Wednesday, December 21

Daily WHUFC News - 21st December 2011

Carr takes BBC award
WHUFC.com
The club's Academy Director has yet another honour to add to his
considerable collection
20.12.2011

Tony Carr has won the outstanding contribution to sport in BBC London's
annual awards ceremony. The Academy Director, made an MBE in 2010 for his
services to football, was surprised to receive the prestigious prize in a
year when there were several outstanding contributions across a range of
sports. BBC London are the club's broadcast partners and considered a host
of high-profile candidates. Carr has continued to produce top talent for the
club's youth system, as shown by the U18s earning a tremendous 3-2 victory
at Wolverhampton Wanderers in this month's FA Youth Cup third round and Dan
Potts going on to earn his first-team bow last weekend.

Callum McNaughton, George Moncur, Rob Hall and Dylan Tombides have also made
it through the ranks to the first-team set-up in the last 12 months and
there is every chance that a few of those names- and maybe one or two others
- will force their way into Sam Allardyce's thoughts permanently in 2012.
For Carr, this latest honour was something he did not expect. "It was
totally out of the blue," he told West Ham TV. "Totally unexpected. I didn't
even know I was in the running. I am very honoured that the illustrious BBC
have seen fit to give me this award. "It is a special achievement. I feel
quite honoured and humbled to be honest to have been thought of and
considered for it. I am very proud and I am sure my family will be chuffed
for me."

Carr collected his award while at Upton Park late in the evening after
another full day and he admitted that he has no thoughts of slowing down. He
and his talented coaches continue to put in all the hours to help the club
maintain its reputation as the original Academy of Football. "The work never
stops. With youth football, it is about the weekends and weeknights, and all
day. It consumes you seven days a week. Everyone in football will know that.
"Unless you are passionate about what you do you can't do it successfully.
You need support from your family at home and the desire and drive to
constantly improve on your previous work as you try to unearth the next
player to break into the first-team squad. "When I lose that hunger and
drive will be the day I have to retire but I still have a bit left in me
yet."

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Hall and Montano extend
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce has allowed two young attackers to continue their experience
elsewhere
20.12.2011

Rob Hall and Cristian Montano have extended their youth loans at Oxford
United and Dagenham & Redbridge for another month. Both will stay at their
League Two clubs until Saturday 14 January, although can be recalled to the
Boleyn Ground immediately if required. Hall is also due to play for the
Under-18s in their FA Youth Cup fourth-round home tie against Brighton &
Hove Albion whenever it is arranged next month. Meanwhile, Callum McNaughton
is staying at AFC Wimbledon until 4 January. It means that he could come up
against Hall when Oxford arrive for a televised encounter at 12.15pm on
Boxing Day. The match will be shown live on Sky Sports 1 before the Hammers
play Birmingham City at 5.30pm. Frank Nouble has returned to the club after
his three-month spell at Gillingham, while Ahmed Abdulla is also back at the
club after his time with Swindon Town.

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FA Youth Cup date set
WHUFC.com
The club can confirm the date of the FA Youth Cup fourth-round tie with
Brighton
20.12.2011

West Ham United will play host to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Youth Cup
fourth round on Wednesday 11 January. The Hammers won through with a 3-2
defeat of Wolverhampton Wanderers on 7 December, while Brighton were 1-0
winners against Aston Villa in their third-round fixture. The Boleyn Ground
match, which gets under way at 7pm, will be priced at £3 for adults and £1
for concessions.

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Oxford United extend forward Robert Hall's loan deal
Page last updated at 11:53 GMT, Tuesday, 20 December 2011
BBC.co.uk

Oxford United have extended the loan deal of young West Ham forward Robert
Hall by a further month. Hall, 18, is in his second loan spell at the Kassam
Stadium having initially joined the U's in September. He has notched six
goals in 14 appearances but has failed to score in his last five games.
Manager Chris Wilder said: "He gives us something different up front, is a
proven goalscorer and has fitted in really well here."

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Dagenham & Redbridge keep West Ham striker Montano
Page last updated at 12:07 GMT, Tuesday, 20 December 2011
BBC.co.uk

Dagenham & Redbridge have extended the loan spell of West Ham striker
Cristian Montano until 14 January 2012. Colombia-born Montano has played
three games for the Daggers, scoring one goal, since joining the League Two
club on a one-month deal in November. The 20-year-old has also had loan
spells at Notts County and Swindon earlier this season. Montano, who can
play against Hereford on 14 January, has scored six goals in 19 appearances
this season.

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Wilder over the moon
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th December 2011
By: Staff Writer

Oxford United boss Chris Wilder says he is 'delighted' to have secured the
services of West Ham youngster Robert Hall for an additional month. The
18-year-old striker has scored six goal in 11 starts since joining Oxford on
loan in September. West Ham agreed to allow him to remain at the Kassam
Stadium for a further month yesterday, much to the delight of Wilder, whose
team currently sit eighth in League Two. "He gives us something different up
front, is a proven goalscorer and has fitted in really well here," said
Wilder. "It speaks volumes about our set-up that West Ham are happy to let
him continue his footballing development with us."

Hall's loan fees have been funded by The 12th Man, a club-specific
fund-raising venture to which supporters contribute. Oxford have already
raised some £40,000 via the scheme which is used by United in addition to
the transfer funds the club itself generates. Elsewhere Cristian Montano has
extended his loan with Dagenham & Redbridge for another month. That means
the Columbian forward could face Millwall when the Daggers meet the Lions in
the third round of the FA Cup.

* West Ham's youngsters beat a Colchester XI 3-1 at Maldon's Wallace Binder
Ground last night. The game, which saw another appearance for Gary O'Neil,
was won by goals from George Moncur (pen), Brian Montenegro and Eoin Wearen.

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Moving the goalposts - again
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th December 2011
By: Staff Writer

OPLC Chief Executive Andrew Altman has hinted that West Ham's move to the
Olympic Stadium may not be as cut-and-dried as initially thought. Last
October, following the collapse of West Ham United's original, accepted bid
London Mayou Boris Johnson revealed that the Hammers would "almost
certainly" win the second round of bidding, which takes place in March 2012
with a decision to be announced in May. However that may not now be the case
according to Altman, who insists that the OPLC are looking at other
potential solutions - including joint bids bewteen competing sports such as
football and rugby. "We believe that there are other combinations," he said.
"We welcome football but we're not wholly dependent on football. There are
other combinations and other sports, there's concerts and other activities
that can also provide revenues."

It has also been revealed that naming rights for the stadium will be managed
by the OPLC themselves and not the eventual tenant - meaning that West Ham,
are they to move to Stratford in 2014, would have no say over the name of
the club's new home. Despite the fact that West Ham - who remain hot
favourites to take the Olympic Stadium - would not own the ground nor have
any say in its name, the club would still be expected to cover the costs of
adding retractable seating in the event of a successful bid.

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Further recognition for Carr
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th December 2011
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United's Academy Director Tony Carr has been recognised by BBC
London in their annual awards. Carr, who has been at West Ham in a coaching
capacity since 1973 was awarded the radio station's 'Outstanding
Contribution to London Sport Award'. Speaking with whufc.tv, he admitted
that the award came "totally out of the blue". "I didn't even know I was in
the running," he said. "I am very honoured that the illustrious BBC have
seen fit to give me this award. It is a special achievement. "I feel quite
honoured and humbled to be honest to have been thought of and considered for
it. I am very proud and I am sure my family will be chuffed for me." Only
last year Carr was given an MBE in recognition for his outstanding service
to youth football. He told KUMB.com in an exclusive interview that he
expects to remain in his post for "another three or four years". "I'm quite
healthy, I still enjoy it and I still think there's work to be done", he
added. "I hope there's going to be some good players coming through in the
next three or four years and I want to be part of that. "Obviously there
comes a time when you go 'look Tone, as much as we love you you've got to
pack it in'. And I understand that. But whilst I'm still quite fit and
healthy... the day I stop enjoying it is the day I go 'thanks, but I've done
my bit'."

BBC London Sport 2011 Awards: winners

Outstanding Contribution Award: Tony Carr (West Ham United)
Footballer of the Year: Scott Parker (West Ham United/Tottenham)
Young Footballer of the Year: Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)
Team of the Year: AFC Wimbledon
Manager of the Year: Terry Brown (AFC Wimbledon)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dennis Signy OBE (Barnet press officer)
Unsung hero: Norman French (founded Romford-based Byron Red Star FC in 1968)

Sports Personality of the Year: Neil Warnock (QPR)

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Stadium share scheme
OPLC say they will accept a ground-share bid
Last Updated: December 20, 2011 9:10am
SSN

As bidding re-opens on the use of the Olympic Stadium after the London 2012
Games, the company in charge of the process have confirmed that they will
accept a ground-share bid from a football and rugby team. West Ham remain
favourites to become the tenants but the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC)
are looking to the example of Swansea's Liberty Stadium, which is used by
both the city's Premier League club and the Ospreys. OPLC are continuing to
insist upon retaining the athletics track but they are open to selling the
naming rights on the stadium, with the tenants receiving a cut of the
income. The original deal for West Ham to take over the stadium collapsed in
October due to legal challenges from Tottenham and Leyton Orient, and under
the new process the OPLC will spend around £95million on converting the
stadium to a 60,000-seat venue for the new tenants.

If the tenants want to have retractable seating over the running track, as
West Ham are considering as part of their bid, they would have to cover
those costs themselves. The deadline for the bids is in March with a
decision due in May, and the stadium reopened in 2014.

Great asset

Olympics minister Hugh Robertson said: "The Government is committed to
securing a legacy from the Olympic Stadium, and wants to see it re-opening
in 2014.
"With the 2017 World Athletics Championship bid won, athletics will be at
the heart of a multi-purpose venue that will also be a great asset to the
local community.
"The Olympic Stadium is an iconic venue and I am sure that it will attract
interesting and exciting bids for its future use."

The OPLC will retain control of a number of days for the stadium. Some of
these are reserved for athletics including the London Diamond League
meeting, and others could be used for Twenty20 cricket, concerts and
American football - talks have already been held with the NFL. London mayor
Boris Johnson, who said in October that West Ham would "almost certainly"
become the tenants, added: "Opening up the bidding to other interested
parties now shows just how far ahead we are in planning a great future for
east London long after the Games have left town."

Newham council are expected to become a partner with the OPLC to operate the
stadium and have offered up to £40million towards the cost of transforming
the stadium. The tenants can bid to rent the stadium for between five years
and 99 years, with an annual rent to be paid and possibly a cut of any
ticket revenue.

Criteria

The OPLC have laid down four main criteria for bids:

1) To deliver a viable, long-term, multi-use stadium that is deliverable and
provides value for money.
2) To re-open the stadium for operational use from 2014.
3) To re-open the stadium with an athletics track that allows track and
field events to be hosted at all levels including the World Athletics
Championship.
4) To allow flexible usage of the stadium by OPLC, tenants and other bodies,
allowing year-round community access.

The bids will be evaluated by the OPLC who will then make recommendations to
the Government and mayor of London.

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