Daily WHUFC News - 27th February 2016

Preview - Sunderland
WHUFC.com

The background

Sam Allardyce makes his first - and last - return to the Boleyn Ground on
Saturday as West Ham United look to get back to winning ways in the Barclays
Premier League.

Big Sam will bring his relegation-threatened Sunderland side to E13 for the
lunchtime kick-off, with the Hammers hoping to move back into the top six.

The last two league outings - away matches at Southampton and Norwich -
yielded a single point - but Slaven Bilic's men should be full of confidence
after bouncing back with a 5-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers in the Emirates
FA Cup last weekend.

Dimitri Payet was in imperious form, scoring twice and setting up another to
help the Hammers to the quarter-finals, and the Hammers certainly have
plenty to play for over the closing months of the campaign.

Sunderland, too, have lots to fight for, and their last two results have
brought them right back into the mix.

After coming back from 2-0 down to draw at Liverpool, they followed that
with a 2-1 victory against Manchester United and are now just a single point
from safety, with 23 points to their name.
The history

Saturday's game will be the 90th meeting between West Ham and Sunderland in
the clubs' histories.

The head-to-head record is evenly balanced, with West Ham just holding the
edge with 34 victories to the Black Cats' 31.

West Ham are unbeaten in the last five Sunderland clashes, winning at the
Stadium of Light in March 2014 and at home in March the following year.

The most recent meeting, in the north east in October ended 2-2, with Carl
Jenkinson and Dimitri Payet scoring the visitors' goals.
The match

Team news

West Ham United

Sam Byram comes back into the Hammers squad after missing last weekend's FA
Cup victory at Blackburn Rovers due to being cup tied.

Fellow defenders James Tomkins and Joey O'Brien remain sidelined, and
although Winston Reid returned to training this week, this game is likely to
come around too quickly.

Elsewhere, Cheikhou Kouyate's red card at Blackburn was overturned, meaning
he is available on Saturday, while Andy Carroll has also resumed training.
Sunderland

Jan Kirchoff has recovered from the hamstring problem which forced him out
of Sunderland's game against Manchester United.

Billy Jones, Sebastian Larsson and Younes Kaboul are also available,
although they are unlikely to start.

Duncan Watmore and Jeremain Lens are out.
Match info

Saturday's match referee is Mike Dean. His two previous West Ham assignments
this term have ended all square - the 2-2 draw at home to Norwich and the
1-1 stalemate at Aston Villa. His assistants will be John Brooks and Simon
Long. The fourth official is Mike Jones.
West Ham have only lost one of their last seven games against Sunderland,
although four have been drawn (W2, D4).
The Hammers have won seven and lost just one of the last 10 Premier League
home games against the Black Cats.
The Hammers are unbeaten in their last 12 home games in all competitions
(W7, D5).
Victory would give West Ham their highest total of points after 27 Premier
League games.
Sam Allardyce's side have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 13
league and cup games, conceding a total of 27 goals.
Sunderland have allowed their opponents 158 shots on target against them
this season, more than any other team in the top flight.
Ticketing, coverage, travel and other info

Tickets for Saturday's game have SOLD OUT, although tickets may become
available online as Season Ticket Holders relist.
The District and Hammersmith & City lines are set to serve Upton Park
station as normal on Saturday. Supporters travelling in from East Anglia and
Essex to Stratford or Liverpool Street should note that trains will only run
as far as Wickford or Ingatestone. Replacement buses will run. Click here
for the latest news on the tubes and here for National Rail.
A dull day is expected in east London on Saturday, with cloudy skies and
temperatures of 6C (43F) greeting the teams at kick-off.
If you're not coming to the game, make sure you stay abreast of all the
action on our digital channels. We'll have live audio commentary and text
updates on the whufc.com Live Match Centre, along with in-running photos
and stats. You can get involved in the conversation on social using the
hashtag #WHUSUN

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Reid relishing Big Sam reunion
WHUFC.com

When Sam Allardyce arrived at West Ham United in July 2011, Winston Reid's
confidence was in tatters. Then just 23, Reid had ended his first season in
English football with just seven Premier League appearances and a relegation
under his belt. One could have forgiven the Danish-raised youngster for
packing his bags and heading back to former club FC Midtjylland, or moving
on elsewhere, but he decided to remain in east London and stick at it. The
decision was proved correct – and Big Sam played a huge part in that. "As a
defender, he generally does help you out because he puts on sessions that
help younger players learn the basics of defending," said Reid, when asked
what impact the former West Ham boss had on his career. "At that point in
time, when I'd just come to English football, I was still getting used to a
new playing style and he put good habits into me and over the years they has
stuck with me. "He teaches you to defend how a defender should do – I know
that sounds a bit stupid, but it's true! In that sense, he knocked good
habits into me and I appreciated having him as a coach and enjoyed working
with him. "The year we went down the team was all over the place, then when
we got relegated it was tough because nobody knew if they were going to be
staying or leaving. "I guess everything was a bit up in the air and so to
bounce back in the first season straight away, even if we had a few ups and
downs, was great.
"We then had three decent enough seasons in the Premier League under Sam,
and he stabilised the Club and took us from where we were before passing it
on to Slaven, who has improved on it so far with some good young players who
have been brought in to improve the squad."

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View on the Opposition - Sunderland
WHUFC.com

The Chronicle's Stuart Rayner gives us the lowdown on Saturday's visitors
Sunderland

Sunderland have had some tough fixtures recently, but they've achieved some
pretty good results. What have you made of their form recently?

"I think it stems from the signings they've brought in in January, they've
also settled in very quickly which is absolutely crucial given where
Sunderland are. Wahbi Khazri and Lamine Kone were both involved in the goals
against Manchester United and they've both been very impressive.

"Generally, they played very well at Manchester City without getting a
result, played poorly against Liverpool but showed really good character in
the last ten minutes and then it all came together against United."

How important do you think that win over Manchester United could be?

"Very significant, especially because the two previous games they sort of
did half a job, but against United they really clicked into place and
deserved the win."

One of the biggest features of today's game is Sam Allardyce's return to
West Ham. What have you made of him both on and off the pitch so far?

"Well, I remember covering Newcastle back when he was manager so it's
interesting to see how much he's changed since then. Media-wise, he seems a
lot warmer to the press, a lot more relaxed and comfortable with himself.
That's been nice to see."

Is he the right man to steer Sunderland away from the relegation zone?

"Things have certainly improved since he's joined and I think there's a
cautious optimism around the place. Having said that, they are still in the
bottom three and I think it'll be very tight between now and the end of the
season."

Apart from the new signings, who has stood out for you across the season?

"Yann M'Vila has been very impressive since joining on loan from Rubin
Kazan. He's played at the heart of midfield, mainly as a defensive figure
and has done very well. Jermain Defoe too, of course West Ham fans know all
about him. He's scored some crucial goals already and his threat up front
will be massive."

Given Sunderland's position, do they have to go for the win, or is an away
point still a good result?

"I think they are in a position where they have to go for games. If they're
in a position where they are 2-0 down after 30 minutes then fair enough, you
do have to take risks. But they do have to go for each game now and try and
win."

This will be the last time Sunderland play at the Boleyn Ground before the
move to the new Stadium, so what particular memories stick out?

"It was about four or five years ago when Steve Bruce was manager,
Sunderland played here on the last game of the season and they managed to
finish in the top half of the table. Something they've only done three times
since the 1950s. So that was very significant in its own right, but they
also finished about Newcastle that year.

"Last season, it was Dick Advocaat's first game in charge so that was quite
significant too."

What is your prediction for Saturday's score?

"I'll go for a draw, but I think it'll be a very difficult game."

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1960's boys are back in town
WHUFC.com

The 1960's will be always be remembered as one of the greatest decades in
the history of West Ham United after the team managed to win the FA Cup and
European Cup Winners Cup. Talk to most West Ham United fans and they will
say that the Hammers also helped England to win the World Cup in 1966 after
Sir Geoff Hurst scored a famous hat-trick, Martin Peters scored the other
goal and the legendary Bobby Moore lifted the trophy. The success of the
players to lift the FA Cup following the 3-2 win over Preston North End and
the Cup Winners Cup victory over TSV Munich 1860 within the space of 12
months cannot be under-estimated and the success will never be forgotten.
Only seven players in the history of the Club have won the FA Cup and a
European trophy and a number of the 60's heroes will be back at the Boleyn
Ground on Saturday for the Sunderland game to celebrate that successful era.
Former West Ham United striker Brian Dear, who scored 39 goals during that
memorable period will never forget that period playing with some of the
greatest players in the Club's history. Dear said: "Ron Greenwood set the
standard for how we played and it was a great team to be a part of. I only
lived a quarter of a mile from the ground and I used to go to junior school
with Ronnie Boyce. "I played London schoolboys, England schoolboys with
Martin Peters. We all came here as kids. Geoff was on the groundstaff and
there were loads of lads. "Eight of the 1964 team came from the groundstaff
and the next year we won the Cup Winners Cup was amazing. "To then see three
of our lads play in the 1966 World Cup Final was incredible. Over the four
trophies that this club have won, you are looking at 50 players and 17 of
those were groundstaff boys who came through the ranks when they were
15-years-old. It doesn't happen today. "For the fans who watched it back
then, they would probably say that the 1960's was the best football they
have seen at the Boleyn Ground, but I'm sure the fans who watched the Boys
of 86' also saw them play great football. "We didn't win things because we
were lucky, we won because we were a great side. We have always played good
football."

Dear also has nothing but praise for the way Bobby Moore led the side and
feels his legacy will never be forgotten. Dear added: "I think Bobby was our
main man. Through the years we have had great players like Sir Trevor
Brooking and Billy Bonds, but Bobby was iconic. "To go three seasons at
Wembley and walk up the stairs and pick up a bigger medal is fantastic. "It
is unfortunate that Bobby was taken from us too early. He was a great player
and a gentleman. He was a big loss to West Ham United and the game of
football. Nobody has a bad word to say about him. "I look at pictures now
and he always used to tell me to stand next to him so I would get
photographed!!"

Former West Ham United winger Peter Brabrook, who made 215 appearances for
the Club during the 1960's, also has fond memories of that time and the
special team spirit that saw them achieve so much success. Brabrook said:
"It was fantastic to be part of the Club during that time. I arrived from
Chelsea just before we won the cup and that was down to Ron Greenwood. "He
seemed to like my style and what we did was unbelievable. We had seven or
eight internationals in the team and we showed our quality by winning the FA
Cup and European Cup Winners Cup. "I don't think I can say anymore than what
everyone else has already said about the great Bobby Moore. He was a
fantastic footballer and a fantastic person. "People didn't just like Bobby
Moore because he was Bobby Moore, they liked him for what he was and he was
probably the best player that this club will ever have. He was the best of
the lot. "What made him so different is that he had no pace, but he was a
great reader of the game and a fantastic passer of the ball. He never missed
a tackle and used to scoop balls backwards and forwards as if no-one else
was there. "That was Bobby Moore at his best."

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Chambers joins Colchester on loan
WHUFC.com

West Ham United defender Leo Chambers has joined Sky Bet League One side
Colchester United on an initial one-month loan. The England youth
international has been in good form for the Development Squad this term
making 11 appearances, forming an impressive partnership with Reece Oxford.
The 20-year-old, who can play as a right-back or in the centre of defence,
will be joining up with fellow Hammer Elliot Lee and as the pair aim to lift
the U's off the bottom of League One. Having signed for Kevin Keen's side,
Chambers will wear the No32 and could feature for the U's in this weekend's
home tie with Shewsbury.

Alongside Lee, the defender joins Reece Burke and Josh Cullen (both Bradford
City), Martin Samuelsen (Peterborough United), Diego Poyet (Charlton
Athletic), Jaanai Gordon (Sligo Rovers), Kyle Knoyle (Dundee United), Sam
Westley (VVV Venlo), Tim Brown (Chelmsford City) and Clarke Bogard (Tilbury
FC) gaining first team experience on loan.

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Phillips relishing Play Off challenge
WHUFC.com

Having beaten Brighton & Hove Albion on the their final day of the season,
the Hammers faced an anxious wait to see if other results meant they
finished in the top four and thereby finish in the Elite Play-Off group.
Thankfully, Tottenham Hotspur's win over Arsenal was exactly the result the
young Hammers were looking for, leaving them in the coveted fourth spot with
37 points from their 22 games. Reflecting on the achievement, Academy coach
Mark Phillips said: "It is going to sound terribly big-headed but I actually
predicted we would finish in the top four a few weeks back. I always said 37
points would be about enough. "A big congratulations to everyone involved
because it is something to celebrate! We're all looking forward to
challenging ourselves against the best teams in the country."
Reflecting on the U18s' regular league campaign, Phillips was pleased with
another productive season. He continued: "I think when he's played Declan
Rice has been outstanding. Grady Diangana has had a very consistent season,
and of late Noha Sylvestre has had more consistency as captain.
"Alfie Lewis is another that has impressed me. I've known him since he was
eight or nine and he's always had that vision and awareness on the ball.
He's a massive asset to the Academy and I think he'll be a big asset for the
club in the future."
The experienced coach is also an avid Hammer, who travelled to watch Reece
Burke and Josh Cullen feature in Bradford City's 2-2 draw with Rochdale. The
two loanees have flourished since joining the West Yorkshire club, with
Burke a candidate for their player of the season while the Bantams are
unbeaten since Cullen joined. Phillips continued: "I saw Reece after the
game he said he thought it was the worst game he's had for Bradford but I
don't think he was particularly poor. "Speaking to some of the fans and the
staff there, he has done really, really well. I spoke Wendy, their player
liaison officer and she said they are both two of the nicest, genuine
players she's worked with."

The U18s open their Play-Off campaign on Saturday 27 February with a home
tie with London rivals Fulham.

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Mural tribute to Moore
WHUFC.com

West Ham United supporters will be greeted by a very special sight when they
visit the Bobby Moore Stand for the visit of Sunderland on Saturday. On the
23rd anniversary of Bobby Moore's passing on Wednesday, graffiti artist
Gnasher spent umpteen hours at the Boleyn Ground creating a spectacular
mural of the late, great West Ham and England legend. The tribute was the
brainchild of lifelong Hammers fan Daniel Hall, who funded the mural in its
entirety. Having laid flowers at the Boleyn Ground when Bobby so tragically
died in February 1993, Hall was determined to mark this year's anniversary
in fitting fashion. And so he set about tracking down the right man for the
job and needed no persuading when he discovered that street artist Gnasher
was a fellow member of the Claret and Blue Army.The mural has since been
mounted to the back of the Bobby Moore Stand and Hall hope supporters will
take the time to appreciate it.
"I think it's amazing," he told West Ham TV. "He [Gnasher] wanted it to be
perfect and it came out perfectly. I hope a lot of people come out and see
it." Following Wednesday's anniversary, Saturday's fixture will celebrate
Bobby Moore and the 60s, the latest of a series of themed fixtures in this
season's Farewell Boleyn commemorations. Fellow World Cup winners Sir Geoff
Hurst and Martin Peters, together with Bobby's daughter Roberta, will be
reunited at the Boleyn Ground, in the company of many a famous face from
West Ham's glory years in the 60s.

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Bonds on Bobby
WHUFC.com

The Evening Standard correspondent Ken Dyer reminisces the Sixties - and FA
Cup successes - with the great Billy Bonds MBE.

FIVE goals at Blackburn last Sunday - can we anticipate another goal rush
today against Sunderland?

Unlikely to be fair. Sunderland, unsurprisingly, have improved recently
under 'Big Sam' and although they remain in the bottom three, victory over
Manchester United and a draw with Liverpool have given them new hope.
I hope Sam is accorded the respect he deserves for what he achieved at West
Ham in the four years he was here. Personally, I got to know him pretty well
during that time and - like many at the club - have only good things to say
about him, both as a manager of West Ham - and more importantly, a man.

Returning to the theme of goal fests though, I was fortunate enough to be
standing on the terraces here at the Boleyn in October 1968, when Sunderland
came visiting.

It was an amazing, almost surreal game, with Geoff Hurst scoring a hat-trick
in either half and the other goals coming from Trevor Brooking and Bobby
Moore in an 8-0 victory. Marauding up the right flank that day was a
buccaneering Billy Bonds who recalled the day - and that season - when we
talked this week. "We scored eight goals that day," recalled Bonzo, "and I
made six of them! Only joking but I was playing at right-back then and I
loved to go on the overlap. "I don't remember that match well except I know
we absolutely murdered them. They were happy days although, knowing us, we
probably then went on a run of conceding 20 goals in the next four games."

In fact, SirGeoff later admitted that he had punched the ball in for his
first goal - but there was nothing wrong with his next five!

The Hammers were certainly in free-scoring form even earlier that season. In
three home matches over a ten-day period they walloped Burnley 5-0, West
Brom 4-0 and then Bolton 7-2 in the League Cup.

West Ham finished a very respectable eighth in the top division that season,
so how then, I asked Billy, did you manage to lose 3-0 to Mansfield in the
FA Cup that same season?

"That was typical," he admitted. "We could murder teams one day and then
give goals away for fun. Consistency was a big problem for us.

"I remember the Mansfield match well. They had a player who had come through
the youth team at Charlton with me, Ray Keeley.

"I was about the only one from that team who made it in the top flight while
Ray went to Mansfield - and scored one of the goals in that 3-0 win.

"It was a good goal as I remember and they deserved to beat us. We had
Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore playing that day - three World
Cup winners plus Trevor Brooking - and we still got stuffed!"

Bill, who will be at today's match with his wife and two grand-daughters, is
as encouraged as the rest of us by his old team's current progress.

Talking about the Hammers' quarter-final draw against Manchester United, he
said: "It's never going to be easy going to Old Trafford. Whenever you go
there you know you've got a job on but if you want to go all the way in the
FA Cup, you're going to have games like that, tough challenges.

"In 1975 we had to play Arsenal and Ipswich, who were then a top side, on
the way to the final and five years later we managed to get past Everton
after a replay in the semis - and then beat Arsenal in the final.

"You are bound to have one or two of those games on your journey. This
season we've got through one - Liverpool - and now we face another big one
in Manchester United.

"I fancy us at least to get them back at our place though and if we do that,
I think we'll win.

"I was driving during our game at Blackburn last Sunday so I was listening
to the game on the radio and all I could hear was our fans. We had more than
7,000 up there apparently, which was fantastic support.

"What has been very apparent to me watching the team this season, is the
team spirit. We've had our knockbacks this season with injuries but we keep
bouncing back. That shows you the squad is decent and the character is
there.

"We've been drawn away from home a lot in the last couple of years but the
way we're playing, I don't necessarily see that as a handicap."

First though, there is today's visit of Sunderland. "It won't be easy," says
Billy. "Sam will have them well organised.

"Sam's good at that. He gets his teams playing with some spirit. I wouldn't
say he's turned it there around yet but he's given them a chance."

Finally, it was the 23rd anniversary of the great Bobby Moore's death on
Wednesday, I recall I was driving, on my way up to cover a match at
Nottingham Forest for the Evening Standard when the office called me with
the news.

I had to pull over for a few minutes.

As many who knew him and played with him, have said since: "Sheer class - as
a player and a man."

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West Ham United v Sunderland preview: Allardyce returns to Upton Park
Last Updated: 26/02/16 5:19pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce returns to West Ham for the first time since leaving the club
at the end of last season when Sunderland are the visitors to Upton Park.
Allardyce took charge of West Ham in June 2011, leading the Hammers back to
the Premier League at the first time of asking before helping them secure
three mid-table finishes in the top-flight. The Sunderland boss wasn't a
popular figure with the West Ham fans, who were critical of his style, but
Allardyce's successor Slaven Bilic has praised the job he did at Upton Park.
"Sam did great for West Ham," he said. "He has managed for 20 years very
successfully, and he took West Ham at a moment when we were in the
Championship. "He got us up straight away and stabilised us in the Premier
League, so he did a great job here."

Now Allardyce's focus is helping Sunderland avoid the drop and despite his
side's 2-1 win at home to Manchester United last time out, he thinks the
club still need five wins to avoid the drop. However, their away form has
been a cause for concern following a run which has seen them win just two of
their last 15 matches away from the Stadium of Light.

Team news

Andy Carroll returns to the West Ham squad following a groin injury.
Cheikhou Kouyate is also available after his red card in the FA Cup win
against Blackburn last weekend was overturned, as is Sam Byram who was
cup-tied at Ewood Park. Winston Reid (hamstring) and Diafra Sakho (thigh)
are back in training, but will not be risked, while Joey O'Brien
(hamstring), James Tomkins (calf) and Enner Valencia (ankle) are still out
injured.

For the visitors, defenders Younes Kaboul (ankle) and Billy Jones (hip),
plus midfielders Jan Kirchhoff (hamstring) and Sebastian Larsson (knee) are
all fit and back in contention. Midfielder Jeremain Lens has undergone
surgery to repair a hernia and is expected to be available for next
weekend's trip to Southampton. However, striker Duncan Watmore is likely to
be sidelined for several weeks by ankle ligament damage.

Opta stats

The Hammers have won seven and lost just one of the last 10 Premier League
home games against the Black Cats.

Allardyce had a 31 per cent win rate at West Ham compared to new boss Bilic,
who has won 38 per cent of his games in charge. Bilic has the best win
percentage of any West Ham manager in the Premier League era (minimum four
games).

If the Hammers win this match, it will be their highest ever haul of points
after 27 Premier League games beating the 42 they had earned in 2005-06.

West Ham United have conceded the highest proportion of goals in the first
half of matches this season (61 per cent).

Dimitri Payet has scored or assisted 12 Premier League goals this season
(seven goals, five assists); twice as many as any other West Ham player.

Sunderland have allowed their opponents 158 shots on target against them
this season, more than any other team in the top flight.

West Ham are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League games at the Boleyn
Ground (W5 D5).

Merson's prediction

It will be a tough return to Upton Park for Sam Allardyce. Sunderland have
dug in in recent weeks and got some very good results but West Ham are a
very good side.

Dimitri Payet is in outstanding form and firing on all cylinders for Slaven
Bilic's side. I think Sunderland will struggle to cope with him so I'm
backing him to score the first goal and West Ham to win 3-1.

PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (Sky Bet Odds 14/1)

Betting

West Ham are Sky Bet's 5/6 favourites for the victory as Sunderland go up
against odds of 100/30 to leave with the points and 5/2 to secure a draw.
Sam Allardyce is currently 6/4 to lead the Black Cats to safety, while his
former club are 9/2 for a top-six finish and 40/1 to secure Champions League
qualification.

Emmanuel Emenike and Enner Valencia head the first goalscorer market at 9/2
apiece followed by Dimitri Payet (11/2), while Jermain Defoe is rated the
visitors' main threat at 6/1.

Soccer Saturday pundit Phil Thompson is tipping Payet to fire the Hammers to
victory, backing the Frenchman to score first in a 2-0 victory at 30/1 in
his Sky Bet scorecast.

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West Ham star Dimitri Payet wants to crown "fairytale" debut season by
winning the FA Cup
22:30, 26 FEB 2016
BY NEIL MCLEMAN
The Frenchman agreed a new five-year deal earlier this month which made him
the highest paid player in Hammers history
The Mirror

Dimitri Payet claims West Ham fans can look forward to the team clinching a
Europa League place by finishing the season in fifth. And he also wants to
crown his "fairytale" first campaign in English football by lifting the FA
Cup. The Frenchman agreed a new five-year deal earlier this month which made
him the highest paid player in Hammers history after a stunning start to his
career in the East End. Slaven Bilic's side are in seventh place before
today's lunchtime kick-off against Sunderland – with Upton park old boy
Jermain Defoe leading the Black Cats attack – and a win could see them move
up two spots. Asked what was in store for supporters, Payet said: "Fifth
place and Europa League qualification. It's up to us to win the points as
we've been doing since the start of the season. "We're fighting with clubs
like Manchester United and Southampton and it's going to be tight until the
end. We are working to finish as high as possible. West Ham has the means to
achieve its ambitions. "It was for this reason I had no problem in staying
because I felt the club really wanted me to stay."

As well as battling for a Europa League place, West Ham face Manchester
United in the last eight of the FA Cup next month. Speaking to a newspaper
in the Reunion Islands, where he was born, Payet added: "Now I'd really like
to lift a trophy, start winning things, play in the big international
competitions. "We're still in the FA Cup. It's a big aim to go all the way.
­Otherwise, there's nothing missing. I'm living a fairytale. "I'm living an
extraordinary year on the pitch and with the family. I have become a father
of a third small boy since I arrived in London. I have everything.
Everything is going well. "I never get tired of it, of the fans singing my
name. Home and away, I get helped by all the love the fans give to me. It is
­something extraordinary. "They sing I'm better than ­Zinedine Zidane but
that's their point of view. But you don't take on the boss."

While the Hammers aim to bolster their Europa League charge, 13-goal Defoe
will be doing his best to foil them on Sam Allardyce's first return to Upton
Park since he left in the summer. Bilic said: "The most important player for
them up front is Jermain Defoe. He's still very sharp, still very quick. "He
was always a great finisher and is doing that again now."

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Faubert completes Rugby Park move
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 26th February 2016
By: Staff Writer

Julien Faubert has joined Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock on a
short-term contract. The 32-year-old French winger, a free agent since
leaving Bordeaux last year has signed for Killie - now managed by former
Birmingham and Blackpool boss Lee Clark - until the end of the current
season after impressing during a trial period this week. Faubert, who made
103 starts for West Ham during his spell at the club had been close to
joining Kilmarnock's rivals St Johnstone but failed to agree terms after
spending a week there on trial and featuring in a development squad fixture.
"Julien has gone back [to France] as he has had a couple of offers," said
manager Tommy Wright. "I believe one in America and another offer. "I fully
understand why he has gone. He did extremely well here, was a really good
professional but there are a couple of other options, maybe warmer climates
are more attractive."
Quite how much warmer it is in East Ayrshire compared to Perth, the home of
St Johnstone which is just 80 miles away from Kilmarnock, remains to be
seen.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dimitri Payet: I'm not bothered about France snub because I'm so happy at
West Ham
VAISHALI BHARDWAJ
Evening Standard

West Ham star Dimitri Payet has revealed he is enjoying life with the
Hammers so much that he isn't thinking about his omission from the France
squad. Payet has been heavily praised since joining West Ham from Marseille
in the summer, and has scored nine goals in all competitions - including two
in the club's 5-1 FA Cup win over Blackburn Rovers on Sunday - while having
created several others for his teammates this term. Such has been the
Frenchman's impact since arriving at the Boleyn Ground that Payet was handed
a new contract by West Ham earlier this month, although his form for the
Hammers hasn't been enough to earn the forward a call-up to the France
national team. Les Bleus coach Didier Deschamps explained his decision to
overlook Payet as being down to his belief the 28-year-old doesn't play as
well for the national team than his club side, but denied suggestions the
Hammers star's behaviour has been a contributing factor to his snub. Payet,
though, isn't worrying about the prospect of missing out on the European
Championships in his homeland this summer despite having labelled his lack
of game time for France as an "injustice" recently. "I'm so happy at West
Ham I don't want to spoil my enjoyment by getting bothered at being left
out," he said. "I'm living a boyhood dream. I'm being rewarded for my hard
work and getting recognition for the way I play in the toughest league in
Europe."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic: Pochettino's Tottenham are courageous but that won't stop
Leicester City's brave title bid
SLAVEN BILIC
Evening Standard

Everyone at West Ham is excited about what remains of this season. Our FA
Cup run has added to that sense of anticipation but we must wait before we
think about what should be a terrific quarter-final at Manchester United
because we now have a really tough week in the Premier League. Will we find
it hard to refocus on the League? Absolutely not. In the next seven days we
have three tough challenges - a home match against a Sunderland side
battling for their top-flight existence and improving under big Sam -
followed by a derby against title-chasing Tottenham and a trip to Everton,
always a difficult place to go. Looking at our remaining fixtures, we will
play a part in who lifts the League trophy because we will face all the main
contenders apart from Manchester City. We are looking forward with relish to
those games against Leicester, Spurs, Arsenal and Manchester United not
specifically because they are challenging for the title but because we have
our plans as well, the main one being finishing as high as we can. Against
some of those teams we did really well earlier in the season - against
others not so good. We were well beaten at Spurs and we also lost at home
against Leicester where they were better in the first half but we were
dominant in the second. It was our second game of the season and afterwards
there was a suggestion of: "How could you lose to Leicester?" What has
happened since, gave that result a better perspective. We also lost against
them away from home in the Capital One Cup in the last seconds of
extra-time, so we are looking forward to playing them a third time. Of
course, it will be tough but we are planning also to make it tough for them.
What has happened since those early games has given us confidence and belief
to look forward to playing these top teams again. A few weeks ago I wrote in
this column that I fancied City to take the title because, I believed, the
players there wanted to do it for their manager Manuel Pellegrini, who is
leaving at the end of the season. Based on results since then, I was wrong
but still I understand the players will do their best to win it for their
manager. Their progress has been hampered by key injuries, particularly to
Kevin De Bruyne. Spurs, who we play on Wednesday, also have a great chance.
They are a big club and Mauricio Pochettino is in his second year there. The
first 12 months was okay but during that time he found out what he needed.
He changed some players in defence and brought in Toby Alderweireld, who is
a top defender. Sometimes one player can make all the difference. Something
clicks and everything else slots into place. In other areas of their team,
they have had quality in the last five years. Okay, they lost Gareth Bale
and Luka Modric but then they signed what was then an exciting young
talent from Ajax who was interesting all the big clubs, Christian Eriksen.
He has matured into an exceptional player and, in addition, they have bought
Erik Lamela, Nacer Chadli and Heung-min Son. Pochettino also put his trust
in Harry Kane. It was a brave thing to do because he effectively said:
"Soldado, no; Adebayor, no; nor do I want to buy anyone because I have this
young guy Kane." In the beginning, it was: "Are you sure? Are you crazy?"
Now, though, we are saying, "Harry Kane, what a player!" So we have to give
credit to the manager. Spurs are doing their job but your destiny also
depends on other teams. You can't say, for example, that Arsenal are having
a wonderful season in the Premier League but they are still in with a great
chance because of what is happening elsewhere. In another season they could
have been 10 points behind. For me, though, it is still Leicester. It is
only their name which is putting people off. Everything else is in place.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic: Payet should be player of the year, and West Ham vs Manchester
United would be a fitting end for the Boleyn
SLAVEN BILIC
Evening Standard

We are almost in March and already there is some talk about the Premier
League's player of the season. I would vote for Dimitri Payet but I am not
objective, I want to praise my players. It depends on the criteria. If you
are looking at performance, the player's importance to the team and the
impact he has on a game, then definitely nobody has done better than
Dimitri.
If the yardstick is a player who helped a team challenge for the title, then
probably it would go to a Leicester player or someone from another team at
the top. I see there will possibly be a change to our final game at the
Boleyn. It is due to be against Swansea on Saturday May 7 but as our match
at home to Manchester United on April 23 will be postponed because one of us
will be in the FA Cup semi-final that weekend, the last game could be
against United in midweek. With the greatest respect to all other clubs,
from purely a football point of view, facing United would be a fitting
finale at this great old stadium.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cheikhou Kouyate and Manuel Lanzini both set to sign new West Ham deals
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

Having secured Dimitri Payet's future, West Ham are nearing agreement with
two more of their star players - midfield pair Cheikhou Kouyate and Manuel
Lanzini. Slaven Bilic says both are vital to his team's continued
progression and West Ham are hopeful they will sign new deals next month.
Kouyate joined from Belgian club Anderlecht on a four-year contract in 2014
and has been a virtual ever-present since then. Lanzini is on a season-long
loan deal from United Arab Emirates club Al Jazira and West Ham are prepared
to pay around £8million to sign him on a permanent basis. It is understood
that there is basic agreement on all sides on Lanzini's new deal but that
West Ham were waiting to see how well he has recovered from a thigh injury.
Lanzini came on as a substitute in the FA Cup tie at Blackburn and is
expected to be in the squad for tomorrow's Premier League match against Sam
Allardyce's Sunderland.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce wary of Dimitri Payet threat as Sunderland visit West Ham
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 26/02/16 1:25pm
SSN

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has singled out West Ham playmaker Dimitri
Payet as the man to watch when his side visit Upton Park on Saturday. The
28-year-old France international has been in impressive form for Slaven
Bilic's side since his £10.7m summer switch from Marseille, and turned in a
fine individual display in the FA Cup demolition of Blackburn last weekend,
in which he scored twice. And former West Ham boss Allardyce is aware Payet
poses a major threat to the Black Cats' hopes of extending their unbeaten
run to three games. "He's one that we have to watch - but there are many
players from West Ham that we need to look at," he said. "There's no doubt
about it, he's been the outstanding difference because while he was injured,
it was probably the worst run of results Slaven has had when he wasn't
playing. "It shows what a difference one special player can make to your
team."

The Hammers have not lost at home since suffering back-to-back defeats to
Leicester and Bournemouth in August, and that represents a major challenge
for a resurgent Sunderland, who have given their survival hopes a
significant boost with a battling draw at Liverpool and a famous victory
over Manchester United in their last two games. Allardyce said: "What gives
you belief is drawing at Liverpool after being 2-0 down, and beating
Manchester United gives you more belief. "There's an extra belief in the
camp at the minute - but we have got to go out and take that belief and make
it a reality. We have got to perform on Saturday at the highest level. "We
have got a task to go and meet head on and try to get a result. The only way
we will do that is by being at our best and paying attention to one very
exceptional player for them at the moment. "They have got a lot of
exceptional players, but Payet at the minute is the game-changer for them,
he's the game-winner for them."

January signing Wahbi Khazri scored one goal and made the other in the 2-1
win over United, and his manager has challenged him to deprive Payet of the
headlines this weekend. Allardyce said: "He's an unknown commodity at the
moment. People don't quite know how he plays or how good he is or what are
his strengths or what are his weaknesses because he has not been here that
long, so at the moment, he's taking full advantage of that. "Certainly at
West Ham, I suppose he's got to try to outshine Payet if he wants a
challenge, and it would be very nice if he could do that."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
April fixture changes: Arsenal and Leicester moved
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 26th February 2016
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's April meetings with title-chasers Leicester City and Arsenal have
been moved at the behest of the TV companies. The home clash with neighbours
Arsenal - originally scheduled for 3pm on Saturday, 9 April has been brought
forward to a lunchtime 12.45pm kick off. Meanwhile United's trip to City
that was due to be played on Saturday, 18 April has been moved back to
Sunday luchtime (17 April) with a 1.30pm start. That potentially gives West
Ham 24 hours less to prepare for the following weekend's FA Cup semi final -
although the Hammers have Manchester United to overcome in the last eight
(date STILL to be confirmed) yet.
* West Ham's opponents in the quarter finals of the FA Cup were this morning
handed a draw from hell in the Europa League. The Red Devils have been
pitched against arch-rivals Liverpool in the competition's last 16 - the
first leg of which will be played on Thursday, 10 March, just ahead of the
FA Cup quarter final weekend

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United v Sunderland
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 25th February 2016
By: Preview Percy

This week sees the return of Sam Allardyce to the Boleyn. You'd expect
Preview Percy to be a bit stranger than usual. But TORTOISES???

Next up it's Sunderland at home. The TV companies have their hooks in things
again so it's a 12:45 kick-off. The usual engineering works will be in place
between Liverpool Street and Ingatestone which, given the early start, might
mean it's worth investing in a tent and camping out overnight outside the
ground. You might be able to pick up a cheap telly while you're at it.

Our visitors are in trouble. They are second from bottom having a seven
point cushion over Villa. This means that they are effectively fighting to
keep out of one of the two remaining relegation spots. Their 23 points from
26 matches is one point fewer than that amassed by Newcastle and Norwich and
four shy of Swansea. It has the capacity to get a bit tight down there then.

They've won three times since the turn of the year, though, since the first
of those was a 3-1 home win over Villa that one probably doesn't count. The
other two wins came courtesy of a 4-2 defeat of Swansea on their own patch
and, most recently a 2-1 win over Man Utd on Wearside. So three of their six
wins this season have come in the last two months, albeit all against teams
who are struggling for form at the moment.

Of course the main headline-grabber when you dial them up on Ceefax or
whatever it is you young people do these days is less concerned with
football and more to do with their former player Adam Johnson, whose case
has finally come to court after what seems like an eternity. Initially,
Johnson was suspended by the club when the charges came to light. However,
the player was later re-instated to the team with the club willing to
embrace the concept of "innocent until proven guilty", Johnson having (one
presumes) informed the club of his intention to plead "not guilty" to all
charges. However, when the trial finally opened earlier this month Johnson
pleaded guilty to two of the charges facing him prompting Sunderland to
dispense with his services.

Moving on to less unsavoury matters, the match does of course mark the first
return to the Boleyn of Sam Allardyce. The arguments raged - and continue to
rage - long and hard as to the pros and cons of his tenure in these parts.
From this correspondent's viewpoint there are items on both sides of the
ledger as far as he is concerned. On the one hand there is no denying that
the club was in a right two and eight when he arrived. We had the debacle of
the Avram Grant reign to consider - not for nothing is this place known as
the Avram Grant Olympic Rest Home For The Bewildered. Grant had given up all
pretence of knowing where the plot was well before relegation and we had a
team so bereft of ideas and leadership that in the mainstream press the name
"Scott Parker" was invariably preceded by the words "West Ham captain"
despite Matthew Upson actually having that job.

So stabilising the team and getting us promoted at the earliest possible
opportunity were required and to be fair to Allardyce he did that. However,
on the debit side of the ledger was his innate stubbornness, something that
manifested itself last season. The season started well and we were top four
by Christmas playing some decent football. Then bang! A defeat or two was
seen as vindication of the manager's principles. It was almost as if he were
saying "look - playing decent football doesn't work after all so we'll go
back to doing it my way". This attitude resulted in one of the most listless
second halves to a season I can remember in years and most of us wanted it
to be over well before that day in Newcastle in May when the announcement of
his departure was made before he'd had a chance to shake hands with the
referee.

From my own point of view it was that obdurate manner that grated most. When
we stopped playing football shortly into the new year and results started
going awry, if he'd stood up there and said something like "we didn't play
well and could have done with mixing it up a bit" that might have been at
least an acknowledgement that whatever was going on wasn't working. However,
week-in - week-out we'd be presented by reams of statistics that proved
that, despite the evidence of our own eyes, we had been watching Barcelona
all along and we were just a bit unlucky that's all. This was an attitude
that would insult the intelligence of a Spurs fan, let alone someone who
actually owns brain cells in the plural. Contrast this with the current
manager who, when we play rubbish, comments to the effect that, shock
horror, we played rubbish (though I do wish he'd speak up sometimes -
hearing aid batteries aren't cheap you know).

So overall there were few tears shed - on either side - when the "contract
won't be renewed" statement came out and it was difficult to judge whose
sighs of relief were louder. Meanwhile, no doubt he will be given a rough
ride on his return from the home support - though I have to say the sight of
30,000 supporters cupping their ears in unison in his direction would be
funny.

Allardyce took over from Dick Advocaat in October, just after the Dutchman
(named after a scene from one of SuGo's videos) resigned, the departure
taking place immediately after the reverse fixture between our clubs (a 2-2
draw you will recall). Since then they have flitted in and about the bottom
three with only the (now regular) defeat of Newcastle providing them with
much to shout about. In fact the highest they have been all season is 17th,
a position they attained at the end of November following back to back wins
away at Palace and at Home to Stoke. They repeated the back-to-back trick at
the start of the year with wins over Villa and Swansea but since then their
only win was the victory over Moan U.

The January transfer window required some urgent work, if only to freshen
things up. As those of you who could be bothered to read last week's preview
would have ascertained, they managed to offload Danny Graham, a striker with
the unique selling point of not being very good at scoring goals, to
Blackburn whence he will almost certainly not return, the end of his loan
spell coinciding neatly with the end of his contract with Sunderland.

In came in centre-back Lamine Kone from the French version of Leyton Orient.
The work-experience kid with the Harry Potter spectacles tells me that Kone
eventually cost £5m. I say "eventually" because every time you picked up a
paper in January there was a statement saying Sunderland had pulled out of
the deal. It got so bad at one stage that the French club started to
threaten legal action, proving that the froggy Barry Hearn shares much in
common with his English counterpart. The deal finally went through and Kone
claimed the winner against Man Utd the other week, though it was actually a
de Gea own goal. Kone went through the French youth system and was capped at
age level up to the U20 age group, whereupon he remembered he was Ivorian
after all. To date he's just made the one appearance for them.

Another new arrival who has had difficulty remembering his nationality is
midfielder Wahbi Khazri, whose name sounds like one of those they used to
make up in the "Carry On" films to denote any foreigner from east of Turkey.
£9m secured his services from Bordeaux. Khazri was born in Corsica of
Tunisian stock and started off his international career with the Tunisian
U20 side, scoring in his only appearance for them at that level. That was
back in 2009. By 2011 he had one of those lightbulb moments. "Blimey" he
said (or the French equivalent thereof) "Corsica - it's part of France. I'm
French after all" and off he went humming the Marseillaise in the general
direction of the French U21 side. After a solitary appearance for "les
tadpoles" as the French junior teams ought to be nicknamed but probably
aren't, the Tunisians came a-knocking once more. "Gosh" he said (or the
French equivalent thereof) I've really not been too true to my roots have I?
"You know on the whole I rather think I'm Tunisian after all. What's that? A
major tournament coming up as well? What a stroke of luck!" and off he went
in the general direction of the African Cup Of Nations, humming, well I have
no idea what the Tunisian national anthem is but you can bet that whatever
it is that they hum on these occasions it isn't the Marseillaise.

Khazri, whose role was played by Kenneth Williams in "..up the Khyber," was
also on the scoresheet in the Man Utd win, scoring direct from a free-kick
so it would be a good idea not to give any silly free kicks away just
outside the box (though having seen this weekend's referee there's no
guarantee that one won't be awarded anyway).

They also brought in a striker to replace Graham. Well admittedly they could
have brought in a chloroformed tortoise in the middle of his winter nap and
got just as good a goals per game return. However, anaesthetised hibernating
reptiles with proven goalscoring records don't come cheap and signing one
might have messed their Financial Fair Play budget up. So they went into the
loan market and brought in "Nothing Like A" Dame N'Doye from Turkish outfit
Trabzonspor until the end of the season. This is actually N'Doye's second
visit to these shores. He signed for Hull in February 2015 but never really
settled on Humberside (let's face it who does - even the goalscoring
tortoise would probably think twice about Hull unless you used extra
chloroform). Having scored five goals in 15 league matches as Steve Bruce
took them down (ho-ho). N'Doye didn't hang about and upped sticks to Turkey
this August. As far as I can work out he's an old fashioned sort, having
appeared for nobody other than Senegal, for whom he has six goals in 26
appearances, at international level. What a quaint concept.

Goalkeeping cover arrived in the shape of former Newcastle custodian Steve
Harper who was available for nothing as a free agent. His arrival on
Wearside prompted the rest home's resident Geordie, Preview Alastair, to
shake his head sadly, commenting "I know the lad has to earn a crust but
couldn't he have chosen something a bit more honourable to do. Like cleaning
out the bogs in a brothel" adding somewhat belatedly "er, whatever that is".

And what's been happening in the world since we last met? Well the
referendum which is going to be boring the pants off everyone for the next 4
months has been announced. This follows David "Aston Villa" Cameron's
triumphant return from Brussels where he negotiated a revamp of the
Eurovision Song Contest voting rules and something about straight
croissants. Something like that - as I say I got a bit bored with it so only
scanned the newspapers.

"What's all that got to do with football"? I hear you ask. Well obviously a
withdrawal from the EU is a long way away if it happens at all. But there
would be ramifications for English football clubs. If we were no longer part
of the EU it would be quite lawful for the powers that be to impose
restrictions on EU nationals playing in the game - much in the same way as
work permits are required for non-EU citizens at the moment. In fact
football in Europe as a whole got away with this for quite some time until
the Bosman ruling established that having quotas that applied to EU players
was illegal. I'll bet that doesn't get raised in all the discussions that
we'll have inflicted on us in the next four months.

Meanwhile in darkest Lancashire we waltzed our way through to the next round
of the cup. I will admit I did have concerns over the tie - our traditional
frailty against lower league opposition, opponents who were likely to go for
it in front of a packed partisan crowd.. In the end Lambert elected to play
five across the middle and, in Brown, a lone striker whose strike record
makes the cup-tied Graham look like Lionel Messi (I'll bet you won't often
find those two put together in the same sentence!). They were more surprised
than we were when they took the lead but once their 'keeper had made a mess
of Moses' shot there was only going to be one winner.

The sendings off? Well the first yellow given to Taylor was given as much as
for totting up a number of sly little trips as it was for the final
challenge on Payet that led to his first goal. The second one was just
silly, the cynical cessation of Moses' run being as pointless as it was daft
given the yellow card that had already been shown. Kouyate's was slightly
different. Henley had lost the ball at the time of the "coming together" so
the question of Denial of Goalscoring Opportunity ("DOGSO" in ref-speak)
really shouldn't have arisen in the first place. At least it shouldn't have
to a referee interested in applying the laws of the game. Unfortunately
those are as rare in England these days as a Euro 16 scarf in Scotland.
Thankfully common sense prevailed at the FA - another sentence you rarely
see - and the appeal was upheld.

Injury news is good Sakho, Carroll and Reid all returned to training this
week. Valencia will need a few more days but Byram will be available to
resume at right back after being cup-tied for the Blackburn match, something
that will free up Antonio for more attacking duties.

Prediction? Well despite their lowly position they won't be easy to beat. As
we well know, rightly or wrongly, their manager sets his teams up to avoid
defeat first and then see what they can get later. They will be in good
spirits having beaten Man Utd but that's not as much of an achievement these
days as it once might have been.

I still think we ought to have too much for them though, especially with
those likely to be returning from injury and, for that reason I will be
taking the £2.50 I had earmarked to send to Sepp Blatter to help him get
through the next 6 years over to Winstones The Turf Accountant and placing
it on a 2-1 home win.

Enjoy the game!

When Last We Met At The Boleyn: Won 1-0 March 2015 A rare post-Christmas win
as Sakho's 88th minute strike gave us the points in a match for which the
word "uninspiring" was tailor-made. The match was the first in charge for
Dick Advocaat who had been appointed until the end of the season to replace
the recently-dismissed Gus Poyet. Adam Johnson came on for the last 15
minutes, the club having lifted his suspension the previous day.

Referee: Mike Dean. Arrogant and smug twit who has the PGMOL gold pass that
enables him to dispense with the laws of the game as he sees fit to enable
the game to progress in whatever manner he fancies. Famously at his most
bent whenever there are live tv cameras about the place to mug to. Has the
just as bent Mike Jones on 4th official duties with him so even if Dean
picks up an injury we're stuffed.

Danger Man: Jermain Defoe. Not only do we have an application of the Law Of
The Ex to worry about, we have that law applied to someone who is still a
natural goalscorer and represents their best chance of staying up.

Irritating Celebrity Supporter Of The Week>: Sir Tim Rice. Ok not quite as
irritating as his erstwhile collaborator Lord Lloyd-Webber but still at
least partially responsible for some or the blandest stuff ever heard
outside a lift. Any Dream Will Bloody Do? A song you thought couldn't get
any more annoying. Then Jason Bloody Donovan did it. That's 50% your fault
that is Rice. (For those interested the remaining blame can be apportioned
thus: 25% Lloyd-Webber and 25% whichever composer Lloyd-Webber plagiarised
for the music).

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be
attributed to, KUMB.com.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
FA Cup trip to Old Trafford confirmed for Sunday
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 26, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Our FA Cup quarter-final match against Manchester United has been officially
confirmed for Sunday 13th March at 4pm. The sixth round tie with the Red
Devils will be screened live on BT Sports the broadcaster announced this
afternoon. Adults will have to pay up to £55. Adult Season ticket holders
will need to fork out between £37 and £47 for a ticket, members £40 to £50
and non-members £45 to £55 for a ticket. Club coaches will cost between £35
and £40 per person. The club confirmed that the Hammers have been allocated
9,000 away tickets for the Manchester United match in the FA Cup
quarter-final. As we explained, Manchester United have a special
dispensation with the FA limiting their allocation of Old Trafford to 9,000
(just 12% of their 76,000 capacity). It is the same number we took up north
in 2001 when Paolo Di Canio scored the only goal while Barthez waited for a
taxi and again in 2003 when we lost 6-0.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mark Noble breaks Geoff Hurst's West Ham record
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 26, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Mark Noble has broken a new West Ham record for the largest ever attendance
of a Hammers testimonial match. Speaking on WHUFC.com the club captain
confirmed the match has sold out on the 28th March to full house of 35,000.
Nobes said: "I am extremely proud to announce and have to admit that I am
blown away that tickets for my Testimonial has now sold out - that is
something special. When we first announced it I thought I would be lucky to
get 20,000 with the amount of money that the fans have to spend during a
season, but when I think about the support that our fans show, nothing
surprises me. "I am grateful and humbled by it and I just want to make the
day special for everybody. I have got some great names playing and can
announce that Gianfranco Zola wants to play some part! He called me and I
was over the moon to speak with him. He asked about the Testimonial and I
said I would love him to be there.I have also spoken to Glen Johnson and
Paul Konchesky recently and he wants to play which is great because they
were in the Academy." The record is currently held by West Ham world cup
hero Geoff Hurst who had an attendance of 29,250 23rd on November 1971.
Billy Bonds managed an attendance of 21,081 in December 1978 for his first
testimonial while Julian Dicks pulled in a crowd of 14,224 in August,2000.
Trevor Brooking's Testimonial in October 1977 was third most attended game
with 23,220 attending. In recent times, Tony Carr's testimonial attracted a
crowd of 13,000 in May 2010.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lawro predicts back to back Hammers wins
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 26, 2016 in News
C and H

BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson has done the unthinkable by predicting a second
West Ham win in a row this Saturday but can't help but wade in the Sam
Allardyce debate by questioning why Hammers fans would book him tomorrow.
Lawro told the BBC website: "I was at Ewood Park last weekend to see West
Ham take Blackburn Rovers apart in the FA Cup. The Hammers impressed me a
lot with the way they responded when they went behind in the first half, and
there was never any doubt that they would go on and win that tie. Slaven
Bilic's side showed they are not just a good side, they can adapt their
style depending on the opposition too - they can either out-play you or they
can battle with you. The return of former Hammers boss Sam Allardyce means
this will be the latter, and it should be a close one. Sunderland were
already out of the FA Cup so they had the week off but, beforehand, they
were just starting to show that they are beginning to find their feet a
little bit. They took four points from their last three games against
Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United and were a bit unlucky not
to pick up even more.
There is talk Allardyce might get a mixed reception from the home supporters
on Saturday but, as a West Ham fan, why would you boo him? He kept your team
in the Premier League and made some good signings who are still there. Now
they have improved and are playing really well, but he has played his part
in that too."

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Ibrahimovic rumour nailed
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 26, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Speculation that Zlatan Ibrahomivic could join West Ham next summer has been
firmly knocked back. The suggestion first emerged in The Sun where it was
suggested that he was on our list of targets as the Olympic Stadium marquee
signing. And it has been regularly repeated on social media since with many
appearing to believe that the Swede - who is leaving PSG at the end of the
season - could find himself on the way to Stratford. However, ClaretandHugh
was told this morning by a club source: "At 35 Zlatan hardly fits our age
profile, never mind our financial model." Reports he would want around
£120,000 a week as a free signing are a non starter after the club agreed a
new deal with Dimitri Payet at around the same figure. And we were told:
"Negotiations continue with Cheik Kouyate, and we also have the Lanzini deal
to tie up at £8 million. "This Ibrahimovic is shall we say - a little
unrealistic. There has been no approach and he is not on our target list."

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Why On Earth Are Bid Sam's Sycophants So Deluded?
Submitted by nevillenixon on Fri, 26/02/2016 - 11:15
http://www.westhamfans.org/

To read some of the comments trawled out about Sam Allardyce by his
sycophantic pals in the media ahead of his Sunderland team's visit to the
Boleyn Ground for this Saturday's early 12;45 kick off, one could be
forgiven if one thought that Big Sam was a saviour who rode in and rescued a
"club that was on it's knees" single handedly! There is no mention of the
massive salary he received or the fact that he was backed financially by the
board on numerous occasions for several dubious purchases. Allardyce did
bring Adrian to the club and a few others, he did get the club promoted at
the first attempt albeit by the skin of it's teeth, and kept the club up in
the promised land that is the Barclays Premier League, but he never took to
the fans and the fans never took to him, the words 'super sam allardyce'
never rang out at the Boleyn nor any where else come to think about. The
fact is Big Sam did what he was paid to do, end of, he isn't owed any great
respect although the Boleyn faithful will know it is always better to let
sleeping dogs lie when it comes to returning players/managers in order not
to give them any extra motivation to get a result! Allardyce should be
treated just like any other visiting manager no better and no worse. The
press will be out in force and would dearly love to portray West Ham fans as
deluded, whereas it is they who clearly are. The sad thing is, there are so
many of them, about as many as you can get around a large swimming pool in a
gratis Algarve holiday home! - Ed

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West Ham United consider shock transfer bid for Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Default author imageGOSSIP
Max Miller for Metro.co.ukFriday 26 Feb 2016 12:55 pm
metro.co.uk

West Ham United are reportedly considering making a transfer offer for Paris
Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich. The east Londoners are keen to
bring in a big-name star for their first season at the Olympic Stadium. With
the 34-year-old's contract at the Parc des Princes ending in the summer, the
Hammers may have a chance, The Sun reports. He has hinted at a desire to
play in the Premier League and has scored 23 goals in 21 Ligue 1 matches
this season.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham make enquiry for PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as club look for
star signing ahead of Olympic Stadium move
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is ready to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer
Striker has interest from clubs in England, China, Italy, UAE and the USA
West Ham have made contact with Ibrahimovic's advisors about a deal
Club have drawn up a wishlist of star names ahead of the transfer window
By DAVID KENT FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:53, 26 February 2016 | UPDATED: 13:18, 26 February 2016

West Ham have made initial enquiries over an ambitious move for Paris
Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The 34-year-old is ready to leave
Paris in the summer and is taking stock of his options with clubs in
England, Italy, China, UAE and the USA showing varying degrees of interest.
West Ham want to make a statement signing in the summer as they prepare for
their move to the Olympic Stadium and have drawn up a wishlist of summer
targets. Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi remains their No 1 target but
they face stiff competition and the French club want £30million for the
Belgium international. Ibrahimovic is on £12m a year at PSG and has been in
discussions over a new contract. West Ham would struggle to come close to
what will be offered by competitors but have made initial soundings to his
advisors. When asked about the prospect of coming to England after scoring
in PSG's 2-1 Champions League win over Chelsea earlier this month, the Swede
put England's elite on red alert. 'I have another three months here and then
what will happen? Big things will happen,' he said. Is the Premier League
something I fancy? Let's just say I'm in shape.'

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Andy Carroll returns to West Ham United squad for Sunderland clash
London 24
2 hours ago / News

Andy Carroll returns to the West Ham squad for the visit of Sunderland
following a groin injury. Cheikhou Kouyate is available after his red card
in the FA Cup win against Blackburn last weekend was overturned, as is Sam
Byram who was cup-tied at Ewood Park. Winston Reid (hamstring) and Diafra
Sakho (thigh) are back in training, but will not be risked, while Joey
O'Brien (hamstring), James Tomkins (calf) and Enner Valencia (ankle) are
still out injured.

Provisional squad: Adrian, Randolph, Byram, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell,
Oxford, Noble, Kouyate, Song, Obiang, Moses, Lanzini, Payet, Antonio,
Carroll, Emenike, Parfitt-Williams.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce braces himself for West Ham fans' verdict on his legacy
The Sunderland manager is adamant he presided over progress at Upton Park -
whatever the Hammers supporters tell him on Saturday - and wishes his
struggling new club could aspire to the same model
@bglendenning
Friday 26 February 2016 10.35 GMT Last modified on Friday 26 February 2016
10.37 GMT

It is no surprise that much of the buildup to West Ham's Premier League
match against Sunderland on Saturday has focused on the kind of welcome
likely to be afforded to Sam Allardyce on his first - and final - return to
Upton Park since it was confirmed he would be parting company with the
London club at the end of last season. On accepting his new job on Wearside
in October, Allardyce stressed he was "a man for the future", a statement
that seemed strangely at odds with the detailed account of his past being
serialised in the Sun at the exact same time. One of the more newsworthy
extracts cherry-picked from Big Sam: My Autobiography was Allardyce's
assertion that many West Ham fans are "deluded", a decidedly forthright
conclusion born out of his exasperation at their apparent obsession with
supporting a team that plays football "the right way".

Despite masterminding West Ham's promotion from the Championship and the
subsequent consolidation of their Premier League status during his four year
reign, Allardyce never convinced fans that his style of play was anything
other than the wrong way - a state of affairs that reached its nadir when he
cupped his ear and laughed incredulously at Irons fans as they booed him
back to the dressing room following a win over Hull City in March 2014. "I
can't criticise Sam because he did a good job and I like him," said West
Ham's co-chairman David Sullivan this week, when discussing the club's
decision not to offer their former manager a new contract. "But I think from
both sides it was time for a change. We made the decision to appoint Slaven
Bilic during the summer and the club has now grown even stronger this
season."

It is unlikely Sullivan or his business partner David Gold have any regrets,
considering the man who replaced Allardyce has established himself as a firm
fan favourite by setting out his stall in a manner that suggests he
understands that West Ham fans apparently prefer a bit of fantasy to
accompany their football, rather than the less expansive,
meat-and-percentages Big Sam wham-bam. As is customary around this time of
year, Sunderland supporters cannot afford to be as picky. The team are down
among the dead men in the same lowly Premier League position they occupied
when Allardyce was appointed. They are a point from safety with 12 matches
remaining but have extricated themselves from far stickier situations. Under
Gus Poyet, a Connor Wickham-inspired surge that was as late as it was
unlikely led to a 14th-place finish for a team marooned seven points from
safety with six matches to go.

Sunerland, travelling to London on the back of an impressive win over
Manchester United, find themselves just one point from safety with a
reasonable chance of helping to maintain their manager's record of never
having been relegated, whereas their hosts have Europa League qualification
and the possibility of emulating their fifth-place finish of 1998-99 in
their cross-hairs. Yet human nature dictates that most pre-match talk has
centred around the reception Allardyce will receive as he makes his way to
the visitors' dugout of a club he said was "broken" when he took over.

Never reluctant to blow a solo on his own trumpet in the good times and
surprisingly sensitive to criticism for a man who, on first impression,
seems to possess a hide that would be the envy of most rhinos, Allardyce is
philosophical about what awaits him. "Whatever happens, it's not one of
those things that will be a great surprise," he told the Evening Standard.
"It is what it is. People will have their opinion whether I think it's right
or wrong. They have paid their money."

He is also prepared to concede that West Ham have built impressively on the
foundations he left behind and suggests their model is one to which his
latest club should aspire. "You can see progress and that's what has been
missing at Sunderland," he said. "The signings here, unlike at West Ham,
haven't worked over the last five years to produce a better squad."


The insistence of Bilic that Allardyce's achievements at West Ham should be
applauded by home supporters this weekend is endearing, if a little naive.
"The fans, and everyone connected with the club, should appreciate him,"
said Bilic. "I don't know what the fans think of him, but you can't change
the facts and the facts are in his favour, big time. Whoever says
differently, then it's not business, it's personal. Sam did a great job
here. He left me an organised training ground, some key players, he made my
job a bit easier - and I appreciate it."

Whether or not West Ham's fans share the Croatian's gratitude remains to be
seen.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham plot sensational £120,000-a-week deal for Manchester United
superstar target
WEST HAM are eyeing an audacious move for Paris Saint-Germain's Zlatan
Ibrahimovic, according to reports.
By JACK STAPLEHURST
PUBLISHED: 10:01, Fri, Feb 26, 2016 | UPDATED: 10:51, Fri, Feb 26, 2016

The Sun claim West Ham are preparing a two-year offer for the superstar
striker worth in the region of £120,000 a week. With Ibrahimovic available
on a free transfer this summer as he heads for the exit at the Parc des
Princes, West Ham could be able to afford the deal. The Sweden captain would
certainly be a marquee signing for the Hammers as they target big business
heading into the Olympic Stadium next season. Ibrahimovic is apparently keen
on a move to the Premier League, but the 34-year-old's chances of landing a
move to one of the top sides are thinning. Manchester United have been
linked with the ex-Barcelona and AC Milan forward. But while they look to
overhaul the team this summer, United's interest in the ageing Ibrahimovic
may have dropped as they plan for the future. Meanwhile, despite a lack of
Champions League football for next term, West Ham apparently believe their
ability to meet Ibrahimovic's wage demands, offering him a growing project
and his own shortening Premier League alternatives gives them an edge.
Although he's nearing the end of a stellar career, Ibrahimovic doesn't
appear like he's slowing down. An impressive 23 goals in 21 Ligue 1 games
this season, along with huge European experience, makes him a real
attractive propsect for the ambitious Hammers.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce warms up for West Ham return by taking swipe at supporters
Sunderland manager will be back at Upton Park on Saturday after bemoaning
way fans turn on the team
Telegraph.co.uk
By Luke Edwards10:30PM GMT 25 Feb 2016

Sam Allardyce has accused West Ham United supporters of making it difficult
to play for the club because of the spiteful way they turn on their own
players. Allardyce endured a difficult relationship with West Ham fans, many
of whom were glad to see the back of him when he left at the end of last
season. Having said his new club, Sunderland, are supported by fans who are
far more "lenient" when things go badly, Allardyce claimed the biggest
challenge for him at Upton Park was trying to repair the damage done to
morale by abuse from the terraces. Allardyce spent four seasons at West Ham,
guiding the club back into the Premier League in his first season via the
Championship play-offs, before successfully stabilising them in the top
flight ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium later this year. However,
some supporters were openly hostile towards the 61-year-old because of the
style of football he played, and although Allardyce claimed they were only a
"small minority" there is no doubt things turned sour for him in East
London. "I think I was appreciated by the majority of fans," he said. "It
was a small minority who made themselves very loud and very clear about how
they felt about me at the time. That wasn't just me, it was all the managers
who have been at West Ham. "Appreciation from the fans is always very
important. Nobody wants to be booed or be told to get out or get off, but it
happened. It happened at Newcastle, too. "You want to try and deliver what
the fans want. At Sunderland, they want to stay in the Premier League and I
want to keep them up, too. They're appreciating how hard we're trying to do
that, I think. "I think they've been very lenient with our players, compared
to West Ham's. Sometimes the players at West Ham suffered far greater than
me. When I was there the fans used to get on their backs. "It is easy for me
to take it on the touchline because I'm not playing. Man management, a lot
of the time at West Ham, was calming them down about the criticism they were
getting off the fans, that they didn't actually think they deserved. "In
many cases they didn't, but I told them they had to accept it. You can't let
it affect your game or you'll get even more stick."
Allardyce knew what to expect when he agreed to take the West Ham job in
2011 and claimed that everyone in football knows their fans are difficult,
even if they do not admit it in public.
"You accept that's the way it is at that football club," Allardyce added.
"And because it's like that, no matter what you do, at some stage you'll get
criticised. I knew that before I went there, because you ring people up who
used to manage and that's what they'd tell you. "I don't suppose, if you
spoke to Harry Redknapp or Alan Pardew or Alan Curbishley, that they would
admit that, because they are West Ham boys, but I'm not and they've said it
to me privately."
Allardyce is adamant he will return to West Ham with Sunderland on Saturday
with his head held high because all they did while he was manager "was get
better". He continued: "Hopefully people will appreciate what I've done
there. In the main, going around East London on several occasions, nobody
ever expressed anger or ill feeling, it was just a small minority at certain
times. "It might have been personal to me at a certain time, but that's West
Ham. That's the way it was there for me. As a manager, when you get home at
the weekend and you've won the game, that's the most important thing. That's
what makes you feel good about yourself."

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