SOLD."
Barton is also an Allardyce target but a deal could be difficult because
debt-ridden Hammers cannot afford both players' wages. But Barton still
feels his days are numbered at St James' Park. He also tweeted:
"mejoseandjonasnext", suggesting he, Jose Enrique and winger Jonas Gutierrez
could follow Nolan out of the club. Newcastle hope to beat Everton to sign
Hammers striker Demba Ba, 26.

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Redknapp's now-or-never warning to Hammers
Published 22:59 15/06/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror

Harry Redknapp has warned his former club West Ham they must win promotion
back to the Premier League next season while still playing at Upton Park -
or face potential Olympic Stadium meltdown. The Hammers, relegated to the
Championship last season, are due to move into their new stadium as soon as
possible after 2012 having beaten Redknapp's current side Tottenham to the
rights to develop the site. But Spurs manager Redknapp fears it could turn
out to be a noose around his former side's neck if they end up playing lower
division football there. Redknapp, who was born in Poplar in the East En and
spent 14 years with the Hammers as player and manager, still retains a
strong affection for them. He said: "They are going to miss that stadium
when they move, I don't care what anyone says. I know the club, I was
brought up there, and believe me they are going to miss Upton Park because
the fans there are passionate and the atmosphere is incredible. "That's why
next year is the year when they have to get back up. After that it will be
tougher, playing in the Olympic Stadium. That will be hard. "If it's
half-full, there will be no atmosphere and it will be difficult. They have
to get back up next year when they have the parachute money and are playing
at Upton Park. "That's the key. That's their big chance and they have to
make sure they take it."

Redknapp admits he was hugely disappointed when the Hammers were relegated
and hopes they bounce back quickly under new boss Sam Allardyce. "It's so
sad to see them down there but they have to go down, rebuild and come back
again," he said. "They've done it before and there's no reason why they
can't do it again. "It's a fantastic club with fantastic tradition. They
have great support; they live for that club those fans. "It's a big loss
that they went down but I'm sure they will come back. I just hope they do it
quickly because it won't get any easier."

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West Ham ready to bomb out flop Barrera
Published 23:00 15/06/11 By Jeremy Butler
The Mirror

West Ham winger Pablo Barrera is a target for Spanish side Real Zaragoza.
The Mexican international signed a four-year deal at Upton Park last season
but made just six starts. And Sam Allardyce is open to a bid from the La
Liga outfit as he looks to reshape his relegated squad for the Championship.
Real Zaragoza have a Mexican boss in Javier Aguirre and he wants to unlock
the potential Barrera showed at the last World Cup. But West Ham will have
to take a hit on the £4m they paid for the 23-year-old.

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Barton: Nolan had become a Newcastle icon
Published 23:00 15/06/11 By Simon Bird
The Mirror

Joey Barton paid a warm tribute to team-mate Kevin Nolan as his fellow
midfielder prepared to complete a shock move to West Ham. The midfielder
insisted that Nolan, signed for £4million in January 2009, would go down as
an "iconic" player after his derby hat-trick against Sunderland, and
achievements in the last two seasons. Barton says he is "re-evaluating" his
situation but "has no ambition to quit St James' Park. The midfield star
said: "It's not for me to say how much Kevin Nolan will be missed, but it
would be a massive loss to any club to achieve what he has in three years.
"I don't know whether I'm speaking a bit untoward, but he's achieved iconic
status at the football club, not only for his three goals against Sunderland
in the derby, but for the way he's held himself in and around the city and
for the season he had in the Championship - and also the season we had last
season. "Being able to bounce back and score 12 goals in the Premier League
is a phenomenal achievement, and would be in any side, never mind one
fighting for its life - as we were for a long part of that season. "I love
the football club, without a shadow of a doubt. Everyone knows that. I've
got a great working relationship with the manager and a lot of the players.
"It's a difficult situation. I've got to go back and do a job at the end of
the summer and as far as I know I'll go back to Newcastle United and play
until my contract runs out and they tell me that I'm no longer need." Barton
insisted he does not want to move on this summer. "I've got no ambitions to
leave the football club, I don't want to leave," he said. "I'd love nothing
more than to win a trophy at Newcastle. "Whether I get the opportunity to do
that is out of my hands. I'm an employee of the football club and if they
want to do something else in the meantime, I'm not foolish enough not to
listen to offers. "If I'm not wanted, I believe enough in my own ability and
myself as a person to say, 'Well, hang on, if you don't want me at the
football club I'll have to reevaluate my options.' That's the situation
we're in at the minute. If I'm asked to report back for pre-season training,
that's the situation and if it's not, it's not. It's all hypothetical at the
minute. "All I'm doing is concentrating on keeping myself in shape and
getting ready for a campaign with Newcastle next season."

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Northern Exposure: Joey is right, Nolan is more than just a footballer to
Newcastle
By COLIN YOUNG
Last updated at 2:38 AM on 16th June 2011
Daily Mail

Hobbling round on his crutches after ankle surgery, his two toddlers and
baby-sitter Joey Barton dawdling behind him, Kevin Nolan and his close pal
struggled to keep up with the rest of his Newcastle team-mates for the
awkward lap of honour on the final day of last season. Newcastle had just
surrendered a three-goal lead at home to West Brom, losing their grip on a
top ten place and a finish above Sunderland in the process. But the
Newcastle squad and manager Alan Pardew wanted to acknowledge the fans for
nine months of support and most of them stayed in St James's Park to
replicate the appreciation. Nolan's incapacity, and Barton's inability to
keep his captain's two children in line, left the pair some distance behind
the rest of the group. Rather conveniently, it also allowed the Geordie
faithful to give an additional, heartfelt and warm ovation to the two men
who have played such a crucial role in the rejuvenation of Newcastle United
in the last three years.

And they are probably the two players most Newcastle fans would have singled
out anyway, for the role they played in the Championship, and in securing
Premier League safety so convincingly. They galvanised their team-mates, the
fans, the whole club after relegation. Putting the club's politics to one
side - Nolan was actually a frequent and outspoken supporter of the current
regime - their only goal was promotion and keeping a splintered group
together. Two of the main leaders of the players' committee, which also
included Steve Harper and Alan Smith, they certainly made Chris Hughton's
job easier, and didn't undermine a manager who was eventually handed the
unenviable task of replacing Alan Shearer. Barton and Nolan made Hughton's
job easier.

Last season Barton was Newcastle's best player and he should have been
recalled to the England squad. Nolan, who was also touted for England
recognition, was top scorer, netting a hat-trick in the 5-1 drubbing of
Sunderland, making his daft chicken celebration the talk of the toon and
giving him a lifetime of legendary status in Newcastle. Anyone witnessing
the genuine warmth between the two players and their audience on May 22
might have believed any contract negotiations with the club would be
straight forward. Owner Mike Ashley and his managing director Derek Llambias
must have seen it and Alan Pardew certainly made no secret of his desire to
see them, and Jose Enrique sign new deals. And then the talks broke down,
with both players looking for more years than Newcastle were prepared to
offer. Nolan will get the deal he wants at Upton Park, where he will be
reunited with Sam Allardyce, who knows he may have just pulled off the
Championship signing of the summer.

But make no mistake, this was not about money. Nolan wanted to stay at
Newcastle. His departure is a blow for Pardew, who may expect Barton and
Enrique to follow him. The posturing which has occurred since those talks
collapsed is fairly commonplace, but usually ends in compromise. Few really
expected the move to West Ham to go through after Big Sam's first offer last
week was dismissed as 'derisory'. But Ashley it seems is not a man who does
compromises easily. It's his way, or there's no way. The £4million
Newcastle can expect from the sale of Nolan to West Ham may represent good
business for a businessman, but it makes little football sense. Not many
Premier League midfielders score 12 goals in a season and exert such an
influence on and off the pitch on their club. As a distraught Barton
tweeted earlier, Nolan was more than a footballer to Newcastle United. He
was the leader of the gang, and with so many young, untried and young
players heading to Tyneside this summer, that influence would have been
immense. And maybe that was part of the problem. The dismantling of the
team, and the management, which gained promotion started with Hughton's exit
and it is a major gamble to move on the players who seemed to understand
what playing for Newcastle is all about.

The board have still not really been forgiven for selling Geordie Crown
Jewel Andy Carroll in January, but supporters are watching carefully to see
where, and how much of that money is spent this summer. That was the promise
made five months ago. The £6million capture of France international Yohan
Cabaye was the first major breakthrough in the transfer market for
Newcastle, who have been pursuing a number of young players from the French
league through their chief scout Graham Carr. Cabaye now looks like Nolan's
direct replacement, piling the pressure on a player with no Premier League
experience. Carr was the man who found and signed Cheik Tiote, one of the
discoveries of last season. But the Ivory Coast midfielder paid tribute to
Nolan's role in his development at the end of last season.

As Newcastle know only too well, the French market is no guarantee for
success, even if it is cheaper. For every David Ginola there's a Stephane
Guivarc'h, just to remind the Newcastle board of the gamble they are taking.
Like most Newcastle fans, Barton was coming to terms with the loss of Nolan.
He tweeted: 'Great player, leader, captain, person, trainer and mostly a
friend for life. Devastated to see him SOLD!' Mischievously, or
mysteriously, Barton added '#mejoseandjonasnext'. Clearly he does not
envisage being at Newcastle for much longer, which would be another blow for
the club, and the supporters. Watch this space.

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Exodus! We'll all leave Toon now Nolan's joined West Ham, warns Barton
By COLIN YOUNG
Last updated at 11:04 PM on 15th June 2011
Daily Mail

Joey Barton has predicted a player exodus from Newcastle after club captain
and top scorer Kevin Nolan was allowed to leave for Championship club West
Ham for £4million. Nolan, who scored 12 goals last season, has agreed a
four-year deal at Upton Park worth £55,000-a-week, after rejecting
Newcastle's contract offer.
He was offered a £4m package to stay in the North East, including a pay rise
and a £500,000 bonus if they finish in the top 10 next season. Toon fans
will be unhappy with another star leaving, after Andy Carroll's exit. Now
Barton is predicting he, Jose Enrique and Jonas Gutierrez will be next out
of the club. 'Great player, leader, captain, person, trainer and mostly a
friend for life,' said Barton about Nolan on Twitter.

At Royal Ascot, Barton said: 'It will be a great disappointment to lose him
but that's the game we are in and sometimes it is like ships in the night.
Hopefully the move will break down but if it doesn't you have to believe in
the process of the football club and no one player is bigger than the club.
'He would be a massive miss for any club. He has achieved iconic status, not
only for his three goals against Sunderland but the way he held himself in
the city, the season he had in the Championship and also last season.
'Being able to bounce back and score 12 goals in the Premier League is a
phenomenal achievement in any side, never mind a side fighting for its life
as we were for a long part of that season.' Newcastle refused to break their
wage structure to keep Nolan, while West Ham quickly agreed and the
midfielder had a medical yesterday. They expect to announce the deal today
with owners David Sullivan and David Gold said to be 'thrilled' with the
capture. Barton, 28, says he has 'no ambitions to leave' but has been
unable to secure the three-year extension he wants to replace his contract
which runs out at the end of next season, despite accepting a pay-cut.

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TOTTENHAM BALK AT £10M SCOTT PARKER
Thursday June 16,2011
By Matt Law
Daily Express

TOTTENHAM have made their first move to sign Scott Parker but have been
shocked by West Ham's £10million tag. Scott Parker has made it clear he
wants to leave after West Ham's relegation from the Premier League and boss
Sam Allardyce has prepared for his exit by signing Kevin Nolan from
Newcastle. Spurs are leading the chase for Parker, which also includes
Arsenal and Liverpool, and have made contact in a bid to open negotiations.
It is understood they enquired about signing Parker for about £4m and are
believed to be prepared to go up to £5m. But that figure is just half what
West Ham are quoting interested parties and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy
has been left to consider his position. A £7m bid for Parker, 30, failed
last summer, but Spurs feel relegation and the fact West Ham cannot afford
£70,000-a-week wages mean his price should drop significantly. West Ham feel
Parker's value has increased after winning the Football Writers' Player of
the Year award and forcing his way into the England team.

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Newcastle in turmoil as livid Barton warns of mass exodus
Midfielder tweets 'I feel sick' over Nolan sale and says he will be one of
three to follow captain

By Mark Fleming
Thursday, 16 June 2011
The Independent

Newcastle United's decision to agree a transfer fee yesterday for captain
Kevin Nolan with relegated West Ham United has been met with fury inside the
St James' Park dressing room. Joey Barton admitted he was "devastated" and
felt "sick" by Newcastle's decision to sell their captain, and indicated he
could be next to leave, along with defender Jose Enrique and winger Jonas
Gutierrez. All three could follow Nolan out of town, as Newcastle are
refusing to offer Barton a new deal, while Spanish left-back Enrique, 25, is
refusing to sign an extension to his current contract and has attracted
interest from Liverpool. Argentine winger Gutierrez, 27, has two more years
of his deal to run.

Newcastle's decision to sell Nolan follows the collapse of negotiations
between the club and the player over an extension to his contract, which had
two more years to run. Nolan, who will be 29 next week, wanted another three
years to be added on, taking him to 2016, but Newcastle would only offer a
two-year extension. The midfielder was also told he would only be eligible
for a pay rise if they finished ninth or higher in the Premier League next
season. The Tyneside club still have the bulk of the £35m they received from
Liverpool for Andy Carroll in January, but are insisting they will not be
held to ransom by a player in his late 20s.

Barton reacted publicly – on Twitter – to Nolan's impending departure,
writing on his way to Royal Ascot: "Just on my way to Ascot, feel sick.
#whatgoinonatthetoonffs". He wrote about Nolan: "Great player, leader,
captain, person, trainer and mostly a friend for life. Devastated to see him
SOLD! #mejoseandjonasnext". He was later contacted by the club and asked to
stop tweeting.

Newcastle would like to offload Barton this summer, having decided not to
offer him an extension to his current deal, which runs out in a year's time.
Barton was widely regarded as Newcastle's best player last season, while
Nolan was the club's leading goalscorer with 12 goals, but now it seems
neither will be at St James' Park next season, because owner, Mike Ashley,
and managing director, Derek Llambias, will not agree to rewarding them with
long-term deals. Nolan is said to be furious with Ashley and Llambias, which
is one of the reasons he is keen to move to West Ham, despite their
relegation to the Championship.

The signing of Nolan, who is keen to be reunited with his former manager Sam
Allardyce, would represent a major coup for West Ham, who have agreed a fee
of £4.1m and are offering wages of £55,000 a week, a rise of £13,000 on his
deal at Newcastle. Nolan has still to agree personal terms but West Ham are
confident the transfer will be completed today and are also set to sign
another Allardyce stalwart, Ricardo Gardner, who has just been released by
Bolton.

The imminent departure of Nolan has thrown Newcastle into turmoil, amid
fears of a fire sale of players in a bid to cut the wage bill. The club
insist that the Carroll money will be invested on new players, and say the
£6m signing of French midfielder Yohan Cabaye, 25, from Lille on a five-year
contract worth £50,000 a week, shows the change of direction. Manager Alan
Pardew said as much recently, when he spoke on a phone-in about the
difficulties in finding new players. "The pool isn't big if your agenda is
young players who fit into our wage structure," he said.

Newcastle are relying on chief scout, Graham Carr, who is the father of
comedian, Alan Carr, to unearth more hidden gems, such as Cheik Tiote, who
was signed for £3.5m last August, and was an instant hit.

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Joey Barton hits out at Newcastle after West Ham agree deal for Kevin Nolan
'I'm devastated to see him sold,' says Barton
Nolan expected to be made West Ham captain
Jamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 15 June 2011 21.52 BST

Kevin Nolan has a medical at West Ham United on Thursday to complete a
dramatic move from Newcastle United that signals Sam Allardyce's intent to
win instant promotion from the Championship, with the midfielder expected to
be named captain. The transfer caused Nolan's team-mate Joey Barton to
severely criticise the north-east club on Twitter for allowing him to
depart.

Earlier this month Nolan rejected an offer of a new deal from Newcastle,
signalling his intent to leave the club; he was unhappy that the terms
offered were incentive-based. A source present during the talks said:
"Newcastle United offered no extension to his current deal and no
improvement unless the team finished in the top nine next season."

It is understood that the preference of the midfielder Nolan, who earns
about £42,000 a week on Tyneside, was a regular salary over four years that
would have taken him to his 33rd birthday, as he turns 29 next week. Nolan,
who scored 12 Premier League goals from central midfield last season, is due
to sign at West Ham for a deal said to be worth £55,000 a week with the
length of the contract unclear.

On hearing the news of the move Barton signalled his unhappiness in two
tweets. "Just on my way to Ascot, feel sick. Great player, leader, captain,
person, trainer and mostly a friend for life. Devastated to see him SOLD,"
he said, adding the hash tag "£mejoseandjonasnext" suggesting that he, José
Enrique, the Newcastle left-back, and the winger Jonás Gutiérrez may follow
Nolan from the club.

With Nolan already having played under Allardyce before at Bolton Wanderers,
and with the potential signing of Ricardo Fuller from Stoke City plus
Abdoulaye Faye's arrival on a free transfer, the former Blackburn Rovers
manager seems intent on entrusting West Ham's promotion drive to a core of
known performers.Faye, who was released by Stoke City at the close of the
season, said: "People may ask why as the team are in the Championship but I
am excited at the challenge to help get the team back to the Premier League,
where I think the club belongs. Sam is a very good manager and I am very
pleased to be playing for him again – he gave me a chance here in England
and he is someone who gives you confidence. He is also someone who I know
the players will respect and I think he will bring a lot to the club – the
fans will see this also.I can't wait now to get playing for the club, for
Sam and for the fans and do my best for everyone."

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Kevin Nolan set for West Ham captaincy
By Andy Sims, PA
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
The Independent

West Ham are set to complete the signing of Kevin Nolan tomorrow and make
him their new captain. The Hammers have revealed they expect to complete two
new signings within the next 24 hours, with Bolton left-back Ricardo Gardner
also poised to arrive at Upton Park. "Both prospective arrivals are proven
Premier League players and will add greatly to new manager Sam Allardyce's
first-team squad ahead of the 2011/12 season," read a club statement.
Newcastle midfielder Nolan is due to undergo a medical after the clubs
agreed an undisclosed fee for him. It is understood the 28-year-old is keen
to be reunited with Allardyce, whom he played under at Bolton, and that he
will be appointed skipper at Upton Park following Matt Upson's departure. He
will also fill the void in the midfield set to be left by Scott Parker's
likely move back to the Premier League this summer, following West Ham's
relegation. Jamaica international Gardner, 32, is available on a free
transfer after seeing out his contract at the Reebok Stadium. Allardyce has
already brought in defender Abdoulaye Faye, who played for him under Bolton
and Newcastle and was a free agent after leaving Stoke.

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Sam Allardyce to continue rebuilding at West Ham United with new signings
Kevin Nolan and Ricardo Gardner
By Jason Burt8:34PM BST 15 Jun 20111 Comment
Telegraph.co.uk

West Ham United will announce the signings of Kevin Nolan and Ricardo
Gardner as manager Sam Allardyce re-builds the club's squad to try and
secure promotion back to the Premier League. Newcastle United yesterday
accepted a £4m offer for Nolan, causing consternation among the club's
supporters although they will be appeased a little by the signing of Demba
Ba from West Ham United. The striker is a free agent after triggering an
exit clause. Nolan's sale, however, provoked an angry response from the
midfielder's team-mate, Joey Barton who used the social networking site
Twitter to say he felt "sick" at the news. Barton then added of Nolan, who
is expected to be made West Ham's captain: "Great player, leader, captain,
person, trainer and mostly a friend for life. Devastated to see him SOLD".
He then added the hashtag "mejoseandjonasnext" suggesting he, Jose Enrique
and Jonas Gutierrez will be sold by Newcastle this summer.

Barton is also embroiled in a contract dispute with the club who are
embarking on their own re-building, with manager Alan Pardew tasked with
bringing down both the wage bill and the average age of the team. Newcastle
have already signed the highly-rated French midfielder Yohan Cabaye and are
in talks to secure striker Mevlut Erding. Nevertheless, the sale of Nolan is
a serious blow to Pardew as the captain has been a key player for Newcastle,
scoring 12 goals last season and playing a crucial role in the campaign
before that as the club won the Championship. It appears that Jose Enrique
will also leave, having so far failed to respond to a contract offer,
although in interviews after his Twitter claims, Barton was more
conciliatory over his own future and Nolan's departure. Nolan and Gardner,
who is available on a free transfer after being released by Bolton
Wanderers, join another former Bolton player — and another player who was
previously signed by Allardyce — Abdoulaye Faye at Upton Park.

Gardner, 32, is likely to be first choice left-back but can also play in
midfield while Faye will replace Matthew Upson. It is Nolan's signing that
is the most exciting for West Ham supporters and it is a testimony to
Allardyce's relationship with the player that he has decided to drop down a
division. Aged 28, he is also likely to be granted the five-year contract by
West Ham that Newcastle refused to give him and will earn wages of
£45,000-a-week, probably making him the highest-earner in the Championship.
That salary is the same that Thomas Hitzlsperger was earning at West Ham,
but the German international is also leaving on a free transfer, having
exercised a relegation clause although Allardyce is also believed to be
unconcerned at his departure. Scott Parker has informed West Ham that he
wants to go and the club are waiting for offers for the midfielder, with
Tottenham Hotspur likely to be the strongest bidders, even if the club would
prefer not to sell to them. West Ham are less confident that they will sign
Blackpool striker DJ Campbell, despite offering the £1.25m to release him
from his contract as he has made it clear he wants to remain in the Premier
League.

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