Daily WHUFC News - 2nd June 2012

On This Day - 1 June
WHUFC.com
The first day of June 2012 marks exactly a year since Big Sam's arrival in
east London
31.05.2012

The first of June 2011 saw Sam Allardyce sign a two-year deal with West Ham
United to become the Club's new manager. After his first 12 months in charge
at the Boleyn Ground, Big Sam can look back on his opening year in the East
End with a sense of pride and achievement. From his signing of Kevin Nolan
just two weeks after his arrival to smashing the club record for away league
wins to guiding the Hammers to their npower Championship Play-Off final
victory over Blackpool at Wembley, it has been a year full of highs.
Arriving days after West Ham had been relegated to the Championship, the new
manager's brief was to ensure a swift return to the top flight. Big Sam
began by rebuilding the squad by signing captain Nolan and the experienced
Abdoulaye Faye, Matthew Taylor and Joey O'Brien in the space of month. By
the end of the summer transfer window, Big Sam had added striker John Carew,
Sam Baldock, Papa Bouba Diop and Guy Demel on permanent contracts and George
McCartney, David Bentley and Henri Lansbury on season-long loan deals. The
season began well for West Ham with Big Sam's first win coming in the second
game of the season courtesy of a 1-0 victory at Doncaster Rovers thanks to
Nolan's first goal for the club. From the middle of October until the end of
the year, Big Sam kept the Hammers in the top two of the npower Championship
table with impressive wins at home to Blackpool, Leicester City and Derby
County and away at Brighton and Hove Albion, Hull City and Middlesbrough.

The January transfer window saw Big Sam add some real striking quality to
the squad with the acquisitions of Ricardo Vaz Te from Barnsley and Nicky
Maynard from Bristol City. February saw the Hammers pick up eight points out
of 12, despite going down to ten men in three of their four games. The
Hammers beat Millwall 2-1 at home, drew 1-1 with Southampton and won 4-1
away at Blackpool despite having to field midfielder Lansbury in goal after
Robert Green's dismissal. Good Friday marked one of Big Sam's proudest
moments as a 4-0 win away at Barnsley saw the Hammers break the club record
for most away league wins in a season. The record had stood at eleven wins
since the 1957/58 season and now stands at 13 thanks to a 2-1 victory at
Leicester City in April. Big Sam saved the best until last as he guided West
Ham to a 5-0 aggregate victory over Cardiff in the Play-Off semi-finals
before beating Blackpool 2-1 in the final to secure a dream return to the
Premier League at the first attempt. Carlton Cole and Vaz Te got the goals
at Wembley before Big Sam called the win his proudest achievement as a
manager.
With his second year in charge now underway, Big Sam and his staff are
already plotting the Hammers' path to further success in the Premier League
next season. As the now famous saying goes 'Nothing Beats Being Back'!

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West Ham dismiss Orient hopes of Olympic Stadium ground share
BBC.co.uk

West Ham have dismissed suggestions they could share the Olympic Stadium
with Leyton Orient. Orient chairman Barry Hearn, who has previously
criticised the Hammers' plans , told BBC Sport he would be interested in a
possible ground share. But West Ham insist they are not considering such an
arrangement. "West Ham United has not held talks with Leyton Orient in
respect of ground sharing and nor is it our intention to do so," their
statement said. "We do not wish to comment on recent statements made by
Barry Hearn not least because we can't keep up with his ever-changing
position. "They continue, however, to provide us with a constant source of
amusement.' Hearn had previously considered moving to the Olympic Stadium,
but withdrew on the basis that it was "not fit for football".

The League One club's chairman feared that if West Ham moved away from Upton
Park it could threaten the O's survival by tempting fans away from Brisbane
Road. The newly-promoted Premier League club have been looking at the
feasibility of including retractable seating at the venue, which is due to
be converted into a 60,000-seater stadium after the Games. In March the
Hammers were named as one of four bidders looking to take control of the
stadium following the conclusion of the Games and, at the same time, it was
confirmed that the O's were not among the quartet. The London Legacy
Development Corporation has extended the tenancy bidding process until after
the Games. Hearn had suggested that the two clubs could be the first London
sides to share a ground on a permanent basis. He told BBC Sport: "Subject to
the changes West Ham are asking for, namely covering the running track, we'd
be interested in bidding for the stadium as part of a ground-share with
them. "We will now talk with the Olympic authorities."

But West Ham maintain there is no change in their plans and their statement
added: "Our requirements, made clear from the outset, are for a stadium fit
for world-class football that maintains the athletics legacy and would
ensure a truly multi-purpose globally-renowned stadium."

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New away kit unveiled
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 1st June 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United's away kit for the forthcoming 2012/13 Premier League
campaign has been unveiled. The Ironworks-blue inspired shirt is a hark back
to the club's roots and the first time United have worn a dark blue kit
since Gianfranco Zola's squad wore a two-tone away kit in the 2009/10
season. Priced at £44.95 for adults - with both men and women's cuts
available - and junior shirts available at £34.99, the kit may be
pre-ordered now for delivery on 21st June. A long sleeve version of the
shirt is also available priced at £49.99. The adult shirts feature club
sponsor SBOBET's logo whilst the child shirts come with 'Forever United'
embossed on the front.

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Hammers rule out Os share
Premier League new-boys laugh off Hearn idea
Last Updated: June 1, 2012 2:48pm
SSN

West Ham have dismissed a suggestion of ground-sharing the Olympic Stadium
with Leyton Orient made by chairman Barry Hearn. Hearn has been a fierce
critic of the Hammers' bid to become stadium tenants after the London 2012
Games but said recently he would consider a ground-share arrangement for his
League One club. West Ham insist there have been no talks about such a
possibility - nor will there be. A statement from the club said: "West Ham
United has not held talks with Leyton Orient in respect of ground sharing
and nor is it our intention to do so. "We do not wish to comment on recent
statements made by Barry Hearn not least because we can't keep up with his
ever-changing position. They continue, however, to provide us with a
constant source of amusement."

Demand

The Hammers said the demand from fans for tickets for the recent
Championship play-off final at Wembley showed the Olympic Stadium will not
be too big for their supporter base. The statement added: "We are the only
football option able to fill the stadium to capacity on a regular basis.
"Our recent Wembley play-off final win, which secured our promotion back to
the Premier League, saw a level of demand from our supporters that could
have sold out Wembley Stadium to West Ham fans alone. "The noise and
atmosphere created by our fans on May 19 gave a mouthwatering taste of what
the Olympic Stadium could offer to supporters week in, week out. "We also
bring the opportunity for the regeneration of the Olympic Park - people,
prosperity, opportunity, exposure, economy and expertise from our very first
match in 2014. This provides far wider benefits for the local community and
the nation as a whole."

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Hammers Bid for Grant Holt?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

The Daily Star has reported that West Ham have made a £4.5m bid for Norwich
City striker, Grant Holt. The suggestion is that Sam Allardyce has sought to
take advantage of the fall out at Norwich, created by Paul Lambert's pending
managerial move to Villa Park. The objective being to strike a deal before
Lambert can engineer a Villa move for the player. Norwich City are likely to
reject the bid, but Holt appears to be firm in his resolve to leave Carrow
Road. Although 31 years of age, Holt performed very well in his first season
in the PL, scoring a creditable 15 goals.

Elsewhere, a number of interesting players were released by their current
clubs yesterday. Included amongst these were: Rodallega at Wigan, Kalou &
Bosingwa at Chelsea, Cuellar at Villa, Klasnic at Bolton, Hargreaves at Man
City and Shorey at WBA. I am sure West Ham supporters would love to see the
likes of Kalou and Rodallega at Upton Park next season!

SJ. Chandos.

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Hearn gets Hammered
The Sun
Published: 01st June 2012

WEST HAM have laughed off Leyton Orient chief Barry Hearn's suggestion that
the two clubs share the Olympic Stadium. A statement released by the Hammers
said: "West Ham United has not held talks with Leyton Orient in respect of
ground-sharing — and nor is it our intention to do so. "We do not wish to
comment on recent statements made by Barry Hearn, not least because we can't
keep up with his ever-changing position. "They continue, however, to provide
us with a constant source of amusement."

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West Ham 'amused' by O's bid to share Olympic stadium
Guardian Series
4:46pm Friday 1st June 2012 in Leyton Orient By Daniel Binns

WEST Ham FC has said it is "amused" by suggestions it could share the
Olympic Stadium with Leyton Orient after the Games have finished. Orient
chairman Barry Hearn told the Guardian yesterday (Thursday May 31) he wants
to hold talks with Olympic legacy bosses about proposals to share the arena
between the two clubs.
At the time, West Ham said they could not comment on any specifics for legal
reasons, but it has now issued a statement mocking Mr Hearn. It said: "We do
not wish to comment on recent statements made by Barry Hearn not least
because we can't keep up with his ever-changing position. They continue,
however, to provide us with a constant source of amusement."

The club also confirmed it had no plans to talk with Mr Hearn about the
proposals. A fierce bidding war is currently underway over who will get to
run the arena in Stratford – which is less than a mile away from Orient's
current home in Brisbane Road, Leyton – with a final decision expected this
October. Orient fears it will lose fans if a high-profile rival moves onto
the Olympic site, with Mr Hearn believing they would have "no choice" but to
move from Leyton if that happened. Mr Hearn told the Guardian yesterday:
"originally we were interested in the tenancy for the Olympic Stadium but
when we saw what they did with the athletics track it became clear it
wouldn't be suitable for football.

"But now there's a suggestion that the Olympics people might install and pay
for [retractable] seating over the track, which is why we're interested
again."
He added: "If it happened, I wouldn't so much see it as ground share with
West Ham. Leyton Orient would just be another tenant, so we would be one of
a number of users."

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West Ham United face Chinese competition for Blackburn Rovers striker Yakubu
by Jack Failsworth. Published Fri 01 Jun 2012 16:15, Last updated:
2012-06-01
ClickLancashire.com

According to reports Blackburn Rovers striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni is
interesting Chinese clubs. The Nigeria international is believed to be
wanted by promoted clubs Reading and West Ham United. However, the Daily
Mail says Chinese Super League clubs Guan Beijing and Shanghai Shenhua are
both interested in the Nigerian.
He has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave for £1million and
that will not be a problem for the wealthy Chinese, who have also offered
him £100,000 a week.

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London 2012 Olympics: West Ham scoff suggestions of Leyton Orient
groundshare scheme
West Ham have rejected a suggestion from Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn
to consider groundsharing at the Olympic Stadium.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Telegraph Sport3:00PM BST 01 Jun 20121 Comment

Hearn has been a fierce critic of West Ham's bid to become stadium tenants
after the Olympics but said recently he would consider a ground-share
arrangement for his League One club. West Ham say there have been no talks
about such a possibility - nor will there be. A West Ham statement said:
"West Ham United has not held talks with Leyton Orient in respect of ground
sharing and nor is it our intention to do so. "We do not wish to comment on
recent statements made by Barry Hearn not least because we can't keep up
with his ever-changing position. They continue, however, to provide us with
a constant source of amusement." The Hammers said the demand from fans for
tickets for the recent Championship play-off final at Wembley showed the
Olympic Stadium will not be too big for their supporter base.

The statement added: "We are the only football option able to fill the
stadium to capacity on a regular basis. Our recent Wembley play-off final
win, which secured our promotion back to the Premier League, saw a level of
demand from our supporters that could have sold out Wembley Stadium to West
Ham fans alone. "The noise and atmosphere created by our fans on May 19 gave
a mouthwatering taste of what the Olympic Stadium could offer to supporters
week in, week out. "We also bring the opportunity for the regeneration of
the Olympic Park - people, prosperity, opportunity, exposure, economy and
expertise from our very first match in 2014. This provides far wider
benefits for the local community and the nation as a whole."

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