Cheers
PeterR
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Important Ticket Office information - WHUFC
22/06/2007 16:48
To assist supporters renewing season tickets, the ticket office - as well as
opening from 9.00am to 5.00pm on Saturday - will also be open on Sunday from
10.00am to 3.00pm.
Supporters yet to renew are reminded that the renewal date of Friday 29th
June is fast approaching and are advised not to leave it until the busiest
periods to guarantee their seat for next season.
In addition to this, all supporters renewing by post are asked to be aware
of a possible postal strike on the renewal day itself. Obviously this may
affect your application getting to the ticket office and therefore we would
recommend you submit your application well in advance.
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Is this two-cap striker worth £16m? - This Is London
22.06.07
Eggert Magnusson admits his disappointment at being snubbed by Darren Bent
was tempered by messages from West Ham fans suggesting he should be thankful
for a lucky escape. "They appreciate the efforts we made and they are less
disappointed than I thought they might be," claimed the club's chairman
after failing with a £17million bid. The view seems to be that perhaps this
wasn't the best deal we could do at this stage."
As news filtered through yesterday that Bent is on his way to White Hart
Lane from Charlton for just £1m less, the reaction of Spurs fans on their
message boards was similarly muted. Since moving from Ipswich two years ago,
Bent has scored 31 goals in 68 League appearances. Given an extended period
with injury last season, it is an impressive return. But it is the £16m
price tag which is causing consternation among Spurs fans, who already have
Jermain Defoe warming the bench. Why consider selling Defoe for about £10m,
only to spend £6m more on Bent, a player many in north London believe is no
more than the equal of the man he is likely to replace?
Tottenham manager Martin Jol's long pursuit of Bent suggests he is a striker
who can help Spurs into the top four. One man who has no doubts about Bent's
ability is his former manager at Ipswich, Joe Royle. He believes Bent has
the pace and clinical finishing to mature into the next Gary Lineker. "If I
was Darren, I would sit myself down with an armful of Gary Lineker DVDs and
study them," said Royle. "They have very similar attributes. People would
say there wasn't a lot more to Lineker's game than scoring goals, which
always made me smile because scoring goals is what the game is all about. He
was probably the best in the game at getting behind defenders and finishing.
"Lineker's movement and desire and aggression to get on to the ball would be
a great example for Darren to follow. All the attributes are there and
there's no reason why he can't get to the level Lineker did."
The lure of European football has been paramount in Bent's decision to snub
£75,000-a-week at West Ham for £45,000 at Spurs, a refreshing stance in the
money-orientated world of the modern footballer. Royle believes Tottenham
offer the perfect opportunity for Bent to dispel any fears over his mammoth
price tag, while forcing his way back into England manager Steve McClaren's
thinking. "He has to do it on a bigger stage," conceded Royle. "The prices
are amazing but it's all down to supply and demand. He is one of the top
goalscorers in the division. There are still holes in his game and he has to
fill all those holes if he is to be successful at international level. But
he's a young lad learning his job. He is not shy of work or dedication."
In the Ipswich academy, there was always a feeling that he could be special
as he graduated in a crop which included Charlton teammate Darren Ambrose.
HIS arrest and caution by police, three years ago, for firing a ball-bearing
gun at a 12-year-old boy who had been pestering him, has generally been
accepted as a flash of immaturity. Those who know him well describe him as
bubbly and friendly, not wrapped up in the pursuit of money — nor do they
doubt his professionalism. "Every time he has been asked the question he has
scored goals," said Matt Holland, his former Ipswich captain and Charlton
team-mate.
"In the Ipswich youth team he scored 20 a season, the same in the reserves
and the same in the first team. He came to the Premier League and got 20.
His goalscoring record speaks for itself. At the top end of the table he is
likely to get even more chances. He is not afraid of missing. If he misses,
he will score the next time. "He's a top-class player and a topclass
professional. He is always the first one out on the training field and the
last one in. He deserves the success that is coming his way."
Bent has always scored — 54 goals for Ipswich in just over three seasons —
but Charlton faced little competition when they made their move and the
£2.5m fee, plus another £100,000 on appearances, looked a snip when the
goals started to fly in. Ipswich were criticised for letting him go on the
cheap but they insisted on a healthy sell-on clause. They'll cream off 20
per cent of Charlton's profit on the £16m deal. Royle never doubted Ipswich
were set for a healthy return. "Players don't always make the step up. A
goal machine at Championship standard is not guaranteed to score in the
Premiership but Darren's proved he can do it."
Bent scored 22 in his first season at Charlton only to freeze on his England
debut, against Uruguay last year. Sven Goran Eriksson left him out of the
World Cup and although Bent won his second cap under McClaren, he is yet to
establish himself in the squad. He must do that if he is to emulate Lineker
and a move to Spurs could boost his career just as the England legend hit
the headlines with a move from Leicester to Everton a generation ago.
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More of today's football stories - The Sun
June 23, 2007
ALAN CURBISHLEY has targeted Wayne Bridge in his search for a new left-back,
writes ANDREW DILLON. West Ham boss Curbs added the £7million-rated Chelsea
and England star to his shopping list after growing frustrated in his
attempts to land Nicky Shorey from Reading. Bridge, 26, has overcome two
major hurdles to establish himself in the team at Stamford Bridge. He
battled back after eight months out with a broken ankle and managed to hold
his own against Ashley Cole in the fight for a first-team place. But the
ex-Southampton defender privately admits Cole is Jose Mourinho's
first-choice. Bridge's £26,000-a-week wages easily fit in with the Hammers'
pay structure.
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West Ham closing in on Shorey and line up Bellamy - The Independent
By Jason Burt
Published: 23 June 2007
West Ham United are closing in on the signing of Reading's Nicky Shorey and
hope to announce a £6m deal for the left-back next week.
Reading are working hard to keep Shorey and have opened contract talks with
the defender, who made his England debut this month, although they are
interested in taking Hayden Mullins from Upton Park. The midfielder could
become a makeweight in the transfer.
Also leaving West Ham will be Paul Konchesky who is out of favour with
manager Alan Curbishley and has wanted a move since January. At that time
Aston Villa and Manchester City were keen to sign him, while Birmingham City
recently failed with a £2m bid for the defender but are set to increase
their offer.
Shorey has two years left on his present contract at the Madejski Stadium
but has been promised that he can re-negotiate it and become one of the
club's highest-earners. With Reading's strict wage structure that would see
him earn around £20,000 a week, although West Ham are prepared to offer far
more.
Shorey, who has been a virtual ever-present since signing from Leyton Orient
for just £25,000 in 2001, has also interested Newcastle United but it is
thought that West Ham are favourites to secure him should he decide to move
on.
They have been interested in Shorey for some time and initially feared that
they had little chance of landing the player. However, West Ham have grown
increasingly confident that they may get their man, although sources concede
that negotiations are delicately poised.
West Ham are also concentrating on securing Craig Bellamy from Liverpool,
with Yossi Benayoun moving in the opposite direction. Liverpool have
indicated that they are prepared to pay £4.5m for Benayoun after West Ham
withdrew a new contract offer for the Israeli international. Bellamy has
been valued at £12m but it is likely a deal will be brokered involving
Benayoun.
If the midfielder leaves, West Ham will turn their attentions once again to
trying to sign Shaun Wright-Phillips having had a £10m bid for the winger
accepted by Chelsea in January only for him to refuse to move.
West Ham regard Bellamy as the ideal partner for Dean Ashton when the latter
returns from injury, especially as the chances of Carlos Tevez staying at
Upton Park remain slim. Another striker on his way is Marlon Harewood. Four
clubs - Birmingham, Fulham, Portsmouth and Aston Villa - have registered an
interest but, as yet, no club has come close to meeting the £5m valuation
put on him. Birmingham had an offer of £3m rejected.
Fulham are unlikely to pursue Harewood should they, as expected, sign
Diomansy Kamara from West Bromwich Albion for £3m plus the Icelandic striker
Heider Helguson. Fulham's new manager Lawrie Sanchez wants to buy up to
eight players this summer as he overhauls the squad he inherited from Chris
Coleman.
Sanchez is pursuing a trio of players he managed when in charge of Northern
Ireland - the Aston Villa pair of Aaron Hughes and Steven Davis, and the
Leeds United striker David Healy. Hughes is expected to be the first to
arrive at Craven Cottage, with a £1m deal close to being agreed, although
Fulham may baulk at the £5m Villa hope to receive for Davis. Healy is also
keen to reunite with Sanchez, although no deal can take place until the ban
on transfers at Leeds is lifted next month.
Fulham have also shown interest in Mido, who is certain to leave Tottenham
Hotspur once they sign Darren Bent from Charlton Athletic. Charlton are
lining up Jason Roberts as Bent's replacement as the striker wants to leave
Blackburn Rovers and return to London for personal reasons. His availability
may, however, also alert Fulham.
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Tevez 'contracts' are threat to West Ham - Daily Mail
Last updated at 00:23am on 23rd June 2007
Sheffield United are closing in on new explosive evidence which threatens to
blow the Carlos Tevez affair wide open again. Sportsmail has learned that
three contracts are in existence which prove that Kia Joorabchian;s MSI
company maintained its thirdparty 'influence' over Tevez — even after West
Ham had been fined £5.5million having pleaded guilty to not holding
exclusive ownership of the Argentina striker.
Lawyers working on behalf of Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe are
pressurising lawyers of Joorabchian to make the documents available to the
Premier League. The three contracts cannot influence the decision of the
arbitration tribunal, which sat earlier this week and is currently
considering if the Premier League acted wrongly by not deducting points. No
new evidence can be heard but the League will be under pressure to act if
these documents are made public and prove West Ham continued to play Tevez
illegally.
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ADIOS - The Mirror
£16M Henry off to Barca ..Tevez lined up
By Darren Lewis 23/06/2007
THIERRY HENRY will sign for Barcelona today in a £16million deal - with West
Ham striker Carlos Tevez being targeted by Arsenal to replace him. Henry
will sign a four-year contract worth around £7m a season to join Ronaldinho,
Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp in the most formidable front
line in world football. The Gunners are set to officially confirm the switch
later today. It brings to an end the Frenchman's eight-year stay in London
during which boss Arsene Wenger turned him into a superstar. The striker
was sidelined for much of the recent campaign with injury but in four of the
five campaigns between 2001 and 2006 he was the Arsenal's top scorer. Henry
signed a new four-year contract with the Gunners last year, following
Arsenal's Champions League Final defeat to Barca, insisting he would stay
for the rest of his career. But he fell out with Wenger earlier this season
after being dropped for the north London derby against Tottenham. Wenger
insisted his star man was injured but it is known that Henry was more than
ready to play in the contest. Henry is also known to have been unhappy at
Wenger's insistence in taking on Chelsea and Manchester United's seasoned
campaigners with raw youngsters. And the French striker, Arsenal's all-time
record scorer, admitted the shock departure of vice-chairman David Dein had
been unsettling for everyone at the club. For Barca meanwhile, there was
delight last night at finally capturing the man they have been after for the
last two years.
Wenger will now turn to Tevez, who has become one of the most sought-after
strikers in European football following his success in almost
single-handedly dragging West Ham to Premiership safety from the jaws of
relegation. At 23 Tevez - who plays in next week's Copa America for
Argentina - would be a sound long-term investment for the Gunners who have
registered their interest with the player's advisors. Manchester United and
Inter Milan are also interested in the pint-sized hitman, who recently
admitted he would be more than happy to stay at Upton Park if the right
package could be put together. But Arsenal's need now appears greatest, with
the Gunners desperate to prove to their fans that there is life after
Thierry Henry.
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