Daily WHUFC News - 3rd April 2014

'Football can be part of a lovely day'
WHUFC.com
LLDC Executive Paul Brickell played host to Carlton Cole and Matt Jarvis at
the Olympic Park
02.04.2014

Lifelong West Ham United fan and London Legacy Development Corporation
executive Paul Brickell was on hand to show Hammers duo Carlton Cole and
Matt Jarvis the spectacular surrounds that await them come 2016. Ahead of
Saturday's grand opening of the newly-landscaped south section of Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park, Mr Brickell, executive director of regeneration and
community partnerships, spoke of his excitement as legacy momentum continues
to gather pace. Mr Brickell, himself a Hammers Season Ticket Holder, expects
the Park to prove a huge hit with locals young and old, none more so than
when the West Ham family join the party two years down the line. He told
West Ham TV: "The whole south Park area is going to be a very fun place to
be. On the day that we open, next Saturday, acrobats will fly off the top of
the Orbit and that's the sense of what this place will be weekend in,
weekend out, day in, day out, but then with these other amazing
facilities."The London Aquatic Centre has only been open for three or four
weeks now and has been enormously popular. This is just an amazing place
that brings together fun for families, with serious sports. Whether it's
football, swimming, athletics or cycling, it will carry that Olympic thing
of come along and have fun, but also maybe get inspired and find something
that you can do for the rest of your life.

"You begin to see how you could have the family day out here. Not everybody
has to come to the football match, or you can come and spend the morning in
the Park, go to the game and then have something to eat and drink. I think
there are 70 restaurants in Westfield, for example. That's why it's not
difficult to see that the Stadium will be filled week in, week out, because
even if you haven't come just for the football, the football can be part of
a lovely day."

For Mr Brickell, however, his influence and ambition extends far beyond the
Park, with the plan having always been to use the Olympic legacy as a tool
to regenerate and boost east London and its many communities. He continued:
"The Park is fantastic, but we've always seen the Park as part of a new part
of London. Some of it came before the Park, Westfield shopping centre came
with tens of thousands of jobs and employment was one of the key reasons
that we wanted this here. We wanted to give local people, local young people
particularly, the chance to work here. "We've had a very large number of
people working during the construction phase and a lot of apprentices,
who've started their careers in construction here. Now as we move into the
venues being active and the Park's management, all of that work is local
jobs and apprenticeships making sure people get a good start in their
career. "So one of the things that I'm doing is making sure that we get
every ounce of benefit out of the Park for the communities in and around it,
which, in time, will lead onto the new homes that we've started to build."

Much of that benefit will hopefully come from the Olympic Stadium, which
will first open for the Rugby World Cup in 2015, prior to the Hammers taking
up residency the following summer. Mr Brickell, who has been watching his
beloved Hammers for some 46 years, is already eyeing up his seat in the
Club's new home. "We already have a sense of what it will be like from the
Olympic Games, an enormous cauldron of noise and it's going to be like that
only more intense," he added. "Many of us just can't wait to get in there.
"I'm a Season Ticket Holder in the Alpari Lower and I keep saying to the
guys who are designing the Stadium - I know it'll probably be in mid-air -
but show me the best seats so that I can get in there early!"

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Hammers welcome Park opening
WHUFc.com
The south of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is to open to the general
public on Saturday
02.04.2014

West Ham United are pleased to herald this week's complete re-opening of the
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the spectacular setting to house the Hammers
from 2016. West Ham are to take up occupancy of the Olympic Stadium in
little more than two years' time, in a Park that is now the dynamic
epicentre of east London's regeneration. As of 10am on Saturday 5 April, the
the newly-landscaped south of the Park will open its doors to the general
public for the first time since the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Designed
by James Corner Field Operations, the south of the Park features an
action-packed adventure playground, interactive water fountains and four
themed walking trails exploring the key sights of London 2012. The
ArcelorMittal Orbit, the United Kingdom's tallest sculpture at 114.5 metres,
is to open for business too, offering an entirely new perspective of London
and unrivalled views of the Park. Together with eight iconic Olympic venues,
the beautiful parklands and waterways amount to the perfect day-out
destination and one that Vice-Chairman Karren Brady CBE believes will
greatly enhance the Hammers' matchday experience when they take up residence
in the Olympic Stadium. The Vice-Chairman said: "The full re-opening of
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park marks another major milestone in the
regeneration of this part of east London following the hugely successful
Olympic Games in 2012. "Everyone at West Ham United is excited and proud
about playing their part in securing this lasting legacy from the Games as
we make the stunning new Park our home from 2016. We always knew that the
Park would provide a spectacular setting for West Ham supporters to enjoy as
part of their unique matchday experience. It will become an unrivalled
London and worldwide destination and an unforgettable day out for them and
their families. "In addition to the global appeal of Premier League
football, visitors to the park can walk in the footsteps of those who made
the summer of 2012 truly unforgettable, while admiring some of the most
iconic buildings in the world. "West Ham United's presence will help ensure
a long-term and viable future for the Park, as we bring over a million
visitors a year as well as creating at least 700 new jobs for local people.
We are now looking forward to working with the residents and businesses that
will also call the Park their home to make sure the Queen Elizabeth Olympic
Park is a destination people from all over the world will want to visit."

Club-record signing Andy Carroll - one of three players to visit the Park on
Wednesday afternoon - is excited by what the Park has to offer and is
certain that West Ham fans will fully embrace it. The Park's opening serves
as a timely reminder of all that the Hammers have to look forward to and
Carroll can hardly wait to make Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park home. He told
whufc.com: "I'm sure the public are thrilled that it's all open now and will
love going there. I could definitely imagine taking my family and when the
sun's out the Park will be absolutely buzzing! "We've basically got a brand
new fan park on our own doorstep and I think our fans will have a great time
there. There's loads to do, loads to see and it's just a great place all
round to hang out. Not many, if any Clubs can boast those sorts of
surroundings. "The scale of that fantastic Stadium and its surrounds are
inspiring and I'm looking forward to taking another look on Wednesday
afternoon."

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Noble's delight at Hammers form
WHUFC.com
West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble says the Hammers have come a long way
since Christmas
02.04.2014

Mark Noble believes the way West Ham United have turned their 2013/14
campaign around should be applauded. Following the 2-1 defeat at Fulham on
New Year's Day, the Hammers sat second bottom of the Barclays Premier League
table, with just 15 points from 20 games. Having now gained a further 22
points from their last twelve outings, Noble and his teammates now occupy a
much healthier eleventh position. Indeed, Monday's 2-1 victory at Sunderland
pushed them eleven points clear of the drop zone and Noble is thrilled with
the Londoners' run of form. He explained: "The win on Monday put us on 37
points and that's great for the Club. I thought we played well at Sunderland
- we defended really well and they had to make the substitutions to change
the game. "I think you have to look back at the position we were in around
Christmas time. We were second from bottom at one point and now we've shown
to everyone what we can do. We got ourselves together from what happened
against Hull, even though we won the game it was a disappointing from us,
and the fans were unbelievable on Monday. "To have that support all the way
up to Sunderland on a Monday night was unreal and we deserved the win. "It's
going to be tough to match last year's tally - we need to win three more
games. It's still possible, we know that, but after where we were at
Christmas when I would watch TV and people would say we're getting
relegated, to turn it around the way we have done has been fantastic. "We've
got six games to go, we want to give a good account of ourselves and our aim
is to come tenth."

The Hammers had to withstand a strong Sunderland fightback in the second
period after goals from Andy Carroll and Mohamed Diame put them 2-0 up and
the No16 was happy with the resolute display. He continued: "That's what's
going to happen at this stage of the season when teams are so desperate for
the win. We had chances to go three up, we didn't take them, and we held on
in the end. "That's what we've done a lot this season - gone ahead, defended
as a team and tried to break. We were over the moon to win - it was a long
way home and to have to do that without a win would have been disappointing.
We've put another cushion in and obviously we've got two tough games coming
up so to get those two wins was massive for us."

Noble supplied Carroll's opener with a pinpoint corner and he says having a
player like the big Geordie to aim for makes his job an easy one. He added:
"We had a debate in training on the morning of the game! We always have an
argument over where the ball's got to go but I did remind him that I've
given him two assists in four games now. "When you play with someone like
that you know you can put the ball in that area and he's going to attack it.
That's what he did and it was another good header."

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Stewart Downing - The Big Interview
WHUFC.com
Stewart Downing was thrilled to win on his return to the north east on
Monday
02.04.2014

Stewart Downing was happy to play his part as the Hammers secured
back-to-back Barclays Premier League wins for the second time in as many
months.
Relegation-threatened Sunderland were beaten 2-1 by West Ham United on
Monday evening, with one-time Black Cats loanee Downing enjoying his return
his his native north east.

Stewart, how big a win was that on Monday?

SD: "Very big. Hull was maybe a bigger win but obviously going to
Sunderland, they had to come at us and I think we defended quite well at
times, especially towards the end. We could have made it more comfortable -
I had a chance and Andy had a volley - we could have been out of sight, so
we made it hard for ourselves but it was a good win."

It's actually two wins in a row, so you're really flying at the moment...

SD: "It's been the story of our season really. We got four wins in a row in
February, then we lost three before winning these two, so it was important
for us [to return to form]."

For that first goal, Andy Carroll did what Andy Carroll does. It was a great
header, wasn't it?

SD: "It was a tremendous header. We work on things like that to target Andy
at set pieces. It was a great leap and a great header. It's a good goal for
him and he wants to get as many goals as he can to get picked for the World
Cup."

When things are going well, they go well, and you got a bit of luck with the
penalty shout and for the deflection on the second goal, but they all count.

SD: "They all count and at the start of the season they were going in
against us. We were due a bit of luck, we've dug in there and stuck at it to
get our rewards. I know there was a big of a deflection on the goal but we
deserved it."

Your old mate Adam Johnson got one at the other end, how frustrated were you
as a team not to keep a clean sheet?

SD: "I think we were. Credit to Johnno, it was a great goal, but defensively
from us it was poor as we should have closed him down and not let him get in
that area. We made it difficult for ourselves because we let them back in
the game, but I had that chance just before when the keeper touched it
around the post. We could have been out of sight, but the game's never over
until the end,"

Are you safe from relegation now?

SD: "These were two massive wins for us, it gives us a little bit of
breathing space, but I wouldn't say we're out of sight. For us the target is
to finish as high as we can, we're not just sitting happily now because
we've got 37 points. We want to get as many more points as we can before the
end of the season. Liverpool is a big game at the weekend, we can do other
teams a favour and ourselves a favour by getting into that top ten
position."

A big game for you personally too next...

SD: "It's nice to play against your old teams and I'm sure Andy and Joe Cole
are looking forward to it. We're in for that top ten spot and it's tight, so
we want to do ourselves and the other teams a favour."

They're flying at the moment, so you'll have to be on your mettle.

SD: "Yes, their forward line is frightening at the minute. The goals are
coming from everywhere, but we'll make it hard for them at our place. When I
was playing for Liverpool it was always hard against West Ham at Upton Park.
It's going to be difficult, but a good win on Monday breeds confidence and
we fancy ourselves against anyone at home."

Tell us about your chance in the second half. Did you think it was in?

SD: "I should have scored if I'm honest. The keeper stood up until late, and
I think he's tipped it - I'm not sure whether it would have hit the post or
gone in. I should have scored and that would have put us out of sight. It
wasn't to be, but the main thing was we won the game.

It felt like you were in the thick of things. Did you enjoy it?

SD: "I very much enjoyed it. It was a good tussle with Alonso and it was a
quite high energy game, up and down. I was going one way and he was going
the other, but it was a big win. There was a lot of pressure on them to
attack us and we defended well.

We saw the defensive side of your game too, flying up and down that wing and
doing the hard yards.

SD: "You have to do that in this position, especially with the way they were
set up. Alonso was playing quite high and the manager said you have to track
him. They tried to expose us, but in a way it was a plus for us, because we
had acres of space out wide. We capitalised on it and it was a great win for
us.

The goal hasn't quite come for you this evening, but are you confident it
will eventually?

SD: "The goals will come. The main thing for me is playing well, that's why
I came here - to play regularly and do well. As long as the team's winning
the goals are a bonus, but hopefully I'll get a couple before the end of the
season."

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Levy hatches Boleyn bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 2nd April 2014
By: Staff Writer

It has been claimed that Tottenham tried to buy the Boleyn Ground from West
Ham earlier this year. Apparently it's not a late April Fools joke, but our
friends from north London attempted to buy the Upton Park-based stadium in
order that they may play there during the 2016/17 whilst their new ground is
being built.
The Daily Mail claim that Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy's bid to buy the
stadium was immediately rejected - with the club's home of 109 years
eventually sold to Loughton-based property developer Galliard Group for
considerably less than Spurs offered to pay. Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy's
ludicrous bid would almost certainly have signalled the end of plans to turn
the area into a homage to former West Ham greats. Had been been allowed to
purchase the ground, it would almost certainly have been sold to the highest
bidder once Tottenham move back into their new stadium, rather than one keen
to work with West Ham in order to maintain a lasting legacy to the club in
the area. Speaking about the sale of the ground to the Galliard Group last
month, vice chair Karren Brady said: "Most importantly for us, Galliard are
passionate about working with West Ham United to engage their supporters to
help deliver a fitting legacy that will honour the tradition of the famous
ground. "We are confident that West Ham United fans will be excited about
their vision and the way they plan to respect more than 100 years of West
Ham history at Upton Park."

West Ham are set to move to the 54,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in time for
the start of the 2016/17 season, less than three years from now. Tottenham
hope that their new 56,000-capacity stadium - which is yet to be ratified -
will be open for business a year later, in the summer of 2017.

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Kevin Nolan says Sam Allardyce is best man for West Ham
Last Updated: 02/04/14 8:46am
SSN

Kevin Nolan believes Sam Allardyce remains the best manager to take West Ham
United forward and push them into Europe. The Hammers have endured a testing
2013/14 campaign, with inconsistencies leaving them sweating on their
Premier League status at various stages. A 2-1 victory over Sunderland on
Monday would appear to have ended any lingering doubts regarding their
top-flight standing, with an 11-point gap opened up on the bottom three. The
Upton Park outfit now have their sights set on a top-half finish, with the
club determined to look upwards rather than over their shoulder. "If he's
given the armoury he wants, he can build a team that will be challenging for
Europe - and doing it the right way."
Kevin Nolan
Nolan is convinced that Allardyce, who was disappointed to see his side
jeered by their own supporters following a recent 2-1 victory over Hull
City, can guide the club into a brighter future, with there no reason why
they cannot be pushing the top six in the years to come. He said in the
Daily Star: "Of course he's had a difficult week. "With all the online stuff
that goes on, it can go really stupid. But Sam's got a good rapport with the
fans and I think they know that he knows what he's doing. "If he's given the
armoury he wants, he can build a team that will be challenging for Europe -
and doing it the right way. "You only have to look back at what we had at
Bolton, when he was given the ammunition to go on and the situation he got
us in. "We qualified for Europe twice and when he left, they struggled."

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SPURS TOLD 'HANDS OFF THE BOLEYN GROUND!'
By Sean Whetstone 2 Apr 2014 at 13:14
West Ham Till I Die

Yesterday Martin Samuel in the Daily Mail revealed Spurs failed with
ambitious bid to buy the Boleyn Ground Park from West Ham. I initially
dismissed this story as an April Fools joke but now I can confirm it is 100%
true. David Kent has published a follow up article in the Daily Mail today
which can be read HERE

Samuel says in his column: "Before agreeing the sale of Upton Park to the
Galliard Group, West Ham United had an interesting counter-offer. Tottenham
Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy was very keen on purchasing the ground for the
2016-17 season, when West Ham relocate to the Olympic Stadium. It appears
Tottenham's move to their new ground from White Hart Lane may not unfold as
smoothly as hoped. There are still compulsory purchase issues causing delays
and fears temporary accommodation may be required, for a season at least.

Levy believes Wembley is too costly and problematic to fill, and the notion
of ground-sharing the Emirates Stadium would probably cause a riot. Buying
the Boleyn Ground, getting the necessary use from it, and then selling it
on, seemed an ideal solution. With one problem: West Ham said no, and then
sold elsewhere. Tottenham's difficulties extend beyond the calls to be made
on the manager, team and structure."

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INTERVIEW WITH KENNY BROWN
By ExWHUemployee 2 Apr 2014 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die

Kenny was a popular player in the 90s and is best remembered for his winning
goal against Manchester United which prevented them from becoming champions
that year. He was a reliable and versatile fullback who always gave his all
for the club. Following in his father's footsteps in playing for the club,
he never let us down when called upon.

You were signed by club legend Billy Bonds in 1991 whilst playing for
Plymouth Argyle, how did the transfer come about?

I was out of contract at Plymouth but it was before the Bosman ruling so I
started pre-season there. Dad had a chance meeting with Billy Bonds and he
asked how I was. Billy said West Ham had a lot of injuries and were looking
to bring someone in on loan. They made the call and obviously I was up the
M5/M4 like a shot!

Was it initially hard to follow in your father's footsteps at the club?

No not at all. After a week I felt I had been there for years. Everyone made
me feel at home and it was an honour to follow in Dad's footsteps.

You are best remembered for your goal against Manchester United to help stop
them winning the league, what are your memories from that game?

Under the lights, electric atmosphere and a full house. We were all but
relegated but the fans were behind us straight from kick off. Ludo was never
going to concede and we got the break with the goal - a great night after a
disappointing season.

You managed to notch 5 goals in 63 appearances for the club, which isn't a
bad record for a defender, how did this happen?

We played with wing-backs when I first came and I was given license to join
the attack whenever possible. I also filled in at left-back a few times
which encouraged me to come in on my right and shoot more.

Do you have any other games that stand out in your mind other than the
Manchester United match and why?

Aston Villa at home again under the lights when I scored my favourite goal
for West Ham in a 3-1 win, and for different reasons Notts County away in
92/93 season. I lost my mum on the Wednesday and Bill and the staff were the
only people who knew. Bill asked if I wanted to play on the Saturday, I did
and we drew 0-0 but it was an emotional experience.

There were many great characters at West Ham in the 90s. Who were you
particularly close to and do you keep in touch with any of the players now?

We were a really close group of players but there were a few of us that
knocked around together: Bish, Keith Rowland, Michael Hughes, Julian and
Hutch had some great times on and off the pitch. Both Hutch & Rowley lived
with me for quite a while. I'm still in touch with nearly all the players
from that era.

Are there any particular funny stories from the training ground that you can
share?

Really too many to pick one but they normally always involved Bish, Moncs or
Martin Allen.

You left the club to join Birmingham City. How did the move come about and
did you want to leave at this time?

I wanted to play more and Birmingham came in for me to go on loan. Mike
Newell had joined us from them and said it was a shambles. I went anyway and
enjoyed playing every week for the month. They then agreed a fee to sign me
permanently and I went. Within another month I knew I had made a mistake. I
lasted 4 months before Billy took me to Millwall!

After leaving West Ham, you played for a number of clubs, including
Millwall, was it hard to turn out for one of our greatest rivals?

I actually enjoyed my time at Millwall. It helped that Bill was the manager,
Patsy Holland was his assistant and Paul Allen was there as well. Also by
the time the abuse got to me it was a bit diluted!

Since retiring from playing you have had a few spells in management and
coaching. Have there been any particular highlights?

I have managed and played in the Champions League, played, managed, coached
and was director of football while in Spain and worked with Julian Dicks
again at Grays Athletic.

What do you currently do now?

I'm now u/16 manager at Dagenham & Redbridge and lead development coach for
the 12's to 16's

This is a very hard question to answer but could you pick the Best West Ham
11 that you played with?

Ludo, Potts, Bilic, Gale, Dicks, Keen, Moncur, Bishop, Hughes, Hutchison,
Mcavennie subs: Breaker, Allen, Cottee, Morley, Robson

Do you still follow West Ham and what do you make of our current team and
prospects?

Yes, it's the first result I look for. I think we will stay up but would
like to see a bit more imagination in our attacking play. We have always had
an iconic number 10 and would like to see one to go with the resilience
that's obviously instilled in the current team.

Is there any message you would like to leave for the West Ham fans reading
this?

It was a privilege and honour to play for West Ham United and I have my
fondest memories in football from my time there. The fans were, and still
are, great to me and that means a lot from a player who had limited talent
but always gave 100%. I think the fans could relate to that. COYI

I would agree with Kenny, he always gave 100% and wore the shirt with pride,
something that all us fans love to see. Thanks for the interview Kenny and
thanks for the memories

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West Ham begin planning summer transfers after Sunderland win that surely
keeps them up
Apr 01, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror

West Ham have started planning for next season following Monday night's win
at Sunderland. The east Londoners now have 37 points, which is anticipated
to be enough for them to avoid relegation, and are looking to make "at least
three and a maximum of five" summer signings, with the emphasis on quality.
They could revisit moves for former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan -
currently playing for UAE club Al Ain - and Fenerbahce's ex-Liverpool
midfielder Raul Meireles. They will not, however, be in the market for
Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha, who is currently on loan at Cardiff.
The Hammers were linked with Zaha last summer but Sam Allardyce is
understood to have been unimpressed with 21-year-old's contribution to
Cardiff's fight against relegation. West Ham are set to clear the decks,
with a string of players - including Joe Cole, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Matt
Taylor - approaching the end of their contracts,
Italy internationals Marco Borriello and Antonio Nocerino will return to
parent clubs Roma and AC Milan when their loans expire at the end of the
season. Fringe players such as Ricardo Vaz Te, Modibo Maiga (curently on
loan at QPR) and Alou Diarra will also be moved on. Joint-chairman David
Gold has defended Allardyce after disgruntled fans continued to criticise
the Hammers boss even after Monday's win at the Stadium of Light. Gold
insisted one supporter needed to see an optician if he could not see the
significance of the three points. He tweeted: "We are now safe." But one fan
hit back: "Got the result but so bad to watch!" Defiant Gold responded: "I
think it's time for you to see a doctor or may be Specsavers."

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