Daily WHUFC News - 23rd February 2013

West Ham United statement
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are committed to tackling discrimination and prejudice in
football
22.02.2013

West Ham United are committed to tackling discrimination in whatever form it
takes and will continue to promote events and campaigns throughout the year
that highlight and combat prejudice towards individuals because of
disability, race, sex, sexual orientation and religion. West Ham United's
stance of championing programmes promoting inclusion and tolerance has
already been displayed at the start of 2013 through the backing of the
Football v Homophobia campaign and their support of the annual Holocaust
Memorial Day.

February is Football v Homophobia's month of awareness in connection with
the annual Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender Month, and the club's
support for their campaign has been in evidence again this week ahead of
Monday's game against Tottenham Hotspur.

West Ham United are also committed to act upon any isolated incidents of
discriminatory behaviour from individuals at matches, both home and away.
In conjunction with the Metropolitan Police, the club operates a zero
tolerance policy towards any form of discrimination, and any fan found to be
acting inappropriately - including racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic
behaviour - will be punished to the full extent of the law and banned from
attending matches.

In a joint statement West Ham United Joint Chairmen David Sullivan and David
Gold said: "We both feel it is hugely important that we are continuing our
great work from 2012 that highlights discrimination in society today. We
supported a number of key initiatives last year which we are continuing to
build on throughout 2013.

"We firmly believe that West Ham United is a club that promotes fairness and
inclusion and we want the Boleyn Ground to continue to be a place that
people from all backgrounds feel welcome. "We have made it very clear that
we will not tolerate any form of discriminatory behaviour and one by one we
will root out those fans that do not deserve to represent this great club of
ours. We must be clear that we will pursue the harshest sanctions against
any individual who goes against what we stand for as a club. "It is obvious
that the vast, vast majority of Hammers fans support the club in the right
way and we are very grateful for the tremendous backing we receive from our
supporters. However, in the rare case that supporters do see or hear
anything they think is unacceptable, there are a number of ways they can
report the matter. Two of the easiest ways are to speak to their nearest
steward at the stadium or use the Boleyn Ground's anonymous fan phone number
- 07860 404 069 - where all calls will be treated in the strictest of
confidence. "Everyone at West Ham United is looking forward to Monday's
visit of Tottenham Hotspur. It should be a fantastic game of football, a
wonderful opportunity to remember Bobby Moore - the greatest player to don
the famous claret and blue - and a chance to show the world what being a
Hammers fan is all about - supporting with pride, passion and respect."

Kick It Out Chairman Lord Herman Ouseley added: "Clubs have the power to
show leadership and set an example for the vast majority of its supporters
to follow and West Ham have done exactly that.

"Kick It Out has seen first-hand the appetite the club has in embracing
anti-discrimination initiatives, with David Gold and James Tomkins both
acting as campaign ambassadors in 2012. By doing this they're helping to
send a message as to what is and what isn't acceptable.

"It is clear they feel abuse won't be tolerated and, in a period where the
issue is high on the agenda, this approach is something we applaud."

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Big Sam on: Tottenham Hotspur
WHUFC.com
The West Ham United manager talks to the press ahead of Monday's game
against Tottenham Hotspur
22.02.2013

Sam Allardyce faces the luxury of a selection headache on Monday night
against Tottenham Hotspur after Joey O'Brien and James Collins returned to
training this week. The boss has an almost-fully fit squad, although he
wishes that was the case in December and January when the Hammers faced a
heavy schedule of fixtures. But for now, he is pleased to have as many
options as possible with the top-four chasing Spurs visiting the Boleyn
Ground.

Sam, can we start with the team news for Monday?

SA - "This morning Joey O'Brien has joined in after being substituted at
Aston Villa, so we're hoping his leg is OK. James Collins has been in
training for the last few days to come back ready and be selected in the
squad. George McCartney is training with the first team squad today for the
first time since his injury about ten weeks ago, so the squad is looking fit
and strong. Selection processes are what a manager needs and it gives us a
good, broad base of squad members in strength in depth to select from moving
forward in the last third of the season. "Our difficulty is that coming into
March we've only got three games in the month. It's going to be a big period
to actually manage the players without really enough games. We had too many
games in December and January and now because of circumstances with
Manchester United beating Reading and an international break as well, we've
not got enough in March. We've got a big squad fully fit, but only three
matches for them to compete in. "We'll keep on top of the players' fitness
and make sure we're ready for every game because with such long periods
[between games] keeping the players focused and concentrated is one of the
difficulties. We'll look at the week-to-week management of the players and
decide what we want to do. More importantly, we have to keep them fit and
keep them all ready for selection."

What have you made of Tottenham of late and in particular Gareth Bale?

SA - "They've been very good. The team from an attacking point of view has
been outstanding, Recently they've lost their leading goalscorer, who is
Jermain Defoe, and Adebayor has been away at the Africa Cup of Nations, so
from a goalscoring point of view they've had to rely on one man and one man
only to come up with the goods. That's Gareth Bale and he's been the major
difference between Tottenham and the teams they've played recently. "Not
only has he scored very important goals, but they've been stunning goals at
that. He's going to need some looking after on Monday night. If we can do
that we nullify a threat that Tottenham have. Of course [Aaron] Lennon is a
threat down the other side, but he doesn't quite score as many goals as
Gareth Bale. We're not sure yet whether Jermain Defoe will be fit, but
certainly we've got to cope with that strike force. "Our home form has been
excellent all season and so we're going to hopefully make sure Tottenham
worry about us for a long period of time on Monday night, rather than us
worry about them too much."

The Bobby Moore tributes on Monday night - how important will they be for
the fans and the club?

SA - "Hopefully we can win the game and that would be the best thing that
could happen to celebrate Bobby Moore. He was a magnificent influence in the
world of football - not only at West Ham. I was very fortunate to play
against him in his days at Fulham and I can remember him distinctly as an
outstanding footballer. I think I was 18 at the time, breaking into first
team football at Bolton, and we were playing in the Second Division trying
to get into the First. Fulham had Moore, Mullery, Best and Marsh and we
still beat them!"

How impressed have you been with Winston Reid this season?

SA - "In Winston's short period of time with me, he's developed really well
in terms of his consistent level of performance and how he's learnt to do
his job as a defender first and as a footballer second. We lose sight of
good defenders today - I think the Barclays Premier League is as exciting as
it is because defenders aren't as good as they used to be in my opinion. Not
in Winston's case though, he's come out to be one of the most productive and
consistent defenders in the Premier League for me. He's been an outstanding
figure for us this season. "It's taken him to a new level. His first year in
the Premier League was a difficult one, he learnt an awful lot in the
Championship last year and has carried that forward into the Premier League.
I've been really pleased with his development."

He's worn the armband recently. Do you see him as possibly a future captain?

SA - "Perhaps, but I think if there's going to be another captain at the
club at the moment that would be Mark Noble. He's grown as a footballer and
he's West Ham through and through. Eventually, if anything happened to Kevin
[Nolan] he would be the man, but Winston has grown and might be captain
material.

How's Wellington Paulista getting on?

SA - "He's scoring a few goals in the Under-21s Developement Team. Hopefully
sooner or later we can get him introduced into the first team squad. Back in
December I only had one striker, Carlton Cole, today I've got five - Maiga,
Carroll, Cole, Paulista and Chamakh. I've got plenty of numbers to work with
which is great competition for places. That makes it a little bit harder for
him to get in, but of course if he continues to score for the U21s we'll
look at him at some stage."

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Jussi relishing Bale hearing
WHUFC.com
West Ham United goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is ready to face Tottenham
Hotspur's Gareth Bale
22.02.2013

Jussi Jaaskelainen is relishing the opportunity to take on the Barclays
Premier League's most prolific player on Monday night. Tottenham Hotspur's
Wales winger Gareth Bale has scored 21 goals in 36 appearances for club and
country so far this season - including seven in his previous five matches.
The lightning-quick left-footer has netted all types of goals this term,
including three unstoppable free-kicks in recent victories over Newcastle
United and French side Olympique Lyonnais. Rather than be intimidated,
however, West Ham United goalkeeper Jaaskelainen is looking forward to
pitting his wits against Bale, who scored in Spurs' 3-1 league win at White
Hart Lane in November. "The ideal situation is that we don't give those
silly free-kicks away around the box - that's how you stop him because if
you don't give him free-kicks he can't do it again!" said the No22. "He has
obviously done lots of practice on the free-kicks and the only thing a
'keeper can do is see the ball all the way and hope it doesn't go in right
next to the post and he has a chance to save the ball. "He seems to have
found a new technique and a new way to take his free-kicks."

Jaaskelainen was beaten by a Charles N'Zogbia free-kick at Aston Villa last
time out, but it was the first time a direct set piece had ended up in the
Finn's net all season. Modern-day footballs seem to have a mind of their
own, but the West Ham stopper refuses to blame the ball for the succession
of free-kicks that have been scored in the Barclays Premier League this
term. "Over the past ten years or so, they seem to try to make a quicker
football in the Premier League, and you can obviously see that more goals
like that seemed to be scored every year. "That's a big part of how the ball
has been designed, but I still think it is a great ball and good to play
football with, and of course goals are what the fans want to see! "I am not
too worried about it or complaining. You have to try to keep them out.
That's the name of the game and hopefully we can do that on Monday."

Beating Andre Villas-Boas' side will be easier said than done, however, as
Tottenham are unbeaten in ten Barclays Premier League matches dating back to
a 2-1 defeat at Everton on 9 December. Regardless of that enviable record,
Jaaskelainen is looking forward to what promises to be a memorable night
under the lights at the Boleyn Ground, with the club marking the 20th
anniversary of the death of Hammers and England legend Bobby Moore OBE.
"Tottenham seem to have been going extremely well for the past two or three
months but our home form, with our fans behind us, has been good. We just
need to keep performing the way we have been at home and I think we'll give
them a good game."

*A limited number of tickets are still available for Monday's Barclays
Premier League fixture with Tottenham Hotspur. To secure your seat now,
click on the link below.

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Bonzo pays tribute to Bobby
WHUFC.com
Billy Bonds reveals his fond memories of West Ham United legend Bobby Moore
OBE
22.02.2013

Picture the scene...3 November 1992. The wind whips in off the North Sea, on
a chillingly cold Tuesday evening in Cleethorpes, where Trevor Morley's
late-leveller has just helped West Ham United to secure a precious point
against Grimsby Town. The Hammers will go on to plunder promotion to the
Premier League in six months time but, for now, as the floodlights start to
flicker and fade and a crowd of 9,119 - the Mariners' largest attendance of
the season to date - drift away into the night, two West Ham United legends
exchange a few words pitch-side at a bleak, blustery Blundell Park. "I was
walking back from the manager's press conference, when I spotted Bobby Moore
sitting there all alone on the terrace wall," recalls Billy Bonds, who made
a club record 793 appearances for the club before taking over the managerial
reins for a further 237 matches. "We had just got a 1-1 draw on a typically
freezing November night and Mooro had been covering the game for Capital
Gold. 'What on earth are you doing up here? What time will you be getting
back to London?' I asked.
"He said: 'Don't worry, Bonzo, I'll be home by about 3:00 a.m.' Sure, I know
that he liked doing all his local radio commentary work but, for me, I was
sorry to see how it had all ended up for him. Football should've been a lot
kinder to an icon like Bobby Moore...after all, you wouldn't ever see Pele
or Franz Beckenbauer going all the way up to Grimsby Town on a Tuesday night
in November, would you?

"Sadly, that was the last time I ever saw Mooro," continues Bill, forever
cherishing precious memories of the 108-times capped World Cup winning
captain, who stands just two rungs below him on the Hammers all-time
appearance ladder with 642 outings in the claret and blue. Contrast that
final, forlorn, rain-swept rendezvous with their first-ever meeting, some
three decades earlier. "I was about 14-years-old and I didn't have clue who
Bobby Moore was," admits Bonzo. "My Sunday morning team had just won a
trophy and our coach - Mr Flowers - arranged for a surprise guest to present
the medals in our local school hall.
"This good looking lad turned up with his wife-to-be and they watched us
from up on the stage, while we were all given footballs to do some skills
and drills down on the floor below. "To be honest, having been born in
Woolwich, I was a Charlton Athletic boy and they were only in the second
division at the time. Although we knew that the blond, well-built fellow
sitting up there was a West Ham United player, we didn't really know any
more than that but, even then, it was obvious that this young lad - Bobby
Moore - definitely had something about him. "Seven years, an FA Cup, a
European Cup Winners Cup and, of course, one World Cup later, I ended up in
the same West Ham side. It was unbelievable!" continues Bill, who journeyed
through the Blackwall Tunnel to the Boleyn Ground in May 1967, following his
£47,500 transfer from The Valley. "Going on to play alongside Bobby Moore
was such a big thing for me because he really was top-drawer. That
presentation at the school left me totally in awe of him and, to be honest,
I never got over it.

"Mooro was an absolute icon. I respected a lot of team-mates and opponents
down the years but he was the only person in my entire career, who made me
feel that way. "I wasn't one of his muckers and not being a drinker, I
wouldn't say that I was in his crew either but he was fantastic to me from
the day that I arrived and I loved him as a player and as a person," reveals
the 66-year-old. "Bobby Moore had a presence both off and on the field.
"There was no side to him at all and, having lifted the World Cup, he'd been
the most famous person on the planet on that July afternoon at Wembley in
1966 but, despite all of that, Bobby wasn't the slightest bit lairy. Mooro
treated everyone the same, no matter who they were. "These days, I could
name a thousand players, who have achieved nothing like what Bobby did, yet
they go about their business acting really flash and walking around as
though they own the place. "Bobby Moore wasn't a particularly good header of
the ball and he wasn't very quick either but, boy, his timing was
impeccable. He didn't need to be good in the air or fast because he could
read the game so well - he always seemed to be in the right place at the
right time to nick the ball off a centre-forward. "And he was just so good
at bringing the ball out of defence and starting attacks, too."

Both summoned to Buckingham Palace during their playing careers, Bobby Moore
OBE and Billy Bonds MBE were each recognised in The Queen's New Year's
Honours List for their contributions to the beautiful game. But down West
Ham way, they could not have had more contrasting styles. Just compare the
Persil-white, perfectly-coiffeured, Mooro to the swashbuckling, pirate-like,
Bonzo. "I started out playing for West Ham at right-back, while Bobby was in
central defence and we were total opposites," confirms Bonds. "Mooro was
never one to shout or holler, he was totally calm and collected and always
looked immaculate, whereas I was always muddy, up and at 'em and with my
beard and long hair, people used to say that I resembled a Viking! "We
never, ever had any disagreements but I can remember we were under the cosh
up at Sunderland one day, when I looked across and saw him shouting and
wagging his finger towards me. "I had a right pop back at him only to then
see that familiar Mooro look, where he would raise his eyebrows. It was only
then that I turned around and, to my horror, saw he was actually having a go
at the linesman for not putting his flag up. I felt so small!"

Despite having climbed the 39 steps to the Royal Box at Wembley to lift that
hat-trick of trophies in the mid-60s, Moore sadly found himself frustrated
in his quest to bring any more silverware back to the Boleyn Ground. But
having made his senior debut in September 1958, it was testament to the
great man, that he remained down West Ham way until spring 1974, when he
finally headed way out west to Fulham, while Bonzo was handed the coveted
captaincy by Ron Greenwood. "There was a loyalty in those days," insists
Bill. "It wasn't only Bobby because you have to remember that people such as
Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Frank Lampard and Trevor Brooking had also come
up through the youth ranks. West Ham United were very fortunate that they
had a group of players, who stayed for a long time, even though the threat
of relegation was often hanging over the club. Those players could all have
found other clubs very easily. "The game's changed so much now and, today,
players always seem to be looking to move on as soon as anything starts to
go wrong. "It was a privilege to take over from Bobby as captain of West Ham
United but they were very big boots to fill," continues Bill, who fittingly
found himself lining up against his predecessor in the shadow of Wembley's
Twin Towers just over 12 months later. "Ironically, just a year or so after
he went to Fulham, Mooro ended up facing us in the 1975 FA Cup Final. To be
honest, there was no room for sentiment that day and, make no mistake, Bobby
would have loved to have put one over on us, while we also wanted to go out
there and lift that trophy, too. "As the older players, Alan Mullery and
Mooro realised that it was probably their last-ever chance to win a medal
and, knowing that no-one ever remembers the runners-up, they really wanted
to win that game just as much as we did.
"Being in the old second division, Fulham were the underdogs and, although
we didn't play that well on the day, their keeper probably didn't end up
having his best afternoon and Alan Taylor came up trumps with his double
that gave us a 2-0 win in the end. I've got a photograph of me and Graham
Paddon consoling Bobby after the game because he was obviously down and
Kevin Lock and a few of the other lads came over, too, but all we could say
really was: 'Unlucky mate.' "

Sandwiched between a post-retirement, trail-blazing adventure playing in the
North American Soccer League and his later stint in the commentary box,
Moore also tried his hand at management with Oxford City and Southend
United. And, in a final twist of tragic fate, Bonzo was the Hammers boss,
when Bobby prematurely passed away, at the age of 51, on 24 February 1993.
"Our first game following Bobby's death was up at Sunderland and there was a
minute's silence before the game," recounts Bill. "We were away from home
and while 99% of fans are usually as good as gold in those situations,
there's always that one per cent, who want to spoil it. "But even though
those 60 seconds were for a West Ham player, you could have heard a pin drop
at Roker Park that afternoon and that just showed how much respect there was
for Bobby Moore, both up and down the country and throughout the entire
game. "It was even more emotional at the Boleyn Ground the following week,
when we played Wolves. Before the game, Ron Greenwood, Martin Peters and
Geoff Hurst carried a giant wreath depicting Bobby's No6 shirt out to the
centre-circle and, once again, the whole ground fell totally silent. It was
a very sad time for everyone. "Looking back - and if I had my time again as
manager - I would have done a bit more to get Bobby involved with the club,
say, in some kind of ambassadorial role but, by the time I became West Ham
manager, he was already working in radio and he seemed to be enjoying his
involvement with his fellow commentators like Jonathan Pearce. "I can't
believe that it's 20 years since we lost him," concludes Bill. "I was very,
very lucky to have had the chance to play with Bobby Moore and that is
something that I am so proud to tell my two grandchildren."

*West Ham United would like to thank Steve Blowers for conducting this
interview with Billy Bonds.

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West Ham v Tottenham: Hammers warn fans over chanting
BBC.co.uk

West Ham have warned fans against racist behaviour when the Hammers play
Tottenham on Monday. The match, where the 20th anniversary of Bobby Moore's
death will be marked, comes three months after anti-Semitic chanting marred
the reverse fixture. Hammers chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan issued a
statement on Friday. "We must be clear that we will pursue the harshest
sanctions against any individual who goes against what we stand for as a
club," they said. Two West Ham fans accepted a police caution, and one of
them was given a lifetime ban from matches for gestures made at the 25
November match which Spurs won 3-1. The two cautioned supporters are
understood to have made Nazi-style salutes aimed at Tottenham supporters,
who traditionally have strong ties with London's Jewish community. Hammers
manager Sam Allardyce said: "I hope there's nothing untoward that happens in
terms of chanting.
Reporting racism West Ham say fans can report any incidents to the nearest
steward at the ground or use a phone number - 07860 404 069 - where calls
will be treated in strict confidence "Like everybody else we want to try to
reduce it to its bare minimum. We'd like to cut it out completely but I
don't think that's ever going to be the case when people get involved in
emotional situations. "But if we spot it, we've got to deal with it and
hopefully there won't be any."
Jewish co-chairman Gold said after the match at White Hart Lane that West
Ham would have a "zero tolerance" policy, in conjunction with the
Metropolitan Police, towards racist behaviour. The club say they have taken
part in several initiatives aimed at tackling discrimination on the grounds
of disability, race, sex, sexual orientation and religion. "Any fan found to
be acting inappropriately - including racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic
behaviour - will be punished to the full extent of the law and banned from
attending matches," said the statement. At Monday's Premier League match,
former team-mates will attend to pay tribute to ex-West Ham captain Moore,
who led England to their 1966 World Cup win. A minute's applause will be
held before kick-off and supporters will display a mosaic depicting his old
No.6 shirt.

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Viva Bobby Moore: Harry Redknapp
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 22nd February 2013
By: Chris Scull

Harry Redknapp was manager of West Ham United from 1994-2001. He was also a
close pal of Bobby Moore, whose friendship he recalled fondly when speaking
with KUMB.com's Chris Scull...

Harry: thank you for talking to us. There's a whole generation of people who
never saw Bobby play. Can you explain why so many feel that Bobby was the
greatest defender who ever lived?

Well, Bobby had a fantastic, amazing football brain. He read situations; if
you had gone and looked at Bobby play as a scout you'd have probably come
back and said "well, he's not good in the air, he's not quick, he's not
over-aggressive" - you'd have gone "hang on, we're talking about a central
defender here!" But his reading of the game was incredible, he was always in
the right place to deal with situations even before they developed.

I always thought he was seconds ahead of everybody else. He got in the right
positions to deal with danger and he was a class act both on and off the
field. He was just a fantastic person - you never saw him kicking anybody or
having aggravation, he just got on with the game, played the game. A great
sportsman and just a fantastic ambassador for English football.

Do you think he's the greatest player this country has ever produced?

Well it's difficult to say as a footballer, you know. There have been more
talented players than Bobby for sure so I wouldn't say he was the most
talented player. But he captained England, he won the World Cup and he was a
special leader of men. He was a great player and for me will always be
special.

You played alongside him at West Ham for a number of years; what was he like
to play with?

Yeah, he was great. As a captain he was quiet, he wasn't one for shouting
and screaming at everybody. He got on with the game. If Bobby did get upset
with anyone you knew you must have got him really upset because he was a
very quiet, very shy guy away from football - but also one of the lads when
he let his hair down, he was great fun and everyone loved being with Bobby.
As a captain he led by example rather than by shouting and screaming at
everybody.

You were good friends; what was he like as a drinking partner?

Oh he liked a night out, did Bob, that's for sure! He could go out with the
best of them and enjoy himself. When he had a night out you certainly knew
he'd had a night out!

Many's the time he came into training after a night out, especially on a
Sunday morning. He always used to come in on a Sunday morning and do a few
sprints and laps, or put on a wetsuit and get a sweat on. Often he'd come in
with his dinner suit and bow tie on still, from when he'd been out with Tina
or whoever the night before! Everybody loved him, he was great company and a
fantastic player and person.

You worked together at Oxford City; did his enthusiasm to start his
managerial career from the bottom surprise you?

Yeah, but he was wasted really - there was a man with such knowledge of the
game. West Ham had the opportunity to use him - and what an ambassador he'd
have been for West Ham and England. But like most people, it was only when
he died that suddenly everybody wants to start naming stands after him and
building statues. How he never got a knighthood I'll never know, it baffles
me.

No disrespect to lots of other players or whoever who haven't done anything
close to what Bobby did in the game and who ended up getting knighthoods,
but Bobby didn't and I find it unbelievable really. It's scandalous. Frank
Beckenbauer at Bayern Munich; Bobby Charlton at Manchester United, Bobby
Moore at West Ham - he should have been there, he should have been an
ambassador for the club and also, as I said, for England.

You saw him manage from close hand; do you think he had it in him to be a
successful manager?

Oh undoubtedly, yes. It's the luck of the game, this game - if you haven't
got the right players and the right team you've got no chance. I'm not being
disrespectful but Alex Ferguson could have managed a team in the lower
reaches of the fourth division for 18 months and might not have made it.
That would have been the end of him and he's the top man in our business.
Bobby didn't really get a chance to manage at a club where he could have
made a success, he went instead to Southend where he had no chance
whatsoever.

People say "oh, he wasn't a manager" - but that's only because he never got
the chance. If he had managed West Ham he may well have been the best
manager West Ham ever had - who knows? But certainly he could have been a
great manager, everybody loved and respected him and he knew the game inside
out. There was no reason he couldn't have gone on to manage if he'd had the
right players and the right team.

I've read that when you had your accident in Italy in 1990, Bobby dropped
everything - including his radio commitments - to come and be at your
bedside. Were you surprised to see him?

No; that was Bob, wasn't it. Bob was always special and a caring person. We
all grew up together, we all came to West Ham and all grew up as kids
although he was a few years older than me. We all became great friends and
it was a close-knit football club, West Ham - all London boys. He was always
going to be there for you when you needed him.

He spent his final years on the periphery of football doing radio
commentary. Do you think those running the game let him down?

Absolutely, yes. I do. The people at West Ham, people at England. To see him
commentating, doing the radio... I went to Grimsby one night with West Ham
and he's sitting there doing Radio London or whatever it was, eating a bag
of fish and chips on a freezing cold night probably getting £100. What a
waste, he should have been walking in there as ambassador for West Ham as
the people of Grimsby would have loved to have seen him there that night as
he should have been.

It was a waste and like lots of things in life; people don't realise what
they've got until it's gone.

In recent years, as you mentioned, he's had a statue erected and a stand
named after him. What changed for him to become this honoured figure that he
wasn't in his lifetime?

I don't know really, everybody just realised what he was. The greatest
England captain of all time, the only man to have captained England to
winning the World Cup - certainly the only captain in my lifetime, I'm sure
and maybe in a long time. So he'll always be special. People who were around
will never forget 1966 as it was an amazing time and an amazing feat by the
players and especially Bobby.

When did you first discover that he was ill?

He came down to Bournemouth with Stephanie and spent a few days with us. I
could see he wasn't well, he'd lost a lot of weight. I must admit when I
first saw him - I'd arranged to pick him up at Bournemouth - I got very
upset, with the amount of weight he'd lost. His trousers were hanging off of
him and he always had those great big legs, but suddenly I could see he'd
lost loads of weight. He never complained, he never said "I'm not well" - he
just got on with it. That was Mooro.

Do you remember the last time you saw him?

It would have been not long before he died, not too long before we lost him.
He came down to Bournemouth not long before that. I'm not sure exactly when
but it would have been pretty close to when he died.

So you didn't have the opportunity to say a final goodbye?

No, not really because we didn't know how desperate it was. We knew he
wasn't well but these things deteriorate quickly and he didn't make a fuss,
you know.

If he was still alive - and you had the decision - what kind of role would
you give him in football?

Well now he'd be an ambassador and certainly involved with West Ham. I think
I'd make him Chairman at West Ham, or Life President - he should be in the
front row of the Director's box every week because everybody at West Ham is
proud of him. We all loved him; the players, the managers and the fans. The
supporters at the club absolutely idolise Bobby.

Again, certainly a role in the England set-up somewhere at the FA or
wherever. He probably wouldn't be managing at 70 or whatever he'd be now,
but certainly 20 years have been wasted where he could have been of great
use to football in this country.

* Extracts from this interview may also be heard in Episode 3 of the
KUMB.com Podcast - a Bobby Moore special.

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Viva Bobby Moore: Jeremy Nicholas
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 22nd February 2013
By: Jeremy Nicholas

Jeremy Nicholas has been West Ham United's match day announcer since 1998.
Here he tells us what Bobby Moore meant to him...

When I was a kid, the biggest name in football was Bobby Moore.

He was the England captain when we won the World Cup in 1966. I don't
remember much about it as I was three. My middle sister Melanie was only a
few days old, so Dad watched the game with the baby on his lap. I'm not sure
where I was, but Mel says it was a good game and we won it four-two. Either
she has a great memory, or she's watched it back on DVD.

No trip to the Boleyn Ground is complete without a visit to the World Cup
Heroes statue on the corner of Green Street and Barking Road, with Bobby
held aloft holding the trophy. The best thing about Bobby Moore was that he
was also the captain of West Ham. By the time the 1970 World Cup came round,
I was fully up to speed about football. I had wall charts, the lot. Mel says
the pictures from Mexico were a bit fuzzy, but it gave it a certain quality.


She was only four, but already had a keen eye.

I had a six-inch statue of Bobby on my bookshelf. He was taller in real
life. I still have that statue to this day. I took it to my first day at the
BBC, my first day at Channel 5 and it even went on holiday with me to
Morocco for the 1984 Olympics. The games weren't held in Morocco, but it's
where I went on holiday. Bobby stood on top of the hotel TV for good luck as
Daley Thompson won the decathlon in Los Angeles. He tilted slightly to one
side because I left him on a radiator and his base melted. That's Bobby, not
Daley.

I only met Bobby Moore twice in real life, apart from cheering him on from
the crowd at West Ham. The first time was in 1975. We were moving house and
Nanna took me and my big sister Kathryn to the movies, to keep us out of the
way of the removal men. We saw Towering Inferno with Steve McQueen and Paul
Newman. They didn't have to pay to get in, as they were in the film.

The rest of us did have to pay. Nanna probably paid for us, she was good
like that. In those days, you had to queue outside a cinema for a popular
film. We queued along the side of the Gants Hill Odeon. I had a bit of
restless leg syndrome and danced about with excitement at the thought of
seeing a skyscraper go up in flames. My forefathers are from the low lying
fens of Cambridgeshire, so any tall building is exciting. I still have
cousins who point when they see an aeroplane in the sky.

So I was dancing around like Nijinsky, the racehorse not the ballet dancer,
and accidentally trod on the toes of the man behind us. He was tall and I
looked up to say sorry. It was Bobby Moore. I mumbled an apology and went
bright red. After that I don't remember anything, the film is a blur.

Kathryn apparently did strike up a conversation with him. She went to Miss
Brill's dance classes with Bobby's daughter Roberta who was the same age.
The way Kathryn tells it, she was on first name terms with Bobby, but I
don't believe a word of it, I think the story has been embellished over the
years, I mean whoever heard of the surname Brill?

I remember being told the following weekend Bobby Moore missed a penalty and
it was all because I trod on his toe. Well I know that's rubbish, because
Bobby didn't take penalties. So you can forget that one Kathryn!

The other time I met Bobby was at Villa Park the day West Ham lost the FA
Cup semi-final, four-nil to Nottingham Forest. The other semi-final between
Spurs and Arsenal, the first at Wembley, was live on TV in the press room
beforehand. There were plenty of places to sit, but I deliberately sat right
next to Bob and we chatted all through the game. I can't remember what we
said, it was all about the match, but I was talking to Bobby Moore. Spurs
won, setting up the mouth watering prospect of a West Ham/Spurs final.

As the press room emptied, I went to the loo. Bobby Moore was emerging from
a cubicle. As he washed his hands I wished him good luck with his radio
commentary and then I went into the cubicle he'd just left. Now I'm a bit of
a stickler when it comes to hygiene, a bit like Miles from 'Frasier', but
for the first time ever, I didn't wipe the toilet seat down before taking my
seat.

Bobby Moore was the greatest ever captain of West Ham and England, his germs
could not be harmful. On reflection it's odd behaviour and I'm not sure I
should be mentioning it. But, better out than in.

I took my seat in the stand, still grinning, and ready to watch West Ham
fight for a place in an all London Cup Final. The West Ham fans were
magnificent that day, the best I've ever known, even better in my view than
the legendary play-off semi final against Ipswich in the Pardew era. We
didn't stop singing 'Billy Bonds Claret and Blue Army' all day.

We lost four nil.

When Bobby died in 1993 I was working at BBC Greater London Radio. It came
up as just a few words on the wires – England's World Cup winning captain
Bobby Moore has died of bowel cancer.

Working in broadcasting you develop immunity to bad news stories, otherwise
you'd never be able to cope with live situations. However when it's one of
your heroes from childhood it's tough. My little statue of Bobby that sat on
my bedside locker as a kid, had come with me to my interview at GLR and he'd
been there for my first show. Now I had to read the newsflash.

With tears streaming down my face, I ripped off the script from the printer
and walked into the studio. The news editor intercepted me and asked if I
wanted somebody else to read it, but I said I would be all right. I put my
head down and read it, just exactly what it said on the script and then
walked out again without talking to the presenter.

Bobby Moore played 108 times for England, a record at the time. Peter
Shilton and David Beckham have since overtaken that total. Shilts played on
longer because he was a keeper and Becks made a lot of his appearances as a
sub, but Bobby played every single minute of every one of his 108
appearances.

The Bobby Moore Fund does brilliant work in his memory, raising awareness of
bowel cancer. I've been inspired every time I've met Stephanie at events
where I've supported them as a speaker or auctioneer. If you are ever
looking for a charity to support they are lovely people to work with. Each
year I stand out at the London Marathon cheering on every Bobby Moore Fund
runner wearing the red shirts with a number six on the back. I'd love to run
it one year for the BMF, but my osteopath won't let me.

The first game after Bobby's death was against Wolves. A giant number six
shirt made out of claret and blue flowers was carried into the centre circle
by Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters. Like many around me I was struggling to
hold back the tears. Then two Wolves fans ran onto the pitch with a tribute
of their own. They obviously hadn't cleared it with anyone, but the stewards
were brilliant and didn't overreact, allowing them to place their tribute, I
think it was a cross in Wolves colours, alongside the official tributes in
the centre circle. They were warmly applauded all the way back to their
seats.

We won the game three one, which was fitting. At the end my heart was in my
mouth as a West Ham skinhead ran onto the pitch. He ran to the Wolves end,
applauded them, they clapped him back and he ran off. I'm with Brian Clough
when it comes to pitch invasions, nobody should ever enter the field of
play. But those two mini-invasions were special moments and were a fitting
tribute to England's greatest ever captain.


*This article first appeared in Jeremy's latest book, 'Mr Moon Has Left The
Stadium' which you may purchase directly from KUMB.com.

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Big Sam deal on hold
By PAT SHEEHAN
Published: 22nd February 2013
The Sun

SAM ALLARDYCE has broken his silence and confirmed all contract talks are on
hold until the summer. The West Ham boss has four months to go on a two-year
deal and is on course to achieve the twin aims set when he took over —
promotion and then Premier League safety. Allardyce, whose 11th-placed side
are at home to Tottenham on Monday, insisted both he and the club's board
had agreed to wait. He said: "This is a both-party agreement and both
parties will sort it out privately and confidentially when the time is
right."

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Hammers: We'll ban vile fans
By MIKE McGRATH
Published: 22nd February 2013
The Sun

WEST HAM will ban for life any fans using anti-Semitic chants in Monday's
London derby clash with Tottenham. Hammers owners David Gold and David
Sullivan are desperate to avoid anything tarnishing the 20th anniversary of
Bobby Moore's death. And they have told fans to report anybody they see or
hear using offensive behaviour. Last November's 3-1 defeat at White Hart
Lane was marred by shameful chants from a few West Ham followers. Gold and
Sullivan issued a statement last night saying: "We will not tolerate any
form of discriminatory behaviour and one by one we will root out those fans
that do not deserve to represent this great club of ours. "We will pursue
the harshest sanctions against any individual who goes against what we stand
for as a club. "The vast majority of Hammers fans support the club in the
right way. However, in the rare case supporters do see or hear anything
unacceptable, there are a number of ways they can report the matter."

West Ham dished out a lifetime ban to one supporter after the ugly scenes
three months ago. Moore's grandchildren will lead out the teams on Monday
night as one of a number of tributes to England's 1966 World Cup-winning
skipper. Moore played 544 games for West Ham and died on February 24, 1993,
aged 51, after battling bowel cancer. Former team-mates will attend the game
to join in the tribute with a minute's applause before kick-off. West Ham
boss Sam Allardyce also hopes the club's fans will behave. He said: "I hope
there's nothing untoward. "We'd like to cut it out and if we spot it then
we've got to deal with it."

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