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Bobby Zamora and a vital home win over Portsmouth in 1993 are the focus
today
16.01.2009
Anniversary
Bobby Zamora
Date of birth: 16 January 1981
Clubs: Bristol Rovers, Brighton and Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham
United, Fulham
Barking-born Zamora will probably be best remembered for scoring the goal
that won West Ham United promotion back to the Premier League in May 2005.
The striker scored the only goal of the game to defeat Preston North End in
the Championship play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
Zamora joined the West Ham United Academy as a schoolboy but was released
before turning professional. He was picked up by Bristol Rovers as a trainee
but only made six substitute appearances. Loan moves to Bath City and
Brighton and Hove Albion followed with the latter deciding to make his move
permanent.
Zamora proved himself a prolific goalscorer on the south coast, scoring 76
goals in 125 games and helping Ablion to two consecutive titles. That form
caught the eye of Tottenham Hotspur who bought the forward for £1.5m in July
2003. However, 18 appearances bought just one goal.
Six months later Zamora moved to east London to rejoin his boyhood club and
immediately made his mark by scoring on his debut against Bradford City. The
following season he struck 13 times, including two in the semi-final win
over Ipswich Town and the one in the final against Preston.
The striker, who wore No25 in his time at the Boleyn Ground, made his mark
the following season in the Premier League, scoring ten goals. Eleven goals
followed in the 2006/07 season as United miraculously avoided relegation.
However, fitness was to hinder the forward in the 2007/08 campaign and he
made just 14 appearances with a solitary goal in return before moving to
Fulham in July 2008.
Classic match
West Ham United 2-0 Portsmouth
First Division
16 January 1993
A comfortable home win on the day, but few could have predicted how
important the result would be at the end of the season. Trevor Morley put
the Hammers in front with a diving header in the 26th minute before Colin
Foster doubled the lead with another headed effort ten minutes after
half-time in front of 18,127 at the Boleyn Ground.
Portsmouth boss Jim Smith was full of praise for the home side, saying:
"West Ham are the best team we've played this season." The result was to
prove vital in West Ham United's successful promotion campaign. Following
the game, Portsmouth went on a great run that would see them finish the
season third, one place below the promoted Hammers on goal difference.
Crucially, though, if the game had finished 1-0, Portsmouth would have been
promoted at United's expense.
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Permanent move interests Bowyer
BBC.co.uk
Lee Bowyer says he wants to win something at Birmingham City and is open to
the idea of making his loan from West Ham United permanent.
Bowyer, 32, is out of contract at Upton Park in the summer and knows a move
is almost certain. "I don't think I'll be going back and I'll be a free
agent in the summer," Bowyer told BBC WM. "If I do well you never know I
might be here a while after that. I've come here to try and win something."
Bowyer is set for his debut in Blues' home game with Cardiff on Saturday.
And he is looking forward to making an impact at the club following a
frustrating time at West Ham. "It's a big challenge," he said. "But that's a
big factor in why I came because the club are moving in the right direction
and trying to get back in the Premier League. I've come here for a new
challenge. It just wasn't right for me to come here before. "My fitness
stats are higher than anyone else's so I know I can still do it. "If I
wanted to, I could have sat on the bench at West Ham and taken the money but
I'm not that sort of player."
Bowyer nearly joined Blues in 2005 but pulled out of the move after an
on-line petition protesting against his signing following some
highly-publicised off-the-field incidents. But Bowyer, who opted instead
for a second spell at West Ham, says things have moved on since then. "That
was around the time I went to West Ham." he said. "And I felt I had
unfinished business there. "I went there six months previously and was
injured and it didn't work out. "I feel I've done myself justice and I've
come here for a new challenge. "It just wasn't right for me to come here
before."
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Hammers reject Bellamy request
Striker keen to join Spurs, rather than City
Last updated: 16th January 2009
SSN
Sky Sports News understands West Ham United have rejected Craig Bellamy's
request to leave the club in order to join Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs and Manchester City have both spent the transfer window pursuing
Bellamy, with the Hammers turning down multiple bids for the Wales
international. West Ham remain determined to keep hold of their best players
in January and made moves to secure Bellamy's future at Upton Park. Bellamy
was offered a new contract by the club on Thursday, but turned down the
extension after talks with chief executive Scott Duxbury.
He also asked Duxbury to be allowed to leave the Hammers for the club's
London rivals, but his request was knocked back.
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Are Sky On An Earner Over Bellamy Transfer?
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 16 January, 2009 - 13:49.
West Ham Fans.org
Sky Sports Television's coverage of the transfer window was always going to
be a bit 'action man', it always is, but the level and style with which they
have covered the 'Craig Bellamy Story' is reminiscent of an old episode of
Minder where everyone is on an earner. The conviction that Sky use when
'announcing' yet another scoop is only matched by the haste that such scoop
is withdrawn when proven to be non-factual. Tottenham want Bellamy and
Bellamy wants Tottenham, no wait, Mark Hughes and Man City like Bellamy and
Bellamy likes Hughes, there is a common theme emerging isn't there? Who
exactly has confirmed that Craig Bellamy has put in a request to join
Arsenal's lesser cousins? The same 'source' that also confirmed that Scott
Parker's move to money bags Citeh (sic) was done and dusted! Obviously
Hammers fans would prefer that Bellamy moves to Citeh should he eventually
be sold rather than to the Spuds, but the sort of money being talked about
by both suitors is substantial and already above the £15 Million watershed
figure set by West Ham and manager Gianfranco Zola. Football is a business,
it is naive to think that the board won't snap the hands of a club offering
towards £20 Million, Milan are having to have a reality check when
confronted with a massive offer, albeit on a larger scale. -Ed
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West Ham v FULHAM: Bullard to miss clash at Upton Park
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 2:55 PM on 16th January 2009
Daily Mail
Fulham midfielder Jimmy Bullard will miss Sunday's Premier League clash with
West Ham. Bullard - who has been struck by a dead leg, illness and groin
problem in recent weeks - has returned to light training but is still
troubled by a hip injury. Otherwise Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has a fully fit
squad to select from for the trip to Upton Park.
Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Pantsil, Baird, Hughes, Murphy,
Dempsey, Davies, Gera, Zamora, Johnson, Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Gray, Etuhu,
Stoor, Andreasen, Kallio, Hangeland.
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Hammers fight to keep Bellamy with new contract offer
Friday, January 16, 2009
Metro.co.uk
West Ham attempted to ward off interest in Craig Bellamy by offering the
Wales international striker a new contract. Tottenham and Manchester City
are desperate to buy the 29-year-old, with both clubs reported to have
failed with improved bids in the last 24 hours. And now West Ham have
publicly stated Bellamy does not have permission to talk to either City or
Spurs, and revealed they have offered a new deal to the former Liverpool
player. 'We can confirm that Craig Bellamy has been offered a new contract,'
announced a spokesman. 'We can also confirm that he has no permission to
talk to other clubs including Spurs and Manchester City.' The Hammers have
also had to fend off interest from Manchester City in midfielder Scott
Parker and from Newcastle in captain Lucas Neill. Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear
revealed yesterday he had been talking to Neill's agent but the Hammers said
no permission had been given nor any offers received from the Magpies. West
Ham will not report Newcastle to the Premier League however. A club source
said: 'Kinnear was out of order and we have made our feelings known to
Newcastle in the strongest possible terms but we'll leave it at that.'
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Hammers Offer Bellamy New Deal
Setanta.co.uk
by Joseph Caron Dawe , 16 January 2009
West Ham have cranked up their efforts to retain Craig Bellamy by offering
the forward a new contract, having refused the player permission to talk to
Tottenham or Manchester City. The Wales international has been the subject
of overtures from both Spurs and City, but The Hammers have so far been
steadfast in their determination to hold onto him. Having rebuffed offers
from both clubs for the 29-year-old – including a £12 million attempt from
Spurs – West Ham have so far been dismissive of approaches for the former
Newcastle, Blackburn and Liverpool man. They have now offered Bellamy a new
deal at Upton Park in a further bid to shake off the interest of his
suitors. A West Ham spokesman said: "We can confirm that Craig Bellamy has
been offered a new contract. We can also confirm that he has no permission
to talk to other clubs, including Spurs and Manchester City."
The Hammers have also had to work hard to repel interest and a subsequent
bid from City in midfielder Scott Parker, as well as a bid from Newcastle
for captain Lucas Neill.
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Nigel Quashie may not return to West Ham when loan spell with Birmingham
City ends tomorrow
Jan 16 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail
NIGEL Quashie is not necessarily going to be ushered straight through the St
Andrew's exit door after tomorrow's game. The West Ham United midfielder's
loan expires once the dust has settled on Blues-Cardiff City, and a decision
about a permanent transfer has to be made. Manager Alex McLeish said: "We
know it's his last game and his loan is up. But the plan is to hold onto
everybody just now. We will see what happens. "Both parties have done each
other a favour during the whole loan spell. ''We've got Nigel back to
fitness, he'd been out an awful long time, and he's done well for us."
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HATCHET MAN: West Ham's Boa Morte shows his true colours by turning down
Hull
By Hatchet Man
Last updated at 11:17 AM on 16th January 2009
Daily Mail
Luis Boa Morte has looked a distinctly unambitious player for some time and
now he has proved that is exactly what he is. The West Ham winger turned
down a move to Hull over personal terms but is a fringe player at Upton Park
who has been going through the motions since they signed him from Fulham two
years ago for £5 million. The fee looks even more ridiculously inflated now
than it did then, and it is a fair bet that his wages are also way too high
in relation to his talent so the chances of them being matched elsewhere are
very low. Still, the opportunity to become an integral part of an ambitious
club should have brought about a compromise if he wanted to prove he can
still play in the Premier League. One goal and 30 league starts for West Ham
in two years says he can't. Rejecting the move to Hull demonstrated he
doesn't care.
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Chievo's Langella flattered by West Ham interest
16.01.09 | tribalfootball.com
Chievo Verona midfielder Antonio Langella is flattered by interest from West
Ham United. Langella has been linked with a January move to Upton Park and
he said: "I'm flattered, but only interested in staying with Chievo. "I am
used to fighting and I want to stay here to help us stay in Serie A with all
my friends."
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Clarke feeling he and Zola making mark at West Ham
16.01.09 | tribalfootball.com
Steve Clarke believes he and West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola are
beginning to make their mark on the squad. "We haven't had any success yet
but I think we've shown that, given time, we might do," former Chelsea coach
Clarke told the London Evening Standard. "If you compare West Ham now to
West Ham at the start of the season, I think you can see our mark -
Gianfranco's mark - on the team." West Ham's solid passing game backs up
Clarke's belief. And he knows how to coach a team to play that way. He
added: "Improving is all about repetition. The players work on how to
receive the ball, how to see angles and how to pick a pass. "We practise
every day and, when it comes to Saturday, they know what to do: control and
pass. "Seeing it happen in games is our measure of success. I think we're
getting it. We've a lot of improving to do but I think it's starting to
come." That goes for individual players as well as the team, of course.
While Craig Bellamy has attracted the headlines and speculation about his
future, Carlton Cole has signed a new long-term deal and is in the form of
his life. Clarke was the striker's youth team coach at Chelsea. "He was a
kid back then," he remembers. "Maybe he's just maturing now. He's
understands football better, realises you have to be 100 per cent focused
for every game."
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Spurs close in on deal for Bellamy as Wales striker demands to leave West
Ham
By Simon Cass and Colin Young
Last updated at 12:17 PM on 16th January 2009
Daily Mail
Tottenham are set to conclude a deal to sign Craig Bellamy, with the West
Ham striker slapping in a transfer request. The Hammers have rejected bids
from Spurs and Manchester City for the 29-year-old but Bellamy has tried to
force his club's hand by demanding to move. The transfer request has been
rejected but Sportsmail understands that a deal for the former Blackburn hot
shot is expected to be concluded over the weekend for a fee in the region of
£12million. Spurs sanctioned an offer of £10m up front with a further £2m
based on performance in a bid to head off interest from Manchester City.
City are believed to have since matched the offer, having had their last bid
of £9.5m rejected. Bellamy faces a choice between linking up with Redknapp
at Tottenham or rejoining Mark Hughes, whom he played under for Wales and
Blackburn. While Spurs would be unable to match personal terms available at
City, Redknapp will hope Bellamy's initial preference for a move across
London will prove decisive.
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West Ham turn down Craig Bellamy's request to join Tottenham
Times Online
West Ham United have rejected a request from striker Craig Bellamy to join
Tottenham Hotspur, and have offered the Wales striker a new contract. Scott
Duxbury, the West Ham chief executive, remains determined to hang on to the
Wales striker, despite strong interest from a number of Premier League
clubs. "We can confirm that Craig Bellamy has been offered a new contract,"
a West Ham spokesman said. "We can also confirm that he has no permission to
talk to other clubs including Spurs and Manchester City."
City have had three offers turned down for Bellamy but West Ham, whose owner
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson could sell the club, say they do not want to offload
players and are under no pressure to do so. Earlier this week, Gianfranco
Zola, the West Ham manager, reiterated his intention to keep Bellamy. "I
know that he's got good teams around him that are tempting him but we want
him to stay with us," Zola said. "I have a very good relationship with
Craig, he's the perfect professional. I hope that I'm giving him something
that will feed his wish to improve. "I have some players I consider very
important for the club. We want to keep those players and Bellamy is one of
them."
West Ham United yesterday released a statement denying that they had an
received an approach from Newcastle United for Lucas Neill, their captain.
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Bellamy offered new Hammers deal
TeamTalk
West Ham have refused to give striker Craig Bellamy permission to talk to
Tottenham or Manchester City - and offered him a new contract. The Hammers
have turned down several bids from the two clubs for the 29-year-old, with
Spurs having a £12million offer knocked back. The ball is now back in
Tottenham's and City's court to see whether they will go any higher. West
Ham are keen to hang on to the player - unless they get an offer they cannot
refuse. A West Ham spokesman said: "We can confirm that Craig Bellamy has
been offered a new contract. We can also confirm that he has no permission
to talk to other clubs including Spurs and Manchester City." The Hammers
have also had to fend off interest from Manchester City in midfielder Scott
Parker and from Newcastle in captain Lucas Neill. Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear
revealed on Thursday he had been talking to Neill's agent but the Hammers
said no permission had been given nor any offers received from the Magpies.
West Ham will not report Newcastle to the Premier League however. A club
source said: "Kinnear was out of order and we have made our feelings known
to Newcastle in the strongest possible terms but we will leave it at that."
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