Daily WHUFC News - 24th March 2013

Big Sam backs Stratford switch
WHUFC.com
Manager Sam Allardyce believes moving to the Olympic Stadium will provide a
huge boost to West Ham United
23.03.2013

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has thrown his support behind the
club's move to the Olympic Stadium. The Hammers will make the switch to
Stratford in 2016 and Big Sam believes the announcement that the club will
become anchor tenants could be a turning point in Hammers history. The
manager has shared his hugely positive thoughts regarding the impending move
with the official website here: "Friday's news that West Ham United have
been confirmed as the Olympic Stadium's anchor tenant, is for me, one of the
biggest and most positive developments in the history of the club. "West Ham
are a traditional, community-based club with a rich history but the
opportunities to create a new legacy by moving the few miles along the road
to Stratford, are limitless. By going into the Olympic Stadium, this club
has an opportunity to develop and grow bigger than it's ever been before.
"We will be moving into a stadium that already has its own history and
legacy. No-one will forget the great moments that happened there during the
Olympics. "People around the world watched on their TV screens last summer
and were suitably impressed by the venue and the organisation which went
into making the Olympic events there so memorable. Now we are going in there
to forge our own memories and history in that unique stadium within the
Olympic Park. "And it's not just the stadium. Everything around it, the
infrastructure, supports the move. A once run-down area is new, vibrant and
has everything you need to help you enjoy a day out. It has restaurants,
shops, the transport system is good - ideal for example, if you want a
family day out. "The move will also have terrific and positive implications
for the surrounding area, in view of development and jobs. I've seen the
designs and my opinion is that, once all the development is completes, it
will be one of the best stadiums in the country along with Wembley and the
Emirates. There will be slightly bigger stadiums around but, as they say,
size isn't everything. "I still believe the Reebok at Bolton is still one of
the best venues in English football yet its capacity is less then 29,000.
Not only was it a superb football stadium when it was built but it was also
all-encompassing as far as the local community was concerned. It has
function rooms of varying sizes, it had executive boxes - a hotel. The
Olympic Stadium will be almost twice as big and, from what I understand,
will also have great facilities. "There have been understandable concerns
amongst the West Ham supporters about the distance between the pitch and the
spectators but the retractable seating should solve that problem and, in
some cases, put the fans nearer to the action than Wembley Stadium. "There
is nothing I can see that is negative about this move. It could take a
little while for the team to settle down in their new environment but I
don't see that as a big problem - it's natural until everyone becomes
accustomed to their new home. "From a football point of view as well, it
will be important that we learn from other new stadiums and do our homework
on the playing surface. "I know West Ham have already been speaking to a
number of top clubs such as Arsenal, because their pitch is as near
perfection as you can get.

"There will inevitably be some who will not want to leave Upton Park. I
understand that. It was the same at Bolton and what made things even more
difficult was that the new stadium was at Horwich, seven miles out of town.
Bolton fans were anxious but they came to realise that the club could never
have progressed had they remained at Burnden Park. The club began to attract
top players because it made progress on the field and the new stadium was
integral to that improvement. "The Reebok was already up and running when I
was appointed manager in 1999. I remember wandering down to the club after
my first game in charge against Crewe and walking out onto the pitch. I
looked around the place and realised that this impressive new stadium had
provided Bolton with an opportunity to go to places it had only ever
dreamed about before. "To have built a football stadium such as the one West
Ham will move to in 2016 would have cost the club the sort of money they
could never have been able to afford. "My message to the fans who are
worried that West Ham's rich history will be forgotten when we move is that
they should be re-assured - that won't happen. This club are rightly proud
of their heritage and their footprint will be all over their new home. The
past will never be forgotten but if West Ham want to improve in the future,
the club needs to move into a venue like this one. "Friday's announcement
signals an exciting new era for West Ham United. It is a momentous day for
the club, the supporters and the local area."

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Captain's blog
WHUFC.com
West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan speaks of his excitement of the club's
plans for the Olympic Stadium
23.03.2013

Friday was a momentous day in the history of West Ham United. The Mayor of
London, Boris Johnson, announced that we have been given the right to make
the Olympic Stadium our home and it was fantastic to be there to see the
plans get unveiled. I'm very excited and delighted that the deal is finally
over the line. It's a massive thing for West Ham and it's about us producing
everything on the pitch and making sure that when we do move into there
we're in the higher echelons of the Premier League. Now we've got this
stadium it's going to be even better for the supporters, they can get here
very easily. The transport links to the ground are fantastic and there's no
doubt that this stadium is going to push us into the big boys territory. We
could have sold out Wembley ourselves last year, and when we go to the
Olympic Stadium people are going to want to go there because of what the
Olympics brought us. It gripped the nation. The support we got at Wembley
was fantastic and I'm sure we can get that week in, week out with our
supporter base. I've spoken about that since I came to the club. This is the
right move for us. We're positive, we want to step up and be involved in
European nights and things like that. Now everyone can see the visuals, I'm
sure they'll be excited as us. We're just hoping we can prolong our careers
now so we can play in there! Our job now is to make sure this club is in a
very good position when we do move in there.

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It's time for change
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 23rd March 2013
By: Jack Bowers

'Fortune's always hiding, I've looked everywhere'. A quote from 'Bubbles'
that's seemed right for West Ham United; where is the fortune, the luck the
progress?

For years, the Hammers faithful have seen their London rivals Chelsea,
Tottenham and Arsenal all progress and win silverware while we sit back and
suffer relegations and, at best, mid-table tedium.

But yesterday - Friday, 22nd March - could prove to be the historic date
where West Ham actually start to find their fortune and start to narrow the
gap that separates them from London's big three.

Because today is the day we signed a 99-year-lease for the Olympic Stadium.
Plans are set for a 54,000, UEFA category 4, multi-purpose stadium. Whatever
side of the fence you are sitting on, the move will happen, West Ham will
leave the Boleyn Ground, their home of 109 years and start a new adventure.

Yet many West Ham supporters question the move to the Olympic Stadium.
Understandably, people who own businesses in the Upton Park area - or live
close to the ground - object to the move.

Many shops, pubs and pie & mash restaurants will close down the second the
final, final whistle is blown at Upton Park. Realistically they won't
survive without the club. The vast majority of their income comes from a
match day and with the club moving on they won't have much option but to
close.

Without West Ham that area as we know it will be a distant memory in ten
years' time. However, for purely footballing reasons the move needs to
happen.

The Olympic Stadium is the future. By moving just two miles - yet still
within the borough of Newham - West Ham will eradicate their debt, triple in
value and become eye-catching for players, managers and potential investors.


In one short cab journey, West Ham transform from just 'another London club'
to the most attractive business in the capital.

The designs for the stadium are striking and from the early architectural
images, it genuinely looks like a world class stadium. There are plenty of
plans to make it 'West Ham', and any doubts about the move have been
answered.

For the majority of fans the sticking point was the running track, and
understandably too. I had the privilege of watching some of the summer
Olympics at the stadium and while I could see all the action, it wouldn't
have been good for football.

I wasn't sold by the idea of carrying binoculars with me so I could see Mark
Noble bang in a penalty at the other end of the pitch; when you go to
football you want to see all the action.

But the issue of the running track was swiftly sorted by London Major Boris
Johnson who said: "We are moving the seats, we are moving the goal posts and
we are moving the roof." The stadium will be fit for football.

Nothing has ever divided opinion amongst West Ham fans like this move has.
And, as I see on social networks it seems to be a divide from the young
generation to the old (with exceptions, of course).

You can understand older supporters' reluctance to move. I would find it
hard to move from a place where I had seen Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Trevor
Brooking, Billy Bonds and other legends give their all for the shirt; a
ground where I had seen the Chicken Run intimidate every single opposition
fan in England and where I had been able to watch the team play great
football and be a success.

But football has changed; it's no longer about loyalty and watching heroes.
The younger generation, are brought up in a time where glory hunters
prevail, the only thing that matters at school, university or work is that
your team wins. My generation have never known West Ham to be a real
success, they see this as the move to ignite a formidable future - and it
is.

The harsh truth is West Ham will not progress at Upton Park, not properly.
At best we may sneak into Europe through a good cup run and have a magic
European night under the lights but our home performances have been poor for
well over a decade.

My dad, older members of my family and friends talk about great games, great
legends but honestly I can count the memorable games at Upton Park I've
seen, the games that you will take to your grave, the games that make the
hairs on the back of your neck stand up, on just one hand.

Lots of Olympic Stadium naysayers argue that you can't leave a fortress but
Upton Park isn't a fortress, not anymore, not in my football going days.
Let's have a look at our win percentage records in the top flight since
2006: 06/07- 42%. 07/08- 32%. 08/09- 45%. 09/10- 30%. 10/11-25%. Not exactly
intimidating for other sides.

Granted, we've had some bad teams in that period but the reality is, in
terms of home form, we don't have anything to lose by moving to Stratford.
We're not like Arsenal; they left an actual fortress in Highbury and have
not been able to emulate anywhere near as good a home record as they had. So
there is nothing to lose by moving.

The other scepticism people have is about filling the ground. But providing
we're in the top flight filling 54,000 will not be a problem, not in the
slightest. We've sold out in our last 13 games, and for the play-off Final
the demand for tickets was breathtaking, with a reported 70k+ applying to
the club.

So let's say, to keep the maths simple, 4,000 away fans turn up. West Ham
needs to fill an extra 15,000. With cheap tickets, family campaigns and
superb train links from Essex to Stratford, there is no doubt that we can
fill it.

It's understandable that opinion will be divided but take away our emotional
attachment from Upton Park, we need a move. There is no doubt it's a gamble.
But it's a gamble worth taking. Worst case scenario, we don't fill the
ground, the atmosphere is poor and we struggle to move forward.

The best case scenario, we move there, with the support of our fans,
generate a great atmosphere and have the best stadium in the country and
finally… after decades of waiting, find our fortune.

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Premier League: West Ham ready to 'buy better' after Olympic Stadium deal
Last Updated: March 23, 2013 1:13pm
SSN

West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan plans to invest in the transfer market
after the Premier League club were named as anchor tenants of the Olympic
Stadium. The Hammers are scheduled to move into the iconic venue for the
start of the 2016/17 season once further redevelopment work has taken place
to turn it into a 54,000 capacity football arena. Sullivan believes securing
UEFA Champions League football is a realistic target for the East London
outfit, but admits they will always struggle to compete with the riches
available to Manchester City and Chelsea. "We realise we have to buy better,
spend more money. It's a gradual process. It'll take time to build the
team." He said: "We realise we have to buy better, spend more money. It's a
gradual process. It'll take time to build the team. Hands on hearts it is
very hard to compete with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, who have
external benefactors. "It is hard to compete with the guy who owns Abu Dhabi
and doesn't pay any tax. It is difficult to compete with Roman Abramovich,
who owns half of Russia. "Manchester United is a very special club. It is
hard to match those three but over time we hope to close the gap. Our
ambition is still to finish third or fourth in the table.

West Ham's exciting future

"We put £32m in last year. As David Gold says though 'I have 150 shops not
150 oil wells'. I didn't earn £16m last year, so I am now spending my
savings."
Sullivan claims he is set to hold talks to bring in a player who would be
'the biggest signing in our history' and believes that in the coming years
the club will be able to spend more on new faces. He added: "For a club of
our size we spend big money. If we spend £12-14m on a player this summer, in
three years we may spend £30-40m. We have a number of targets but it's about
spending wisely. "I'm seeing someone on Monday, funnily enough, that if it
comes off will be the biggest signing in our history." "Often you need a
bit of luck. I'm seeing someone on Monday, funnily enough, that if it comes
off will be the biggest signing in our history. We lack goals in the team,
we have got to sign a top-class striker. "West Ham is a community club, you
have to remember that. It's not all about winning with West Ham. It is about
giving back, about getting people in at affordable prices and playing the
right way. "It's a difficult balance but we hope season by season it'll get
better. But really it's about who spends most on wages and transfer fees and
it is hard to buck that trend for more than one or two seasons."

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Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos likes the Premier League
By Francisco Acedo. Last Updated: March 23, 2013 2:22pm
SSN

Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos says he would prefer to move to the
Premier League if he leaves the club. Dos Santos, the younger brother of
former Tottenham attacker Giovani, has struggled to make an impression on
the first team at Camp Nou. The Mexico international has been linked with
Everton and West Ham United, and playing in England appeals to the
22-year-old. "If I leave Barcelona, my preferred destination is the Premier
League," Dos Santos told RAC1. He has acknowledged his frustration at
failing to play regularly for Barcelona, but he believes he is benefiting
from the experience of being with Tito Vilanova's squad. Dos Santos added:
"I am not content with just a few minutes of game time, but this Barcelona
squad is incredible and I am learning a lot with this experience. "Really, I
am not sorry to have stayed at the club because we are the best in the
world."

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Is Wilfred Bony the Prospective New Signing?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

The Daily Mirror have reported that West Ham are lining up a £14m deal of
Vitesse Arnhem's Ivory Coast striker, Wilfred Bony. The 24 year old striker
has been described as the new Didier Drogba and is the top scocer in
Holland's Eredivisie League, with 26 goals. It does not derive from the most
reliable of source, but if true, it would be a very good signing, an
ambitious signing and a clear indicator that things are changing for the
better down Upton Park way. Could this be the top striker, whose agent the
club are meeting on Monday?

There is also a disturbing report in the Mirror that Robert Hall current
contract is in its final months and there is a stand off over a new deal.
The report states that a number of clubs are monitoring the situation and
will step in if a new deal is not agreed. If we lose Hall we could receive
as little as £500,000 for one of the best prospects in the country. I have
no idea if there is any truth in this, but if there is the club must get
Hall signed to a new long term deal and in contention for a first team place
when he returns from injury. The fans will not be happy if we lose a top
class youngster to the likes of Liverpool.

Personally, I now want to see the likes of Hall, Turgott, Chambers and
Famino getting in to the first team frame. Yesterday's statement by David
Sullivan that we will, in future, be looking to bring better quality players
to West Ham is most welcome, but that needs to coupled with the continuing
development of our own talent. Hall has done very well at Birmingham City
this season, Turgott is looking very good and I think Famino and Chambers
are real prospects. In addition, both Spence and Potts should rightly be
playing regular first team football now. Obviously, Sam Allardyce does not
agree, but hopefully he will give the youngsters a chance once we are safe
this season.

Hopefully, the announcement of the tenancy of the Olympic Stadium will give
everyone a boost. It will also send out a clear message that West Ham are a
force on the rise in the PL. Of course, there is still Leyton Orient's
application for a judicial review of the selection process, but there seems
to be general agreement that the processes are sound and it will fail.
Personally, I really do not believe the West Ham at the Olympic Stadium will
affect their average 4,000 gates. I have always found Orient fans to be a
separate breed, who follow their team regardless of having West Ham as
neighbours. In fact, it is a bit insulting to those Orient 'die hards' to
suggest that they will suddenly change affiliation. Surely if they were
going to do that they would have done it before this. After all Upton Park
is only a relatively short journey from Waltham Forest. But it is not really
about that, there are obviously other issues of financial advantage
involved.

Meanwhile, there is a report in the Sunday People that the West Ham board
will consider bringing Harry Redknapp back to manage the club, if they
cannot reach agreement on a new deal with Sam Allardyce. I really do not see
that this report has any basis in fact. It is unlikely that the club will
willingly part company with Allardyce and, if they did, would they
necessarily go for Redknapp? In addition, Harry Redknapp is not that popular
these days with the West Ham supporters, especially after his stint in
charge at Spurs. And that has to be a factor. This smacks of a manufactured
story to me, a newspaper speculating to create a story, the classic 2 + 2 =
5!

Saturday's match against WBA is going to be very important. Win that and we
will be on 36 points and within touching distance of safety. We need to
secure safety as quickly as possible and then we can hopefully relax and
enjoy the final two or three matches of the season.

SJ. Chandos.

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Lets Tell it How it Actually Is!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

The majority response of the press and media, to the confirmation of West
Ham's anchor tenancy of the Olympic Stadium, has been one of outrage on
behalf of the beleagued tax payer and over stretched public purse.

Lets take a prime example, Des Kelly's column in the Daily Mail. He argues
with indignation that the club are 'receiving' £630m of real estate for a
mere £15m up front and £2m annual rent. But just what exactly does he mean
by using the word 'receiving.' Actually, we are renting the Stadium on a 99
year lease, not purchasing it. How many tenants actually pay money up front
to help finance works on the structure and fabric of a property, which is an
asset that they do not own? Yet, that is exactly what West Ham have agreed
to do. More than that, they have accepted that income from naming rights,
catering and hospitality will be shared with the public purse. Most
extraordinary of all, is that West Ham, as a privately owned football club,
have also agreed that a % of a sale of the club will also go to that very
same public purse. Has Mr Kelly stopped to consider that that £2m annual
rent amounts to £198m over the full 99 year term or just how much will be
generated from the the other elements, when West Ham make the Stadium a
sporting and commerical success? It would be interesting to see income
projections for those elements of the deal and I am sure that these will be
made available in due course. In the meantime, you can safely assume that
the figures involved will be substantial!

Mr Kelly, then proceeds to argue that West Ham should have just moved in to
a totally unsuitable Stadium and paid for the adaptions themselves!! So, a
tenant moves in and then pays for the full restructuring work on a stadium
that they do not even own! Yeah, right, like that is going to happen! That
is amazing enough, but he then proceeds to trump it by suggesting that, as
an alternative, the proceeds of the sale of Upton Park should be paid direct
to the Treasury! This is a privately owned football club, and its prime
property asset, that we are talking about here. And that club does not have
the right to sell that asset and use it as it sees fit for the benefit of
its business? That is an argument that is both unrealistic and serves only
to play to gallery!

Then we have the City of Sheffield introduced in to the equation.
Apparently, while West Ham are the beneficiaries of a alleged £630m present
from the tax payer, the poor citizens of Sheffield are being deprived of
their Don Valley Stadium! The Don Valley Stadium was a built for a specific
athletics event (THe World Youth Games) and later fell in to dis-use.
Indeed, the Don Valley Stadium is a 25,000 seat arena, which has totally
failed as a stand alone athletics facility. Despite attempting to enlist a
football league football team and Rugby League Team, to boost its financial
viability, those initiatives also failed. Much as Leyton Orient's tenancy of
a c.20,000 seat athletics stadium would also probably have failed, if the OS
had gone in that particular direction. The scale of the failure is reflected
in the fact that Sheffield City Council were subsidizing it annually to the
tune of £700,000. All of these inconvenient facts show why this is an
ill-advised example to draw upon. Because, and this should be underlined,
the fate of the Don Valley Stadium could very well have prefigured that of
an Olympic Stadium without a PL anchor club.

Mr Kelly, then follows up this own goal, with the obligatory, but inaccurate
reference to West Ham's move to Stratford threatening he future of plucky
little lower league club, Leyton Orient! We all know what the true situation
is relating to Orient, so I will not bother restating it here! He then
concludes by commenting on the owners of West Ham Utd, making unnecessary
references to the industry in which they were formerly engaged. At the end
of the day, what has that got to do with anything relating to West Ham
taking up the tenancy of the OS? Absolutely nothing.

But Mr Kelly is not alone, in taking a critical and indignant line in the
national press. While, a lot of the TV coverage has also been heavily biased
in terms of the negative slant it has put upon the deal.

The truth is that former Minister of Sport and Sheffield MP, Richard Caborn,
is right to criticise the original mistakes in not designing football usage
in to the original stadium design. The further investment necessary to
restructure the stadium is a logical outcome of this folly. Mr Caborn does
not like the deal with West Ham, but what is the alternative, to reject it
and create another Don Valley Stadium in Stratford? The truth is that the
bullet must now be biten to give the OS and the Olympic Park the best
possible chance of a successful future. And West Ham's tenancy is integral
to bringing that about. As such, lets accept it, drop the outrage, tell it
like it is and then move on.

As for West Ham Utd, they should emphasize the concessions that they have
made to put this deal in place. Concessions that will prove lucrative to the
fabled public purse. Because this is not a one sided deal, there are
benefits on both sides. And, moreover, it is the best possible option for
both West Ham Utd and the future of the Olympic Park. It is, arguably, the
only viable 'game in town' and the alternative of a 'white elephant' stadium
in a stagnant Olympic Park is too terrible to contemplate. Finally, the
benefits to the communities in East London must be stressed. It is all about
delivering the post-2012 community and sporting legacy, with West Ham Utd
and their strong partnerships leading the way in ensuring that it happens.
What better and more positive response can there ultimately be?

SJ. Chandos.

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Bony no phoney for Sam
By MEL HENDERSON
Published: 23rd March 2013
The Sun

WEST HAM are on the brink of smashing their transfer record with a
£12million raid for goal machine Wilfried Bony. The Ivory Coast
international has been in stunning form for Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem this
season. He is the leading marksman in Holland with 26 goals in 24 league
games, including an incredible 10 in his last six. Bony, 24, has netted 46
times in 63 appearances since his £4m switch from Czech outfit Sparta Prague
in January 2011. He is under contract with the Dutch club until 2015 but is
desperate to move to the Premier League. The Hammers are close to agreeing a
deal that will see Bony complete the season with title-chasing Vitesse
before moving to London in the summer. The player's representatives are due
in the capital tomorrow for talks with West Ham co-owners David Gold and
David Sullivan, whose current biggest buy is £10.75m Matt Jarvis from
Wolves. Bony wanted to move in January but Vitesse insisted he stay put as
they try to land a Champions League place. Boss Sam Allardyce wants more
firepower as it seems likely that Liverpool hitman Andy Carroll will not be
extending his loan spell at Upton Park.

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Cole's a big fan of Big Sam
The Sun
Published: 23rd March 2013

JOE COLE says West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has done a "phenomenal job" and
hopes he stays. Big Sam took over relegated Hammers in 2011 and got them up
at the first attempt. The club are now 14th in the Premier League. But
Allardyce's contract is up at the end of the season and talks on a new deal
are not set to start until survival is secure. Hammers star Cole said: "He's
a great manager. The club was in a bad state and he has done a phenomenal
job."

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Drogba 2.0: West Ham close to £14m capture of Ivory Coast striker Wilfried
Bony
The Mirror
23 Mar 2013 22:30
Dean Mouhtaropoulos

West Ham are on the brink of sealing a £14million deal for Ivory Coast
powerhouse Wilfried Bony. The Hammers are set to announce the capture of the
Ivory Coast striker from Vitesse Arnhem this week after agreeing the move
with the cash-strapped Dutch club. Bony, 24, has been described as the new
Didier Drogba because of his physical style and scoring prowess. He has
scored 26 goals for Vitesse this season – making him top scorer in the
Eredivisie – and is expected to be named Holland's Player of the Year. Bony,
a £4m capture from Sparta Prague just over two years ago, is set to move to
Upton Park in the summer. Bony packs over 13stone of muscle in his 5ft 9ins
frame and has an explosive style. He has scored 11 goals in his last seven
games for club and country and was targeted by Newcastle in January. He was
a member of the Ivory Coast squad who reached the quarter-finals of the
African Nations Cup in South Africa in February. Bony's capture is a major
coup for the Hammers, who have been given the go-ahead to move the Olympic
Stadium at Stratford in 2016. His arrival means that the club are unlikely
to take up a £15m option to sign Andy Carroll. The Hammers paid Liverpool
£2m to take the England striker on loan for the season, but he has scored
just three times after being hit by injury.

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Hall pass: Liverpool keeping track of England youngster's stand off with
West Ham
The Mirror
Charlie Crowhurst

Liverpool have been alerted to England Under-19 forward Robert Hall's
contract stand-off with West Ham, exclusive by Matt Law. The Reds, Fulham
and Southampton are all chasing Hall, who could be available for as little
as £500,000 at the end of the season. Hall is one of the brightest prospects
in the country and has shone on loan at Birmingham. His current West Ham
contract is due to expire in the summer and, unless he signs a new deal, the
19-year-old will only cost a compensation fee.

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Any old Iron: West Ham want Harry Redknapp to lead them into Olympic Stadium
The Mirror
23 Mar 2013 23:00
Ross Kinnaird

Harry Redknapp will be asked to lead West Ham towards the Olympic Stadium if
they part company with Sam Allardyce, writes the Sunday People. Senior board
members want QPR chief Redknapp to make a ­sensational return to the club he
managed from 1994 to 2001. Allardyce, who spent the ­international break on
holiday in Dubai, is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to
open talks on a new deal. Big Sam has said he will wait until the Hammers
Premier League status is assured before starting contract talks. But it is
increasingly unlikely that he will stay on despite guiding the East End club
back to the top flight last season. And Redknapp, struggling to keep QPR in
the Premier League, will be prominent on the list of potential successors at
the club, who are due to move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. West Ham are
well aware that brokering a deal to take him back across London will not be
easy, not least because he has a QPR contract until June 2015. There would
also be some opposition to Redknapp at board level, as well as from some
supporters. The Hammers were confirmed as tenants of the Olympic Stadium on
Friday – but while co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, vice-chairman
Karren Brady and several players were there for the announcement, Allardyce
was absent. A club spokesman insisted there had never any plans for
Allardyce to be at the announcement.

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West Ham's move inspires James Tomkins
Daily Express
By: Colin Mafham
Published: Sun, March 24, 2013


IT'S not all that long ago that James Tomkins stepped out at the Olympic
Stadium in front of an 80,000 crowd, a tear in his eye and goosebumps
everywhere else. James Tomkins has no doubt the 54,000-seater stadium will
be filled when West Ham move in That was last summer during a memorable
London Olympics opening ceremony in which he paraded proudly with the Great
Britain football squad. Hardly surprising, then, that Tomkins is now
desperate to do it all again, this time when the West Ham club he has been
with since he was just eight years of age move into the Olympic Stadium and
play their first match there in August 2016. There is one slight snag. The
young defender's contract expires two months before then . . . which is why
he would dearly like to be offered an extension to it sooner rather than
later, so he can be guaranteed a place in the history of the only football
club he's ever wanted to play for. And will ever play for, if he has any say
in it.

That's the dream and Tomkins and his family, all big Hammers fans, are
clinging firmly to it after a £100million deal to enable West Ham to move
into the Olympic Stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season – and for
another 100 years thereafter – was approved by the London Legacy Development
Corporation and Mayor of London Boris Johnson last week.

And Tomkins, who will be 24 next week, would love to lead West Ham out when
that magic moment arrives. "It is an historic stadium and for us to go in
there is a massive thing for the club and the community," he says.

"I was there for the Olympics and I remember it all being full when we were
doing the lapwith Great Britain. To get anything like that will be one hell
of an atmosphere.

"I had goosebumps, everything like that. Now I am just looking forward to
that day again when all the fans are in there. For that to happen for me
will be a brilliant moment which I will really look forward to.

Tomkins (right) and West Ham teammates outside the Olympic stadium

This has been my club since I was eight. It's hard to see me ever being
anywhere else because I have been here so long, and my family are excited
just like I am.
James Tomkins
"It seems far away right now but it will soon come. It should be a brilliant
moment.

"My contract expires just before it happens but hopefully I will still be
around because, just like all the fans, I am looking forward to that
occasion.

"This has been my club since I was eight. It's hard to see me ever being
anywhere else because I have been here so long, and my family are excited
just like I am.

"To see their son potentially playing there makes them very proud. And being
a local boy, I will be doubly proud to be there."

Tomkins has no doubt that West Ham will fill the 54,000 seats available once
the stadium has been redeveloped.

"Our stadium is always packed out," he says. "We will fill that stadium and
the atmosphere will be fantastic as well.

"The distance from the pitch to the seats will be brought closer and we are
all looking forward to it. All the viewing and the sights for the fans are
going to be even better than they are now."

In the meantime Tomkins is concentrating on the here and now, and the need
to ensure that West Ham are playing Premier League football next season.

"We're not quite out of the relegation fight yet," he warns. "There are
still a lot of teams that can be sucked in and we need to concentrate on
some important games ahead."

But Tomkins is confident they can do it and, hopefully with manager Sam
Allardyce still around, the pair of them will share that iconic move – even
though it is three years away.

Despite speculation about Big Sam's immediate future, Tomkins insists he is
the man to take them up to another level.

"He is doing a great job here," Tomkins adds.

"He got us promoted at the first time of asking and you can't ask for much
more, really."

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