Daily WHUFC News - 31st May 2012

Reid ruled out
WHUFC.com
Winston Reid will miss the OFC Nations Cup as a precaution as he is nursing
a slight groin injury
30.05.2012

Winston Reid has been ruled out of the New Zealand squad for the OFC Nations
Cup with a groin injury. Reid has been carrying the injury since the end of
West Ham's promotion-winning season and New Zealand's potential schedule in
the Solomon Islands - five games in ten days - would risk further damage.
"It's disappointing to not have Winston joining us," said All Whites coach
Ricki Herbert. "He's a big part of our plans as we aim to qualify for the
World Cup in Brazil [in 2014]." Reid made 33 appearances for West Ham United
during the 2011/12 season, scoring three goals. The defender was injured on
his last appearance for New Zealand against Jamaica in February, suffering a
concussion that ruled him out for five weeks. However, the 23-year-old
returned to play a full part in the Hammers' npower Championship Play-Off
final victory over Blackpool at Wembley on 19 May.

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Vaz Te looking forward
WHUFC.com
Ricardo Vaz Te cannot wait for next season to start
29.05.2012

Ricardo Vaz Te says he is looking forward to life in the Premier League with
West Ham United. The Hammers' Play-Off final hero cannot wait to challenge
himself in the Premier League once more and the opportunity to ply his trade
in the top flight was one of the main reasons he moved to east London. With
Season Ticket sales already on the up, Vaz Te is looking forward to dazzling
the Boleyn Ground faithful with more goals next season. "From the beginning,
when I joined here, the goal was to get promoted," he told whufc.com. "So we
have done that and I am looking forward to what that challenge will bring
for us. It is an exciting time for everyone at the club. "You can see it
meant a lot to everyone here and the fans. It has been said many times but
it is the truth, they deserve for the club to be in the top league. We have
around 30,000 at all our home games. They are there with us and we will be
doing everything we can to do the best we can next season again. If I can be
a part of that, it will make me happy."

Vaz Te capped off a memorable few months at the club since arriving from
Barnsley in the January transfer window by scoring the winner at Wembley in
the 2-1 victory against Blackpool. But while he will enjoy a short summer
break, his thoughts will soon turn to what is needed for next season. "I
will go away now and have some time, like we all will and then make sure I
am ready. I am confident I can score more goals next season. I have
confidence in my own ability and I am looking forward to the challenge that
being in the Premier League brings. "I have to make sure I am ready when the
opportunities come and make sure I am there to take them."

With several new signings expected over the summer, the Portuguese
midfielder knows there will be greater competition for places and it is up
to all the players to work hard to earn their place. "I am very thankful to
have been part of this so far and I will be working hard to get into the
team, because it will be hard. I think for all of us it is about reflecting
now then looking to build on this moment and take it into next season with
confidence. "Nothing is easy, but we will work hard to try to achieve our
best."

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Hammers in double swoop
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are hoping to make their first signings since returning to the
Premier League with the capture of Sunderland defender George McCartney and
Blackburn striker Yakubu. Sam Allardyce, keen to boost his squad as early as
possible has instructed his employees to bid for the Nigerian international
and tie up a permanent deal for Irish defender McCartney, who spent last
season on loan at the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers are thought to have offered
£1.2million for the much-travelled Yakubu who arrived in England back in
2003 when joining Portsmouth - since when he has featured for Middlesbrough,
Everton, Leicester and Blackburn who were relegated from the Premier League
at the end of the 2011/12 campaign.

Just 48 hours ago a 'source' close to the African striker said: "Yak has his
heart set on staying in the Premier League so it looks likely that he will
be off this summer.
"He was really saddened by what happened at the end of the season because he
had a great rapport with the [Blackburn] fans, but he is certain that he is
still a Premier League striker and hopes that a deal will be done that suits
all parties."

Meanwhile McCartney, who is currently contracted to Sunderland is expected
to sign on a free transfer. Speaking after West Ham confirmed their return
to the Premier League, the Irish international said: "Of course I would like
to be here next year. "I have regrets about leaving a few years ago and I
have got the opportunity to come back and things have gone really well. So
hopefully in a few weeks' time when everything has settled down, we can sort
something out."

We'll have more on these stories as details emerge.

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Season ticket row: common sense prevails
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United have written to long-term season ticket holders to confirm
that they ARE entitled to an immediate 20 per cent discount. Last week
KUMB.com revealed how a number of loyal supporters had been angered by the
club's decision not to award them the discount promised to those who had
held a season ticket for five consecutive seasons leading up to the
forthcoming campaign. However the club have today contacted supporters who
wrote to them to complain in order to confirm that they WILL be able to
claim the full 20 per cent discount off next year's season ticket - instead
of the five per cent over the next four years that was previously offered.

In the letter, received by a number of fans this morning, the club refuted
suggestions that they had acted improperly by refusing to confirm whether or
not the full 20 per cent discount would be available this season. "We
reiterate our previous belief that the club has acted in a transparent way
and has not refused to honour the 20 per cent discount," it stated. "We have
made an offer to pay this amount over a period of time – a solution which
would significantly strengthen the club's current position as we enter the
Premier League. "We acknowledge that this may not be economically possible
for every supporter and if you feel you require the ability to receive the
full 20% in 2012/13 then please call the ticket officeto discuss and action
with a member of our team."

The club's also refuted allegations that they had been aware of the promise
of a discount made by the previous administration in 2009. "For clarity,
there is some suggestion that the club has been aware of this offer for some
time – this is categorically not the case," the letter stated. "This issue
was not declared to the current owners as a liability in the course of the
sale agreement in January 2010."

Those supporters who are entitled to the 20 per cent discount and who have
already paid the full rate for their 2012/13 season tickets are also advised
to contact the ticket office should they wish to claim a part refund.

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Hearn's cheeky Stratford bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Staff Writer

Leyton Orient are set to approach West Ham United with view to
ground-sharing the Olympic Stadium, according to reports. The League One
club, whose outspoken Chairman Barry Hearn has been against West Ham's move
to Stratford since it first emerged that the club were hoping to move across
the borough have intimated that they are set to approach United with the
offer imminently. According to a report by David Smith in tonight's Evening
Standard, Hearn will "seek talks" with West Ham's co-chairman David Gold and
David Sullivan in an attempt to shoe-horn his club into the deal. Meanwhile
a 'source' told the Standard: "It ticks all the boxes. Why not ground-share?
It already happens all over the world."

However given Hearn's vocal opposition to West Ham's move, it is unlikely
that any offer will be considered by co-owners Sullivan and Gold, who were
told recently that they were "overwhelmingly likely" to be awarded tenancy
of the stadium by London mayor Boris Johnson. Despite last week's deadline
day for bids being delayed by eight weeks, Johnson saw no reason why that
would hurt West Ham's bid for use of the stadium. "I don't think we should
read too much into this," he said. "It is very important to get all the
legal nails hit squarely on the head so that the thing does not come
unstuck. That is taking a bit of time. "I still think it is overwhelmingly
likely that there will be a footballing solution and that would be a good
thing. But It is very important that it should be legally watertight. "This
is a major piece of public infrastructure with big state aid implications
that we are trying to transfer to commercial concerns and that is always
going to evoke very complicated legal problems."

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Sympathy? You must be joking
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Paul Walker

I must admit, I never thought there would come the day when I felt sorry for
Sheffield United or Tottenham.

And I was right! That day has not arrived, although for just one or two
seconds I did feel a touch of sympathy for two clubs we have had more
problems with off the pitch than on it over recent years.

I am not the sort of fan who spends any time abusing rival supporters, I'd
rather spend all my energies concentrating on my own players, and I do hate
the chants and songs which are just aimed at goading opponents.

The " your support is f……s…", or the one that tells rivals how much we hate
being in their town. And then there is the anti-Semitic stuff - racism in
effect - that gets aimed at Spurs fans. Surely we can be above all this.

But there's still a section of our support who sing the 'running round
Tottenham' rubbish and believe it is acceptable. I sat on the tube to
Wembley with a lovely family from Blackpool, with three wide-eyed kids on
their first trip to London, feeling utterly embarrassed as our fans belted
out the anti-Spurs stuff.

For heavens sake, sing about us, not our rivals. Enough said, you know who
you are!

However, the ill-fortune that has fallen on Sheffield United and Spurs at
the end of the season did make me feel that "what goes around comes around"
is an apt view.

Actually, I don't have issue with rank and file fans at either club. They
are just like us, they love their club, they believe the party line stuff
that gets pushed out on club websites and they want what we want. Success on
the pitch.

I have a couple of Spurs fans as mates, they are quite human really, and one
even texted me on the way to Wembley wishing us luck in the play-off Final.

And I managed to reply a few hours later after the dust had settled on
Wembley and Munich, that it is very wrong that the sixth-placed Premier
League club, Chelsea, should be in the Champions League ahead of fourth
placed Spurs.

And I felt sorry for Steve Simonsen, the Sheffield United 'keeper who missed
the decisive play-off penalty shoot-out spot kick that saw Huddersfield
promoted and not the Blades. I've met the lad a few times, and you couldn't
wish for a nicer young man.

But that is where the sympathy ends. I have real issues with the hierarchy
and senior management of both clubs, who have done their utmost to damage us
as a club and business.

Sheffield United first. We are still paying them £5million a year (how much
longer?) following the Tevez arbitration of 2008, and I am tempted to ask
just what we have got for our money, so badly have the Blades fared since!

|I would have liked the TV cameras to have dwelt just a little longer on the
face of their chairman Kevin McCabe after that shoot-out disaster at Wembley
that condemned the Yorkshire club to another season in the third tier of
English football.

They are £32million in debt despite the £20million they have already had
from us, have spent £15million in the last two seasons and are now facing
severe cuts, including sacking Simonsen this week.

McCabe and his mates - including various past sports ministers, senior MPs
and third rate actors - manipulated the Tevez situation and wanted to put us
out of business. The Premier League voted that we had been punished enough
with the £5.5million fine, the High Court would not back the Blades and only
the FA's independent arbitration hearing under that geriatric Lord Griffiths
agreed with McCabe's lot.

We were severely punished for what most in football thought was a technical
offence, the Premier League were more bothered about us deceiving them
rather than the debatable detail of a contract that never actually came into
operation.

We deserved to be punished. But not almost put out of business by McCabe and
his chancers. In the end we were the victims of an FA who was at war with
the Premier League and wanted to make a stand against the all-powerful top
flight.

So I have had no sympathy with Sheffield United's plight, and hope they
enjoy their trips to Crawley, Shrewsbury and Swindon next season.

Now Spurs. The north London club reckon they will lose £40million by being
excluded from the Champions League. They could also lose top players not
overjoyed with the prospect of playing in the Europa League.

Van der Vaart, Modric,Bale and even our beloved 'arry could go. Redknapp was
even linked with Chelsea last week.

I won't be crying over any misfortune that is suffered at White Hart Lane.
Their management have gone to extraordinary lengths to ruin our business
plan and the possible move to the Olympic Stadium, pushing legality to the
limits.

They have employed people who have sunk to the depths of the dark arts of
surveillance, stealing phone records and running personal checks on everyone
of the committee that was considering the Olympic Stadium legacy.

Spurs did not want Stratford, they were just desperate to sabotage any
attempts by us to progress and grow and find a ground that could accommodate
our 50,000 plus fans who went to Wembley.

Whether you like the idea of moving to the Olympic Stadium or not isn't the
point, but Spurs were trying to damage us as a club, which was inexcusable.
So any misfortune that falls their way should be a deluge in my view.

I had a bet with one of my Spurs mates before last season that they would
never play in the Champions League again. Could be I will be right. As for
the Blades, they might just have cut their own throats.

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Player Reviews 2011/12 - Part 3
Vinny 3:02 Wed May 30
West Ham Online

Player Reviews 2011/12 – Part 3

To View last season's Part 3, go to:

http://web.archive.org/web/20110702012056/http://westhamonline.net/article.p
hp?5540007

Forwards

John Carew

On August 6th 2011 the club announced the signing of John Carew who had been
released by Aston Villa a few months previous.

He made his debut in the 2-2 draw at home to Leeds United when he came on as
a substitute after 66 minutes. First reactions to him was of course how tall
and strong he is although a few days later in the league cup game at home to
Aldershot Town you could really get the sense of just how slow he was.

His first goal for the club came away at Crystal Palace when he came on for
the final quarter of the game and scored the equaliser late on.

Carew was then rewarded with a start against Blackpool in the following game
where for me he was the best player on the pitch as we ran out 4-0 winners.
He scored the first goal and I gave him my man of the match award, stating:

"He was simply unplayable. Blackpool couldn't get near him and but a selfish
moment which denied Baldock his hat trick, this was perfect performance."

He started the next few games but found himself taken off in every one of
them. His final two starts (away at Hull and Coventry) saw him removed on
both occasions at half time.

This would really be all from John Carew and he did nothing again of note
for the remainder of the season. He made no other impact on the league
season and when we did see him come on as a sub (which was rare) he looked
as though he was a former footballer who was in his forties or fifties and
had returned to play a game for charity.

I cannot believe he is only 32 because the man cannot run. Maybe it is his
frame, maybe it is fitness or maybe he just turned dog shit as he got older
but the man clearly cannot play football at a decent standard anymore.

With Vaz Te and Maynard signing in the January transfer window he fell down
the pecking order and with his contract expiring in the summer it has been
announced that he is to be released which comes as little surprise.

Earlier this year he was declared bankrupt following a petition by HM
Revenue and Customs. His off field problems may have contributed to his lack
of interest on it but I would suspect he was a good wage and with that being
the case the signing of Carew can be considered a bit of a flop.

Apps: League 7 + 11Sub Cup 2
Goals: 2
Bookings: 1
Verdict: Never had the desire and certainly does not have the quality.

Freddie Sears

It is easily forgotten that the first game of the season against Cardiff
City Freddie Sears was in the starting line-up. He had done well in
Pre-Season and scored the winner against FC Copenhagen and also scored in
the home game against Real Zaragoza.

His performance against Cardiff didn't fill me with too much confidence and
he was taken off later in the game.

This wasn't to be his last involvement as he was still in and around the
first team squad and made another start in the League Cup game against
Aldershot. Playing again on the wing I thought he did better than most on
the pitch and actually thought he was our best player on a dismal night.

Sears was coming on as a second half sub frequently with his best cameo away
at Brighton in the 1-0 win where he looked positive and helped us in the
second half when we needed an outlet.
He started the game at home to Bristol City in the 0-0 draw but with us
struggling he was again taken off.

His final start of the season and involvement with the West Ham team was
away at Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup where he was poor like most of the
team.

Not long after he was shipped out on loan to League One side Colchester
United where he has started five games, came on as sub six times and scored
2 goals.

Having signed a five year contract in 2008 he still has another year to run
at West Ham but can anyone see him making an impact or getting any sort of
look in if he remains at the club? He needs to move on for the sake of his
career as he just doesn't have the ability to make it at the top level.

It hasn't helped him that no manager apart from Alan Curbishley wanted to
play him as a striker which is where he made a name of himself at youth and
reserve level. He scored a staggering amount of goals at that level in the
striking position but has always been used as winger in the main under Zola,
Grant and now Allardyce.

Whilst it hasn't happened for Sears we will always recall that day in March
2008 when he made his debut against Blackburn with the score at 1-1. It was
a wonderful moment when he scored the winner as a 17 year old on his first
senior start and whatever will happen in his career he will always have that
and I'm sure we will remember that goal for a few more years.

Apps: 2 + 8 Sub Cup 2

Brian Montenegro

Brian from Montenegro? No, Brian Montenegro. From Paraguay. Signed from
Deportivo Maldonado who are from Uruguay.

18 year old Montenegro was a fairly low risk loan signing who I don't
believe was ever brought here to play first team football during the season
and was brought in to have a look at a promising young player.

He did make his debut for the club in the FA Cup game at Sheffield Wednesday
as he came on a late sub but he did nothing of particular note.
He started 12 games for the development squad and scored 7 goals which
wasn't a bad return.

According to the match programme for the Cardiff Play Off 2nd Leg it states
on page 83 that according to development squad manager Ian Hendon that
Montenegro will be an important member of the development squad next season
so I presume he will be staying on for another season's loan or signing
permanently.

Apps: Cup 0+1 Sub

Frederique Piquionne

I thought he was pretty abysmal in the second half of last season and with
no one willing to sign him given that he must be on a tremendous wage he
started the season at the club as one of our main strikers.

Piquionne indeed began the season in the starting line up as he took his
place up front on his own against Cardiff. He struggled to get anything
going although this wasn't entirely his fault given the way we were just
lumping balls towards him.

It was clear though even at this stage that Piquionne would not be the
answer to our goal scoring problems that we had endured the previous
campaign.

Piquionne has a terrible goal scoring record and has only hit double figures
in a season once in the last nine seasons and that came at St Étienne in
2004/05 season.

Having made little impact in the opening couple of games as a starter he
tended to come off the bench to play cameo roles over the next few weeks.
He was sent off after only a few minutes having come on as a sub against his
former club Portsmouth in an the ball incident with Greg Halford.

He managed a start at home to Bristol City on 1st November but as the game
finished 0-0 and the focus was on us not taking our chances he was dropped
again.

Piquionne did make an impact when he came on against Coventry City on 19th
November as he and Carlton Cole changed the game and Piquionne actually
managed to score the winner as the Coventry defender planted his header
against Piquionne who was falling on the floor and the ball went over the
line.

He came on early in our next game (20th minute) against Derby County and won
a penalty which Mark Noble converted as the game finished 3-1.

This decent form saw him gain a start in the Tuesday night game at
Middlesbrough where he was largely excellent and scored the first goal with
a terrific header from a Matthew Taylor cross.

But then a really lacklustre performance away at Reading saw his form dip.
You could argue that he was unlucky here as the reason we lost this game was
due to our discipline deserting us as we had two players sent off.

Allardyce persisted with him at home to Barnsley, and away at both
Birmingham and Derby. Average displays and most importantly no goals clearly
displayed the need to go and bring in some firepower during the January
transfer window and with Nicky Maynard and Ricardo Vaz Te signing this was
the end for Piquionne.

He was sent out on loan in January to fellow Championship club Doncaster
Rovers and scored a wonderful goal on his debut. He scored one other goal
for Doncaster in March as they lost 3-1 to Birmingham and they were
relegated.

With a year left on his contract he remains at the club and if he is
stubborn he will remain here as he is likely to be on a wage that no one is
going to pay him given his poor form of recent years, lack of goals and age
(33).

Apps: League 8+11Sub Cup 1
Goals: 2
Bookings: 2
Sent Off : 1 (vs Portsmouth home)
Verdict: Doesn't score enough goals and never has in his career. Would be
positive for all concerned if he would leave in the summer.

Sam Baldock

It has seemed as though we had tried to get every striker available to come
to the club but one after another refused so we were left with the end of
list players such as Sam Baldock. I don't mean this as disrespect to Baldock
but his signing seemed liked a bit of a desperate move and not one which
would solve our issues up front.

Baldock had done well for Milton Keynes Dons in League one at the start of
the season and had played four league games and scored four goals. He had
also played two cup games and scored in each of them also. Clearly he was a
player with something and he excited the West Ham crowd early on with his
speed and willingness.

He made his debut away at Millwall coming on as a sub and his full debut in
the 1-0 home defeat to Ipswich Town.

He started against in our next home game against Blackpool and put in a
terrific performance and scored two goals in the process. He took the goals
well, was hard working, quick and effective throughout.

His performance away at Southampton was largely uneventful and he was
dropped for the following game at Brighton but reinstated for the next game
which was at home to Leicester City and for the second concecutive home
match he would score two goals.

It seemed to me at this time that we had a real poacher on our hands and
Baldock would be the one to get those goals from inside the six yard box.
You could say, even know that he is the most natural poacher we have at the
club.

Two games later we went away to Hull City and he opened the scoring in the
second half with a goal again from inside the six yard box.

This game too place on 5th November 2011 and this sadly was to be his last
goal all season. He picked up a injury at the end of November which kept him
out for a month.

He came back and made a start at home to Coventry on 2nd January and stayed
in the team away at Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup where he had a decent
game but missed a penalty in the second half and we eventually lost.

Faith was kept in him by Allardyce in our next home game against Nottingham
Forest on 21st January but Baldock was ineffective and taken off in the
second half. This would be his last start of the season.

He was not on the bench for a number of games, an unused substitute for many
and he came on a few times with no great effect. He should have scored up at
Burnley when he and Maynard came on and changed the game in terms of how we
were playing.

I was even calling for him to be in the first team after that game but
Allardyce kept with his system.

Baldock did not even make the bench for the Play Off Final which I am sure
disappointed him greatly and although he is popular with the supporters it
would seem to me that Sam Allardyce isn't a massive fan of his and I am not
sure that he will be getting a chance in the coming season to show us what
he can do.

I suspect he will be sent out on loan or perhaps even sold.

Apps: League 10+13Sub Cup 1
Goals: 5
Bookings: 1
Verdict: Looked good at times but once he got injured and lost his place he
couldn't get it back again.

Frank Nouble

Despite much promise it has never happened for Frank Nouble at West Ham. He
has played under a few managers and has come in when we have been short up
front and never disgraced himself but with other options always available he
has been continually shipped out on loan to lower division clubs.

This season was no different even though we had dropped a division and had
only three senior strikers available as the season began.

He did come on as a sub in the League Cup defeat against Aldershot Town but
despite being a willing runner he was isolated and had little support.
Nouble was shipped off on loan to League Two side Gillingham on 15th
September and he did well there and ended up spending three months with them
scoring 5 goals in 12 games. He came back to West Ham on 17th December.

Totally out of the blue he was given a place in the starting line-up for the
away game at Derby County on 31st December. Allardyce gave him his chance
and he took it as he scored his one and only goal for the club in a 2-1
defeat.

He was allegedly subject to a bid from Crawley Town in January which was
accepted by West Ham but the move was rejected by the Nouble.

Despite scoring against Derby he was dropped for the following game against
Coventry although he was on the bench. His last appearance in a West Ham
shirt came away at Ipswich Town as we were smashed 5-1.

In March 2012 he was sent out on loan again, this time to Barnsley. He
started five games but did not score any goals.

It was announced at the end of the season that his contract will not be
renewed and he will be leaving the club on its expiry.

He came with a bit of hype but ultimately Nouble hasn't been good enough and
I would think his career will be based in the lower ends of the football
league.

Apps: League 1+2Sub Cup 0+2Sub
Goals: 1

Nicky Maynard

Signed in the January transfer window 25 year old Maynard came to the club
with a reputation for scoring goals at Championship level having done well
with Bristol City in previous seasons.
He signed for an undisclosed fee on a 2 and half year contract.

Maynard made his debut against Southampton at Upton Park as he came on as
sub and nearly opened the scoring with a good effort which was saved.
He made his full debut away at Blackpool in a terrific 4-1 victory and
scored his first goal for the club in this game.

He was also in the starting eleven for the away trip to Leeds United
although he missed a couple of excellent chances and was taken off after 55
minutes.

Maynard would get another chance at home to Middlesbrough but then was
dropped and only made sub appearances in the next three games.

But against Barnsley at Oakwell he was back in the first team and scored a
fantastic goal in a superb 4-0 victory. It was a real classy finish from a
player who does have a knack for scoring.

He was poor in the following game at home to Birmingham and was taken off at
half time and he would not start again for the rest of the season. This was
partly down to Carlton Cole finding his form and Maynard would be restricted
to appearances from the bench.

On one such appearance in the Play Off Semi Final 1st Leg against Cardiff he
scored the third goal in a 3-0 win with a well taken finish.

Maynard looks a decent player and whether he can make the step up remains to
be seen but he clearly is able to finish and hopefully he will rise to the
challenge of the Premiership.

Apps: League 9+7 Sub
Goals: 3
Bookings: 1
Verdict: We haven't seen too much of him but he has done well enough in his
few appearances and we will see more next season.

Robert Hall

18 year old Hall has come through the club's youth system and made his
breakthrough into the first team with a league debut away at Derby County on
New Years Eve. He looked dangerous when he came on as he went out wide and
attempted to showcase his quick feet and skill.

He did the same away in the cup against Sheffield Wednesday when he came on
as sub and looked a tricky customer.

A couple more sub appearances all pointed to a promising player but with
others ahead of him he was sent out on loan for the third time during the
campaign, this time to MK Dons where he only made two sub appearances.

His loan moves earlier in the season were both to Oxford United where he
received more playing time and scored 6 goals in 11 appearances.

I hope he is given a chance to play at some point during the season as
everything I have seen from him so far points to a very good player in the
making.

Apps: League 0+3 Sub Cup 0+1 Sub

Ricardo Vaz Te

Signed on January transfer deadline day for an undisclosed fee on a two and
half year contract, Ricardo Vaz Te has been nothing short of brilliant.

Having already scored 10 league goals in 12 starts for Barnsley it was clear
he was in goal scoring form but even I have been surprised at the impact he
has made since signing for the club.

He ended the season having scored 12 goals in just 16 starts for the club.
His first came away at Blackpool in the 4-1 win.

His late equaliser against Watford at Upton Park ensured we came out with at
least a point. He came off injured in the following game against Doncaster
after just 24 minutes when he was looked incredibly dangerous.

He made it back in the team for the game at Peterborough United where he
opened the scoring with a header and in the next game against Reading he
would also score with his head.

Vaz Te went back to former club Barnsley in the next game and scored the
fourth goal and in the Easter Monday clash with Birmingham City he would
score again with his head and would even get another as his late penalty saw
us grab a point.

It would of course be the following game at home to Brighton which would be
his masterpiece as he scored three goals in an epic 6-0 victory. His first a
powerful shot which the keeper didn't see, the second a brave header at the
back post and the third, a magnificent scissor kick to complete the hat
trick.

A brilliant finish against Cardiff at Upton Park saw us book our place at
Wembley for the Play Off Final and with three minutes remaining on the clock
he was on hand to slam the ball into the roof of the net and send us into
the Premiership.

Ricardo Vaz Te has been a fantastic signing. He is exciting to watch,
skilful, has the ability to make things happen and most importantly – he
scores goals.

Apps: League 16+2Sub
Goals: 12
Bookings: 1
Verdict: A big challenge for him to step up but I believe he can do it and
he has been fantastic for the club since signing.

Carlton Cole

Well here we are again reviewing Carlton Cole. It seems as though he has
been here for an age and in fact he has been with the club since 2006.

He is a player who divides fans with many disliking him more than any other
player and others who see what he can bring to the club.

Then there are people like myself who take Carlton Cole for what he is and
what he always has been which is a striker who will get you a few goals,
have a few good games, have a few bad ones but overall he gives his all for
the team.

Criticising Carlton Cole for being lazy is just that – a lazy criticism
which holds no merit. The same was said about Harewood, Wanchope and
Kanoute.

Cole has again finished top scorer and has come out with 15 league goals.
His form before the Christmas period was satisfactory for me but he did not
score enough goals when the new year hit and he went through a poor run of
form.

Cole would go on a terrible run after scoring against Millwall and would not
score again in any of the next eleven games. Granted he did not start all of
these and rarely played the full 90 minutes but this was a very poor run at
a time in the season where we needed our best striker in form.

Cole has that knack of bringing the ball down expertly but then fails to
play a pass to a team mate two feet in front of him which is extremely
frustrating.

From the Reading home game onwards he did find that form and Cole scored 6
goals in his next 8 games.

One of those goals would of course come in the Play Off Final as he put in
an excellent display and opened the scoring.

His form near the end of the season was really encouraging with his display
away at Cardiff in the semi-final being the pick of the bunch.
Carlton Cole has hit double figures in each of last four seasons (in all
competitions). He scores around the same amount of goals each season
(between 10 and 15) and I have no doubt that he will do it again in this
coming Premiership season because that is what Cole offers.

He is not a world beater; he never has been and never will be. Carlton Cole
is not Didier Drogba.
What startles me is that certain supporters cannot work this out yet. You
would think they would have figured this out by now. He's only been here six
years.

If West Ham could go out and buy better strikers than Carlton Cole then we
wouldn't even be talking about him. But we can't, and we won't and Carlton
Cole will again lead our strike force next season.

Apps: League 30+12Sub
Goals: 15
Bookings: 7
Verdict: Top scorer again. Double figures again. It's always the same thing
with Cole and this is something that certain supporters need to accept.

So that concludes the Player Reviews for season 2011/12.

Thanks for reading.

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Exclusive: Hearn confirms Leyton Orient will approach West Ham over Olympic
Stadium ground-share
London 24
Tom Moore
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
1:52 PM

Leyton Orient will make a bid to ground-share with West Ham in the Olympic
Stadium, chairman Barry Hearn has confirmed. Reports had suggested that they
were set to approach the Hammers over a ground-share and the O's chairman
said "Yes, it's true." Hearn will seek talks with West Ham owners David Gold
and David Sullivan over the move, which would mean two London clubs sharing
a stadium on a permanent basis for the first time. In recent years Crystal
Palace and Wimbledon have shared Selhurst Park before the Dons collapsed.
Fulham played at QPR's Loftus Road while Craven Cottage was being
redeveloped and West Ham and Charlton groundshared briefly but all sides
have since returned to their own stadium.

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QPR will stump up £50k-a-week to persuade Green to cross capital
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 09:44, 30 May 2012 | UPDATED: 09:44, 30 May 2012
Daily Mail

Queens Park Rangers are willing to pay England goalkeeper Rob Green
£50,000-a-week to switch from east London to west. The West Ham stopper's
wage demands are stalling a new deal at his current club and the 32-year-old
would be interested in working under Mark Hughes. QPR's boss wants to
toughen his side up at the back following a close shave with relegation and
Green fits the bill, with current keeper Paddy Kenny a target for Neil
Warnock at Leeds. If Green does make the move across the capital, Allardyce
will turn to his former goalie at Bolton, Jussi Jaaskelainen. The
37-year-old has fallen behind Adam Bogdan in the pecking order at the Reebok
and would be open to a switch.

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Oxford United play West Ham and Cardiff in pre-season
BBC.co.uk

Oxford United will welcome Premier League side West Ham United to the Kassam
Stadium as part of the U's pre-season build-up. The newly-promoted Hammers
have promised to send a full-strength squad to Oxford when they visit on 17
July. Championship club Cardiff City will do likewise when they visit on
August 4.
U's assistant manager Mickey Lewis told BBC Radio Oxford: "West Ham and
Cardiff are big clubs, so these are exciting fixtures for supporters and
players."

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Mugged off?
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Staff Writer

Tottenham Hotspur have slashed the price of a Champions League commemorative
mug after the north Londoners were denied entry to the competition courtesy
of Chelsea's win against Bayern Munich. In the second most important game
played on Saturday, 19th May, Chelsea's Champions League win in Germany
meant that Tottenham - who had previously qualified for the competition by
virtue of finishing fourth in last season's Premier League - were relegated
to the Europa Cup. And that meant that hapless Spurs, who endured a wretched
end to the 2011/12 campaign were left with a surplus of specially-made
commemorative mugs that celebrated their qualification for the tournament.
Fans of the club managed by Harry Redknapp are now able to buy a Champions
League-embossed mug for a bargain £1 - an 80 PER CENT reduction on their
original price of £5 each. As an extra bonus, Spurs fans can purchase three
mugs for the bargain price of just £2 thanks to a special offer on the
club's website.

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Sam takes Stock
The Sun
Last Updated: 31st May 2012

WEST HAM have targeted Fulham's David Stockdale to replace Robert Green.
Contract talks with England keeper Green have broken down over his wage
demands, thought to be £50,000 a week. So West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will
turn to £5million-rated Stockdale should Green quit Upton Park. Stockdale,
26, is growing increasingly frustrated at being unable to dislodge Cottagers
No 1 Mark Schwarzer. And Fulham would listen to offers for a keeper who has
been called up to the England squad already, for the Euro 2012 qualifier
against Switzerland.

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Jaaskelainen set for West Ham after snubbing new Bolton deal
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:40, 30 May 2012 | UPDATED: 22:40, 30 May 2012
Daily Mail

Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen has ended his 15-year stay at Bolton after
turning down a new deal.
Jaaskelainen is set to join West Ham, who have also made enquiries about
Fulham's highly-rated goalkeeper David Stockdale, 26.

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