Daily WHUFC News - 9th May 2012

Get priority for Wembley
WHUFC.com
Sign up for the 2012/13 waiting list for season tickets and get priority for
the Play-Off Final
08.05.2012

West Ham United have been inundated with requests to purchase 2012/13 season
tickets, regardless of which division the Hammers will be playing in next
season.
The Club has therefore opened up a waiting list for supporters wishing to
join and be processed immediately following the renewal deadline. Fans have
also been asking whether season ticket holders status in 2012/13 would
enable them to qualify for the priority ticketing for the npower
Championship Play-Off final at Wembley on 19 May.

The answer is 'Yes'!

Loyal supporters who join West Ham United's 2012/13 season ticket waiting
list - regardless of the outcome of Saturday 19 May's Play-Off final and
therefore with our league status not yet determined - can have this loyalty
rewarded. With their season ticket holder status for the 2012/13 season
confirmed, new applicants would therefore qualify for a ticket for the
Play-Off final. As the game falls between the two seasons, both 2011/12
season ticket holders and those committed to a 2012/13 season can qualify.

To apply for a 2012/13 season ticket, you will need to contact the Ticket
Office via a dedicated phone line 0871 222 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network
extras), select Option 3 from 9am on Wednesday 9 May and pay a £200 (VAT
included) deposit per Adult season ticket and £100 per Concession ticket.
Please note this offer excludes disabled applications as we already have a
long waiting list. During the call we will ask you for your preferred band
and Stand, which will be subject to availability and processed after current
season ticket renewals meaning you will get access to some of the best seats
at the Boleyn Ground. After you have paid your deposit, you will be able to
secure your Play-Off final ticket. Please note these two transactions must
occur on the same call and we are unable to reserve any Wembley seats for
later payment.

Prices for the 2012/13 season are yet to be released and will only be
released following the Play-Off final and confirmation of league status, but
the club can confirm that should the team be successful no season ticket
price ticket price will exceed the last published price when West Ham United
were in the Premier League in the 2010/11 season. This means that prices
will start at an amazing £525 in the Championship and just £600 in the
Premier League, while an Adult Band 1 season ticket will not exceed £850 in
the Premier League or £770 in Championship.

Your NEW 2012/13 season ticket seat will be allocated after season ticket
renewals but before general sale. This is offered on a first-come
first-served basis and the offer will be capped at 1,000 new applicants.
This offer will only be published via whufc.com and through emails to
subscribed supporters. The offer is only available until midday on Friday 11
May to enable tickets to be processed ahead of the Academy Members' sale
date.

Tickets are completely non-refundable should applicants on the waiting list
not continue with the purchase of a season ticket. The monetary deposit is
applied against the cost of the season ticket and not the Play-Off final
ticket.

West Ham United is not able to extend this offer past the given deadline.
The club looks forward to welcoming all new applicants for 2012/13.

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Nicky ready for Wembley date
WHUFC.com
Nicky Maynard netted his first Boleyn Ground goal as West Ham United won
through to Wembley
08.05.2012

When Nicky Maynard joined West Ham United in January, he stated his ambition
to help the Hammers to reach the Premier League. On Monday, the No8 netted
his first Boleyn Ground goal with a spectacular strike to complete West
Ham's 5-0 aggregate npower Championship Play-Off semi-final victory over
Cardiff City. Now, Maynard and his new team-mates are preparing for a trip
to Wembley for the final on Saturday 19 May. "Obviously we wanted to get
automatic promotion when I first came but it wasn't meant to be but we've
proved how good we are over the two legs and now it's down to us to prove it
again in the final," he told West Ham TV. While he was involved as a
substitute in both legs against Cardiff, Maynard played his part in the
victory, making an exciting cameo appearance in Wales before belting in the
icing on the cake in east London in the shape of an unstoppable angled
drive. "Being 2-0 up, maybe it was about us being complacent, them coming at
us and possibly getting a goal back and then being nervy, but we were at it
from the word go and got the goals. It was pleasing to get my first home
goal. "I was just playing along the line and Henri Lansbury has played me
in. I only had one thought in my mind and that was to get my head over the
ball and hit the target and it was nice to see it hit the back of the net."

Maynard and his colleagues were back at Chadwell Heath this morning to begin
preparations for their big day out at Wembley - the club's first appearance
at the Home of Football since the 1981 League Cup final. Understandably, the
striker cannot wait for 19 May to arrive. "When you are a professional
footballer, you want to play in front of that sort of atmosphere. It's a
massive game coming up, but we've got the players to do it and hopefully we
can get there."

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No new deal for 'keeper
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th May 2012
By: Staff Writer

Peter Kurucz has left West Ham United after having his contract with the
club terminated by mutual consent. The 23-year-old goalkeeper, who joined
West Ham in 2009 spent the start of this year on loan with Rochdale, with
whom he was due to stay until the end of the campaign. However his season
was wrecked just a matter of weeks after moving to Spotland when the
Hungarian sustained ligament damage during a match against Notts County.
Kurucz initially joined the Hammers on loan with an option to buy from
Ujpest Dozsa in February 2009, before making his move permanent in the
summer of that year when he put pen to paper on a four-year contract.
However his only appearance for West Ham's first team came in the 4-0 defeat
at home to Manchester United in December 2009, when he replaced the injured
Rob Gren as a 73rd-minute substitute.

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Mackay on... West Ham United
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th May 2012
By: Staff Writer

A disappointed - yet optimistic - Malky Mackay looks back at another
disappointing play-off semi final for Cardiff, but insists he has high hopes
for next season...

How are you feeling Malky, after that?

Of course we're disappointed. When you get to a semi-final you want to get
to Wembley. We knew it was going to be a tough task, we knew the measure of
the team we were playing against but obviously right after the game you're
disappointed that you're not there. But congratulations to West Ham, they
deservedly got to the Final and good luck to them in it.

Can you reflect yet and say what a good season it's been despite the defeat,
considering where you started?

I suppose I've had to because I've already had that question thrown at me
five or six times so far, but that's something we'll look at in the next
couple of days. It's nine months to the day since we played West Ham at
Upton Park here with seven debutants playing. If you look at it like that -
the season that's gone and the players that have joined the club to get us
to this point - our remit was to rebuild. So for us to get to the play-offs
and the Carling Cup Final in the first season I'm very, very proud of the
players that are working with us.

They couldn't have given you any more over the season, could they?

No. I think we've played maybe a quarter of a season more than West Ham in
the end with the size of the squad we had, so it was always going to be a
point where numbers come into it. Today we were missing Craig Conway and
Rudy Gestede - an out-and-out winger and a physical presence up front
similar to Carlton Cole. He played very well here on the opening day of the
season, Rudy. So to lose those two... We don't have the players or strength
in depth to walk in and take their place, unlike West Ham.

Will you be looking to make some signings in the summer?

Last summer we brought ten players into the club, we were always playing
catch-up. I recall coming in and having so few players standing there on day
one of pre-season. I'm looking at ten players running around and trying to
make sure we had a team ready for day one of the season. It was an
achievement from not a lot of people at the football club.

We've got to kick on now, we've got to try and bring strength and depth to
the squad. You can see that in West Ham. Obviously we can't get equal the
financial situation that there is at West Ham in terms of budgets, but you
see the strength and depth at the football club.

We're in there amongst Birmingham, Blackpool and West Ham, the three teams
that came down, the three teams that got the parachute payments - and we
ended up in amongst them. We've got to look now to plan for the coming
months and I'll do that as from tomorrow morning, I'll be at my desk and
I'll plan our next steps with my staff.

I've got a lot of pride with the way that the football club is beginning to
run, the people who are working at it. The directors, chief executive and
ultimately our major backers from Malaysia and our Chairman TG [Chan Tien
Ghee] who have bought into the way I want to move the club forward and
realise that to get to the next step, we need to progress again.

Coming back to this game, were you a bit disappointed with the Kenny Miller
decision? I know in the end it was 3-0 but if that was given it might have
had a bearing?

I've not actually seen it other than in the game. You're the third or fourth
person who's asked me that and I've honestly nothing to say on it because
I've not seen it again. If it had been a penalty... I don't know, was it in
your opinion?

[Welsh journalist] It was a penalty, but I might be biased!

Little things change games. The second goal over at the Cardiff City
Stadium, the deflected goal is going one way and goes in the other corner.
And we had three or four great chances that didn't go in. If that goes in,
in the first ten minutes then maybe it slightly changes things. So there's
fine lines in terms of being clinical - but West Ham were clinical today and
we weren't.

Thank you.

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Hammers' Collison injury fears
Dislocated shoulder threatens to rule midfielder out of Wembley trip
Last Updated: May 8, 2012 9:38am
SSN

Jack Collison could miss West Ham's Wembley play-off final after Sam
Allardyce admitted his shoulder injury "doesn't look good". Collison went
down under a heavy challenge from Cardiff's Ben Turner early in the second
half of Monday's Championship play-off semi-final victory over the
Bluebirds. The 23-year-old's shoulder was dislocated in the incident,
casting a huge doubt over his involvement in the Wembley game against the
winner of Wednesday's tie between Birmingham and Blackpool.
Allardyce admits he is praying that Collison can recover after playing a
pivotal role in the Hammers' two-legged win over Cardiff. "It doesn't look
good unfortunately for us," the West Ham boss told Sky Sports. "I think he
rolled over and I'm told the shoulder popped out. "The good thing is that it
went straight back in again. "We can only hope and pray because he's been
outstanding in the last two games for us."

West Ham are awaiting the results of a scan before knowing whether the Wales
international will be ruled out of the Championship play-off final on May
19th.

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Hungarian departs Hammers
Kurucz moves on after injury-hit stay
Last Updated: May 8, 2012 3:48pm
SSN

West Ham United have confirmed that goalkeeper Peter Kurucz has departed the
club by mutual consent. The 23-year-old joined the Hammers from Ujpest,
initially on loan, in February 2009. Kurucz made just one first-team
appearance for the club, coming on as substitute in a Premier League defeat
against Manchester United in December 2010. Injury has curtailed his
progress and he missed all of last season through a knee problem. He
returned to full fitness this term and spent a spell on loan with League One
side Rochdale, playing 11 games.

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Vinny's Cardiff Report - 2nd Leg
Vinny 2:00 Tue May 8

West Ham Online

Championship Play Off Semi Final 2nd Leg
West Ham United 3 Cardiff City 0 (5-0 aggregate)

West Ham booked their place in the Play Off Final at Wembley after a
comfortable 3-0 win over Cardiff City in the 2nd leg of the Semi Final.

Any talk of nerves or even over confidence was not evident throughout the
game as we cruised to victory over a Cardiff side who offered nothing for us
to be concerned about.

Our finishing was clinical, our work rate commendable and we are now just
one game away from returning to the Premiership as we take on either
Blackpool or Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium on 19th May.

I was quite confident going into the game that we would do the job that was
required. My confidence was more down to my belief that Cardiff are just not
very good and their performance against us in the first leg was pretty
dismal considering the magnitude of the game and again they showed very
little in this performance and if I were a Cardiff fan I would be asking the
question why didn't they really go for it.

Maybe of course I am not giving our performances over both legs enough
praise as we were much organised and looked a class above our opponents. It
makes you wonder how they managed to beat us in the very first game of the
season.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and there has not been enough really
enjoyable days at Upton Park over the last few seasons. Everyone was in
party mode and once we got that first goal it was pretty much game over and
we could really start to relax.

We now go to Wembley for the first time since 1981 (before I was born) on
what hopefully will be a memorable occasion for all the right reasons. We
are the form team and we are looking very strong at the moment.

Play Off Semi Finals usually have their fair share of drama and I don't
recall off the top of my head a more clear cut result over the two legs. I
know we are in the second division but I am still proud of our superiority
and whenever West Ham make the opposition look second rate it always pleases
me.

The Team

I had thought that Allardyce may have brought in George McCartney for
Matthew Taylor but he stuck to the same team from the first leg which was
pretty fair considering how well they all played.

Henri Lansbury was back in the squad and on the bench.

Managing Cardiff City was former Hammer Malky McKay. The Scottish centre
half played for the club in our last stint in the 2nd division during
2004/05 season. He started 24 games scoring 2 goals.

First Half

Having had a few drinks in the Britannia in Plaistow and then a couple in
the Black Lion everything was a little bit blurry as I took my seat just
before kick off.

But everything became a lot clearer as 'Bubbles' rang out with more depth
and noise than I have heard in a while.

Upton Park was packed and this was a firm sell out. West Ham fans are often
criticised for being difficult and demanding but when we are required to get
behind the team we do it as well as anyone in the land. The atmosphere was
potent; the possibility of going to Wembley close at hand and you could feel
the excitement around the Boleyn Ground.

We had set up as a 4-4-2 and Ricardo Vaz Te took his place up front
alongside Carlton Cole and not on the wing as he did at Cardiff last
Thursday.

It was Vaz Te who had the first half chance as he attempted another overhead
kick when a long throw was put into the area towards him. The attempt was
blocked and the Cardiff keeper was able to claim.

With ten minutes gone we were looking comfortable and were unlucky not to
make more of a nice move when Tomkins swept the ball to the right for Demel
to cross into the area but his cross was cleared.

Noble was again dictating much of our place as he sat in the middle of the
park and spread the ball wide. On this occasion he got the ball to Demel who
in turn found Collison who put it through the legs of the Cardiff player and
won a corner.

The corner was swung in by Matthew Taylor and it seemed to get a touch of
Carlton Cole as it looped into the air and Kevin Nolan was on hand to nod
the ball over the line and make it 1-0.

All talk of an early Cardiff goal and a gutsy fight back all ended with this
goal from Nolan which was his 13th of the season.

'We're Going to Wembley' was being bellowed out from the West Ham faithful
and the celebratory atmosphere could really begin even with just fifteen
minutes on the clock.

Cardiff were desperate to get back into the game and did give it a little
bit of a go just after our goal. They won a throw in which long throw expert
Gunnarsson stepped up to take but he ended up taking it short. The reason
for this is they simply do not work against us as we showed in Wales in the
first leg.

They attempted many of these long throws into the area but Tomkins and Reid
were always first to them.

From their short throw we got the ball back and Jack Collison was put away
down the right hand side. The midfielder raced forward and picked out Gary
O'Neil with a perfect pass and he attempted a cushioned volley at goal which
beat the keeper but crashed off the top of the cross bar.

We were the ones looking likely to score another as we continued to control
the game. Some good control from Cole saw the striker get the ball to Noble
who again spread the ball wide, this time to Vaz Te who had come out to the
right and he set up Gary O'Neil who took his shot first time only for David
Marshall in the Cardiff goal to make a superb stop to deny him.

With half time approaching all we needed now was to get that second goal and
really kill off any hope Cardiff may have had of getting back into the game.

And with five minutes left of the first period we did just that.

O'Neil had come out to the right and linked up with Guy Demel who played a
first time pass towards Ricardo Vaz Te who rolled his marker Turner and hit
an unstoppable shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.

It was a terrific finish from a player who had proved himself capable since
his signing in January. This was his 11th goal of the season for West Ham
which is remarkable considering the amount of time he has been at the club
and that he is not always played in a striking position.

Cardiff won a free kick which was situated around 30 yard out. Taking the
set piece was Peter Whittingham who is apparently the best player Cardiff
have and there was a little bit of hype about him going into both of these
semi-finals but he put his shot well over the bar as he continued to offer
nothing to this tie at all.

Two minutes of added time were awarded by referee Mike Dean (who was
excellent) and we saw these out with much comfort.

Second Half

No changes were made at half time as the Cardiff City players made their
return to the pitch a few minutes earlier than ourselves. Maybe Malky McKay
told them to attempt to take part in this game as they hadn't bothered
during the first half.

The second half was generally one that went through the motions. Cardiff
never looked like scoring one goal never mind four or five and it was a half
of little incident.

Just after the restart Jack Collison was released down the right and
challenged fairly but hard but the Cardiff player and he went down clutching
his shoulder. It was clear that he was in some discomfort and almost
straight away the physio signalled that he would need to come off.

It has since became apparent that he had dislocated his shoulder which may
keep him out of the final which would devastating for a player who helped
get us there.

On in his place was Henri Lansbury.

Cardiff were seeing more of the ball and the noise level inside the ground
had abated a little. The tie was practically over and everyone including
Cardiff knew it.

The visitors were really struggling to create any chances and Kenny Miller
saw his long range effort go well wide of the goal much to the amusement of
the West Ham fans.

We were still bossing the game and looked in little danger. Sam Allardyce
decided to use another sub as he took off the Captain Kevin Nolan and
replaced him with the Players Player of the season George McCartney.

Nolan received a standing ovation from the West Ham supporters as McCartney
went to left back with Matthew Taylor pushing up.

The best chance of the half up until this point came with ten minutes
remaining as we broke forward and found Cole who superbly backheeled the
ball into the area and into the path of Matthew Taylor who just couldn't get
his attempt over the onrushing Marshall who smothered the ball.

'Que Sera Sera' was being sung at a much louder level now as the final
whistle was approaching.

This had been an extremely professional performance and exactly what was
required.

Allardyce made his final substitution of the game with Nicky Maynard coming
on in place of Carlton Cole who also received a standing ovation from the
crowd.

And Nicky Maynard would be on the score sheet just four minutes after coming
on as in the 90th minute Lansbury slipped the ball through to him and he
rifled an unstoppable shot into the far corner making it 3-0 and the icing
on the cake.

As the final whistle blew the majority of supporters stayed as the players
did a lap around the pitch. This was one of the best days at Upton Park we
have seen in far too long.

Player Reviews

Robert Green
I do not recall a save Robert Green had to make all game. He came for a
number of crosses and claimed well but in terms of saves I do not remember
him having to make any meaningful stops. An easy day for Greeno and
hopefully not the last time we see him play at Upton Park though I suspect
it may be.

Guy Demel
If we put that mistake against Hull aside he has been very impressive since
he made the right back position his own. He was strong and was rarely beaten
throughout the game. He got forward well and linked up with Collison in the
first half. Good stuff.

Winston Reid
Voted the official man of the match and it is not hard to see why as he was
immense putting in a monstrous display. Read the game perfectly and was
always first to the ball. Very impressive.

James Tomkins
Along with Noble he is our most consistent performer who since the beginning
of the season has been in top form. This again was no exception and he had a
very comfortable day against a Cardiff side who offered little worry to our
centre halves.

Matthew Taylor
Having been a little concerned about his recent form he has really stepped
up during both these play-off games and with McCartney back to fitness there
will be a selection headache for Allardyce when the final comes along.
Taylor was busy during this game, worked hard and was rarely troubled.

Jack Collison
His form has picked up at an incredible rate during both these games.
Although he only managed to play the first half before coming off injured he
was excellent during his time on the pitch. He won the corner that led to
the first goal and he was always in space down the right. I really hope
injury doesn't keep him out for the final as it would be horrible for him
and also we would be missing an in-form player.

Mark Noble
The nerve centre, the control room, call it what you will but that is what
Mark Noble is. He sits in the centre of midfield and picks up any loose and
is always available to receive the ball. He spreads it wide, he gets things
going and he is the start of many of our movements forward. This was another
excellent display from the Hammer Of The Year.

Kevin Nolan
His goal scoring exploits continue to impress and he was in the right place
at the right time to score his 13th goal of the season which for a
midfielder, especially at West Ham is very impressive indeed. His
performance in the final will be key to our success.

Gary O'Neil
Deserved a goal with two excellent efforts in the first time. I keep
mentioning his work rate but it really does need to be highlighted again as
it is remarkable. In the second half there was one moment where he just kept
running and closing the opposition players down. You have to look at his
inclusion in our starting eleven as the point where our form picked up as it
seems to be in direct correlation. Any previous reservation or criticism of
Gary O'Neil has been firmly rammed down our throats.

Ricardo Vaz Te
He may drift in and out of the game but he has the knack for something
special and his finish was simply brilliant.

Carlton Cole
Not as dominant as he was in the first leg but we played a lot more football
on the floor and he wasn't as isolated up front. Only had one half chance
with a header which looped onto the roof of the net but despite Maynard
scoring I expect him to start at Wembley.

Subs Used

Henri Lansbury (on for Collison 46 mins)
A decent half for Lansbury who likes to get his foot in and came away with
an assist for the third goal.

George McCartney (on for Nolan 69 mins)
Tidy and solid as he usually is. Will he get a place in the team that starts
at Wembley is the question.

Nicky Maynard (on for Cole 86 mins)
Not on for long but took his goal extremely well. A really excellent finish
and his first goal at Upton Park.

Subs Not Used: Henderson, Faubert

Bookings: Reid

Man Of The Match: Winston Reid

Cardiff City:Marshall, McNaughton, Taylor, Hudson, Turner, Lawrence,
Whittingham, Gunnarsson, McPhail, Mason, Miller
Subs: Heaton, Blake, Kiss, Cowie, Earnshaw

Attendance: 34, 682

Overall

We controlled this entire Play Off Semi Final from start to finish and I am
referring to both legs.

These two games against Cardiff have been my favourite of the season due to
atmosphere and all round team performance.

I like many worried about how we would react to the Play Off's and whilst we
have not secured our Premiership status yet both these displays against
Cardiff give me hope because all the players really stepped up and the fans
reacted to that.

Next Game – Blackpool or Birmingham City (N) Saturday 19th May Play Off
Final

West Ham were last at Wembley Stadium in 1981 for the League Cup final when
a late Ray Stewart penalty took the game to a replay against Liverpool.

We were a second division team at the time playing one of the best teams in
the country and the pressure was not entirely on us to win. This time around
things are completely different in a game which has more pressure than any
other final in England.

This sort of game shapes futures of clubs and this game will shape our
immediate future and give us one of the best days out of recent times or the
worst.

It is a extremely fine line between success and failure and any enjoyment we
have taken from the Semi Final will be long forgotten if we do not manage to
win this game.

I cannot wait for the 19th to come and with around 40,000 West Ham fans in
attendance it will an amazing occasion.

We wait for days like this to come along and it is up next.

Have a great day at Wembley and hopefully we will all be celebrating all
summer long.

Fortunes Always Hiding. I've looked everywhere
And they are at Wembley.

They have to be.


Sams View

"Well of course it could have been a nervy affair for us prior to the game
because we had got everything to lose and nothing to gain."

"We had a 2-0 lead and were wondering what Cardiff were going to do -
whether they were going to go gung-ho from the start or play the way they
usually play.

"We just said we'll play the same system that we've played in the last two
home games and put the Cardiff defence under severe pressure as early as we
possibly could. The quality of our play showed and it was key to us getting
the early goal again.

"I think, from there on, it was just a matter of time before we got more and
it nearly came really quickly when Gary O'Neil hit the crossbar. Vaz then
got his goal and I think that obviously knocked the spirit out of Cardiff.

"Then we just waited patiently and the third goal was equally as stunning as
Vaz Te's at the end. At the other end, we got a very important clean sheet
and we go into the all-important Wembley final both resilient and in an
attacking, goal-scoring mood.

"That's eight games and we're averaging three-goals-a-game over that period.
We've lost one game in 20 and it stands us in good stead for getting on the
big stage at Wembley."

"The only disappointing thing to come out of the game was that it looks like
Jack Collison has dislocated his shoulder. I know it has gone straight back
in so hopefully he'll be OK.

Everybody else is fine and we've got a really good few days now to get
recovered and start the process of build-up towards the final.

"We won't want to get anybody hurt so physical contact in training will be
kept to a minimum and everybody just needs to look after themselves now and
get themselves right physically and mentally for what will be a big, big
challenge at one of the biggest arenas in the world.

"Let's hope we can go there and deliver the type of performance we did
today."

"I went to the old Wembley with Bolton for a semi-final and won the
Play-Offs at the Millennium Stadium but they were different arenas at the
time.

"To see the West Ham fans there filling one half of that stadium is going to
be pretty special and I hope we can all come out at the end of it with what
we all hope for.

"We have another obstacle in the way who will be equally determined to go
where we want to go in either Blackpool or Birmingham, so it's about us
maintaining our form going into this vital final game of the season."





Season 2011/12 Scorers and Red Cards

Carlton Cole - 14 (14 League)
Kevin Nolan - 13 (13 League)
Ricardo Vaz Te - 11 (11 League)
Mark Noble - 8 (8 League)
Jack Collison - 6 (6 League)
Sam Baldock - 5 (5 League)
Own Goal - 4 (4 League)
Nicky Maynard - 3 (3 League)
Winston Reid - 3 (3 League)
James Tomkins - 3 (3 League)
Gary O'Neil - 2 (2 League)
John Carew - 2 (2 League)
Frederique Piquionne - 2 (2 League)
Henri Lansbury - 1 (1 League)
Papa Bouba Diop - 1 (1 League)
Joey O'Brien - 1 (1 League)
Matthew Taylor - 1 (1 League)
Julien Faubert - 1 (1 League)
Frank Nouble - 1 (1 League)
George McCartney - 1 (1 League)
Danny Collins - 1 (1 League)
Scott Parker - 1 (1 League)
Junior Stanislas - 1 (1 Cup)


Red Cards

Callum McNaughton - 1 (vs Aldershot home)
Frederique Piquionne - 1 (vs Portsmouth home)
Joey O'Brien - 1 (vs Reading away)
Jack Collison - 1 (vs Reading away)
Kevin Nolan - 1 (vs Millwall home)
Matthew Taylor - 1 (vs Southampton home)
Robert Green - 1 (vs Blackpool away)*

*rescinded by FA on appeal

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West Ham star: 'Play-offs are wrong, but we can still win it'
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
4:30 PM

West Ham midfielder Gary O'Neil is not a big fan of the play-offs,
especially when his team have just finished in third place. But when the
team go to Wembley next week, he is just glad and a little amazed to be
playing a part. "I think the fact that the season comes down to just 90
minutes is a little bit wrong," said the 28-year-old who will be going to
Wembley for the first time in his career. "It is great for the media and to
generate money, but the fact that you can be promoted or not on just 90
minutes is a little bit wrong. "You can get a stroke of bad luck on a
deflection or a refereeing decision which shapes your whole season. "But it
is what it is and it is something you have to deal with if you don't finish
in the top two."

O'Neil has been an integral part of the West Ham midfield in the last couple
of months, providing the spark and pace in the middle of the part that Mark
Noble and Kevin Nolan lack. It has been the secret of recent success, but
for O'Neil, who missed eight months of the season with a crippling ankle
injury that almost ended his career, he is just loving being a part of
things. "I didn't think I was ever going to play again at the end of last
season, so it's a big turnaround and I can't believe how many games I have
played this season – I have been really lucky," said O'Neil. "I struggled a
little bit between Thursday and the second leg, I didn't do any training at
all in between. "I think the ankle is nowhere near as good as it was, but I
don't think it affects me that much. "The longer I stay fit the better it
will get. It is still going to need managing because it was such a bad
injury, but I am just so pleased to be out there playing."

You would never know that O'Neil was in pain. His form has been superb and
twice he came close to scoring against Cardiff on Monday, hitting the bar
with one volley. "I think I have done okay," said the modest former
Middlesbrough and Portsmouth player. "I have come into a good side. The lads
have been fantastic all season, so it has made it easier for me." So victory
next week and surely O'Neil will be partying with the rest of the team? Not
a bit of it. "I'm sure a few of the single lads will be going away on a few
crazy trips," he said. "I will be sat on the beach somewhere with my ankle
up, trying to get my daughter to leave me alone for five seconds!" Sounds
idyllic and hopefully he will have a play-off winners' medal to show his
little girl.

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West Ham chairman: 'I'd rather play Birmingham than Blackpool in the final'
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
3:44 PM

West Ham co-chairman David Gold believes unpredictable Blackpool would
provide tougher opposition than his former club in the play-off final at
Wembley next week.
West Ham co-chairman David Gold has insisted that he would rather play
former club Birmingham City in next week's play-off showdown at Wembley
Stadium. Birmingham and Blackpool meet in their semi-final second leg at St
Andrews tomorrow night with the Tangerines leading by 1-0 after the first
game. But Gold is hoping that Chris Hughton's side can overturn that deficit
and make it to Wembley. "It is very hard to decide who we should play in the
final," said the co-chairman after Monday's thumping 5-0 aggregate victory
over Cardiff City. "First of all we drew both times with Birmingham City, so
you can argue that we would prefer Blackpool because we have thumped them
twice. "But somehow there is something unknown about Blackpool because of
the manager – you never know what he is going to do! "With Birmingham, what
you see is what you get, so I just think we could plan against Birmingham
better than we could against Blackpool. "Having said that, I could say what
all managers would say – I don't mind who we play as long as we are there."

Gold watched West Ham demolish Cardiff over two games in their semi-final
and he still can't believe that the team are not up already. "I have to say
we were outstanding against Cardiff," he said. "What are we doing in the
play-offs? We have been so good these last few matches that it is
disappointing that we didn't get automatic promotion because that side is
just outstanding. "The way they are playing, the football they are playing,
the goals they are scoring, they should be in the Premier League. "Now we
have got to go to Wembley which will be a fantastic day and I just hope that
we can finish the job."

Gold and co-owner David Sullivan have made no secret of the financial
problems that beset the club and of course in a strange way, if West Ham can
gain promotion via the play-offs it will be a more lucrative elevation that
automatic promotion. The co-chairman is reflective on that point though. "If
someone said to me you can either go up automatically or go up via the
play-offs, then I would say go up in the play-offs," he said. "But I don't
want to be in the play-offs. I don't want to go to Wembley unless you can
tell me that we are going to win – but there are no guarantees. "But, if we
are promoted then yes, the excitement of getting promoted via the play-offs
is just a dream come true for West Ham United."

Few would want to contemplate not going up this season, but just how serious
would failure be to the club? "Well, you know it is very, very important to
the finances of the club," he insisted. "But if we don't go up we will
survive. We have got the dedication of the owners and the financial
commitment and as long as we have that we will be fine."

For the moment though, the co-chairman just wants to revel in the thumping
victory over Cardiff City. "Remember we have won this game 5-0, two clean
sheets along the way. The theory that our Achilles heel was playing at home,
well it is not anymore, it was just outstanding," said the enthusiastic fan.
"The team spirit is everywhere you go at the club. We are back. We slipped
up and two things went wrong here. "We drew a number of games that we
shouldn't have done and Reading went on an unbelievable run. It was a once
in a lifetime run and we ended up in the play-offs. "We still have work to
do, but we have the chance to put things right."

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