Daily WHUFC News - 19th April 2013

2013/14 Season Tickets on sale now
WHUFC.com
The Club have announced Season Ticket prices for the 2013/14 season
18.04.2013

West Ham United are delighted to announce that Season Tickets for the
2013/14 Barclays Premier League season are now on sale to all supporters.
After a pulsating 2-2 draw against Manchester United on Wednesday, Sam
Allardyce and his squad have their sights set on a top-half finish in the
Barclays Premier League. At times this season the Hammers have been
competitive against the best teams and players in the world, and as well as
matching Manchester United, they scored a fantastic victory over Chelsea,
the reigning European Champions, here at the Boleyn Ground. The Board is
committed to affordable family football and is rewarding existing Season
Ticket holders with a special renewal rate if they apply before the renewal
deadline on Saturday 1 June. Renewal prices for adult Season Tickets will
start from just £620, Over-65s from only £310, Under-16s from as little as
£200 and all Under-10s are an amazing £110.

Existing Season Ticket Holders who chose for the 2012/13 season to take the
5% discount for their next four consecutive renewals will have the 5%
discount applied at time of purchase and these prices can be viewed in the
table below. In addition to getting the best seats in the ground, Season
Ticket Holders also get priority to cup matches and finals plus significant
savings compared with buying match to match. They are also rewarded with
many additional benefits which you can view here.

Existing Season Ticket Holders can renew online at whufcboxoffice.com, by
calling 0871 529 1966 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras) or in
person and by post using the renewal application here.

To apply for the home cup tie scheme or an away Season Ticket, click here.
New applicants can apply now using the application form here and will be
allocated the best seats available after the renewal period. So, if you are
a new applicant, don't delay as you can apply for a Season Ticket now.
Details of monthly payment plans through Zebra Finance will be announced
soon.

A Season Tickets Q&A can be viewed here.
2013/14
Season Tickets
Renewal Price Adult O65 Young adult U16
U10*
Band 1 £880.00 £440.00 £440.00
£285.00 £110.00
Band 2 £820.00 £410.00 £410.00
£255.00 £110.00
Band 3 £760.00 £385.00 £385.00
£240.00 £110.00
Band 4 £620.00 £310.00 £310.00
£200.00 £110.00
Restricted view £700.00 £345.00 £345.00
£230.00 £110.00
Disabled £435.00 £225.00 £225.00
£140.00 £110.00

2013/14
4 Year 5% Discount Adult O65 Young adult U16
U10*
Band 1 £836.00 £418.00 £418.00
£270.75 £105.00
Band 2 £779.00 £389.50 £389.50
£242.25 £105.00
Band 3 £722.00 £365.75 £365.75
£228.00 £105.00
Band 4 £589.00 £294.50 £294.50
£190.00 £105.00
Restricted view £665.00 £327.75 £327.75
£218.50 £105.00
Disabled £413.25 £213.75 £213.75
£133.00 £105.00
2013/14
Season Tickets
GENERAL SALE Adult O65 Young adult U16
U10*
Band 1 £910.00 £455.00 £455.00
£295.00 £115.00
Band 2 £850.00 £425.00 £425.00
£265.00 £115.00
Band 3 £785.00 £400.00 £400.00
£250.00 £115.00
Band 4 £640.00 £320.00 £320.00
£210.00 £115.00
Restricted view £725.00 £355.00 £355.00
£240.00 £115.00
Disabled £435.00 £225.00 £225.00
£140.00 £115.00
*Under 10s must be accompanied by a full paying adult

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Allardyce on..... Manchester United
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 17th April 2013
By: Staff Writer No.2

The boss looks back on a fine performance against the champions-elect – and
rues yet another generous refereeing decision in their favour in tonight's
post-match press conference which we bring to you exclusively in full.....

Sam, it was a good point but you must be a little bit disappointed that
their equaliser was offside?

Yes, of course. It's a big decision that's possibly taken a famous victory
away from us. To play as well as we did today and to score the type of goals
we scored – certainly the second goal from Mo Diame, and when Man United
came back it could be expected because of how good they are but when you see
the offside goal it's bitterly disappointing. At the end of the day it's a
terrific performance by the players. It's fantastic in terms of how well
they've played at home all season. Another precious point against the team
who are going to be the new Barclays Premier League champions. Everyone's
gone home very happy but when they get home and see the offside goal they'll
be a bit disappointed as I am. It could have perhaps been a famous victory
but there you go. I'd have settled for a point before the game. I'm very
very pleased with the performance and I hope they can keep it up from now to
the end of the season.

Sam, when you feel so aggrieved by decisions do you speak to the referee
after the games?

I ask them to go and have a look at the mistake that they've made. At the
end of the day they shouldn't have made that type of mistake. The level of
football has got to be equalled by the level of the officials that are in
charge of the game. If it's what I consider to be an easy decision to give
and he hasn't given it then it's a major decision that's gone against us. In
the end we've gained a point off a very very good performance. We've only
lost four at home all season. We've been great all season at home. The fans
have been fantastic at home all season. Even when we've lost those games
they've appreciated the effort that we've put in to try and win them. Away
from home it's been a different story – there have been times when we've
been poor and not done as well as we should have done. This highlights how
good we've been here.

Sam, you mentioned on your tv interview a minute ago that you had a shot
yourselves after a couple of minutes when the linesman's flag went straight
up. That must be frustrating for you?

That's what he's got to look at and analyse. That's what his bosses have got
to do for him. His coaches have got to coach him properly. That's why
they're professional these days. They need a pat on the back when they've
made the big call but they also need coaching when they haven't made a right
call. How can we coach you so that next time around you get it right not
wrong.

Nice to see Mark Noble back again…

Yeah, it's been a long time for Mark but Gary O'Neil has had a fantastic
spell while Mark's been out. We've only lost two of the last nine now. So
it's been a great period for Gary who has been patiently waiting. It's going
to be a difficult decision for me on Saturday – whether it's going to be
Gary O'Neil or Mark Noble. Those are the decisions I like to have because
you want to have your players fit and available for selection.

Sam Alex Ferguson was also discussing the officials. Not surprisingly he
didn't notice their second goal was offside. He did suggest that Andy
Carroll should have been sent off for his collision with David De Gea..

I don't agree with that. At the very worst it's a yellow card. Andy's
committed to going for the header and he can't stop. You can't commit at a
corner and stop dead. As you'll see on your [Highway] code on the road if
you're travelling at 60mph it takes you 300 yards to stop. So when Andy's
travelling at 15mph he's not going to be able to stop [laughter]. That
happens. Red card? Never for me. Yellow? Perhaps.

Did you ask Carroll to target De Gea today?

No not Andy. We had three in there – Vaz Te, Nolan – who's very good at it –
and Winston Reid. Andy and James Collins were there to attack the ball. The
other three were there to put a little pressure on the goalkeeper.

Is that right – 300 yards?

[Laughter] Thanks guys!

NB - We're not sure if Manchester United sent a representative to the post
match press conference this time round. They often decide that they can't be
bothered and we decided that we had better things to do than hang about on
the off chance that they might do so this time.

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West Ham manager Sam Allardyce avoids Football Association charge
Last Updated: April 18, 2013 4:46pm
SSN

The FA has confirmed West Ham manager Sam Allardyce will face no action for
comments made after his side's 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Wednesday
night. Allardyce was furious officials failed to spot that Robin van Persie
had strayed offside before scoring the second equaliser at Upton Park.
But despite his angry post-match outburst, the FA will not be taking the
matter any further. Allardyce has already been in trouble with the FA this
season, also in a game involving United. He was fined £8,000 in February for
suggesting Sir Alex Ferguson's side had benefited from home advantage after
they won their third-round replay against the Hammers 1-0.

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Derby are bracing themselves for bids for defender John Brayford
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: April
18, 2013 4:50pm
SSN

Sky Sports understands a number of clubs are weighing up moves for Derby
defender John Brayford this season. Brayford has established himself as a
key player at Derby since his arrival from Crewe in the summer of 2010. The
25-year-old is regarded as one of the best full-backs outside the Premier
League and Derby are bracing themselves for bids for Brayford at the end of
the season. Brayford had an ever-present role in the Derby side this season
until he picked up a hamstring injury in March, but the talented defender is
now back to full fitness after making a quicker than expected return to
action. Cardiff are thought to be long-term admirers of Brayford, having
been linked with a move for the right-back during the January transfer
window, and they could rekindle that interest in the player as they plan for
life in the Premier League next season. The likes of West Ham, Stoke and
Wigan are also thought to be keeping tabs on Brayford as they look to
bolster their defensive options next season.

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Smashing! Andy Carroll-style physicality and commitment makes English
football great says Arsene Wenger
18 Apr 2013 22:31
The Mirror

Arsene Wenger has stepped forward to become a surprise supporter of the
Premier League's bully boys. Wenger claims he believes rough-house tactics
are "a strength of the English game" and admitted he gets bored and turns
off foreign games on TV because just about every tackle is deemed a foul. It
is surprising to hear the Frenchman be so supportive of the grittier side of
the game, after being highly critical in the past of the tactics employed by
teams such as Stoke - who he even accused of being a rugby team - and
Bolton. Wenger even said he had no problem with West Ham striker Andy
Carroll's tough display against Manchester United on Wednesday, and believes
incidents are over-analysed on TV. "It is a strength of the English game,"
he said. "I don't have a problem with players who go in completely 100 per
cent, because that is what you want to keep in the English game. "Sometimes
I watch foreign games and after 20 minutes you are bored because every time
somebody goes down it is a foul, and you say, 'Come on!' That is not
football, as well. "We do not want to lose the strengths and what makes
English football attractive - but the intention of the players has to be
fair."

Wenger even claimed that playing in England has helped toughen up and even
improve some of the Gunners' star players of earlier in his reign, such Marc
Overmars, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires. "The physicality of the English
game is one of the attractions of it. I don't think it holds players back.
In fact, the opposite, the foreign players who come to England improve and
you get that aspect of the game as well," said Wenger. "I've seen so many
French players complain about the physicality when they arrived in England.
I tell them it will take some time but the intensity of the game will make
them better players.
"It was worse 15 years ago than it is now. Fifteen years ago, no-one would
have spoken about the Carroll challenge [when the striker clattered
Manchester United keeper David De Gea at a corner]. Now everything is
analysed on TV. "Some players complained and then, after they moved away,
they missed the English game. "When you look at some players, you cannot say
the physicality of the game stops them from displaying their talent. "When I
brought Pires here he was not especially physical player, but no-one could
stop him from playing his game. "Overmars, Bergkamp - nobody could stop
them. "You cannot say it's physical or it's kicking, it's just that the
commitment is high - and that's what you want."

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Sam backs his big 'un
Exclusive
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Last Updated: 19th April 2013
The Sun

Carroll's a beast

ANDY CARROLL has been dubbed the "Boleyn Beast" who brings out the animal in
West Ham. Hammers striker Ricardo Vaz Te says the big striker can put the
bite on the Premier League big boys. On-loan Carroll set up Vaz Te to score
and bulldozed Manchester United in the 2-2 draw at the Boleyn Ground on
Wednesday. The Portuguese forward said: "I call him a beast. He is great in
the air. "His accuracy is perfect. On the floor as well he can play and hold
the ball.
"We need players who are not afraid to play against big teams."

SAM ALLARDYCE reckons Roy Hodgson will be scared to build his England
strikeforce around Andy Carroll for fear of being branded a long-ball
merchant.
West Ham's on-loan Liverpool striker Carroll produced a barnstorming display
against Manchester United in the 2-2 draw at Upton Park on Wednesday.
It has sparked talk of a return to the England set-up for the big Geordie.
And with England's hopes of automatic World Cup qualification in the
balance, Carroll would add a different dimension to the Three Lions attack.
Hammers boss Allardyce, though, fears Hodgson would be deluged with unfair
criticism if he goes with 6ft 3in Carroll because of a misguided perception
that he was taking English football backwards. Allardyce said: "Roy would be
scared to do it because of the reaction he'd get. "He would be accused of a
direct approach and people would be on his case. "But playing Andy does not
make you a long-ball team, it just gives you extra options. "He is good on
the floor and others can play off him. "Andy and Wayne Rooney together would
work very well and it would benefit Wayne, who is often carrying England's
hopes all on his own. "It would take the pressure off Wayne — who is still
so important to England. "I'm not going for any of that stuff about Rooney
being on the way down. "Against us I thought he was really good and some of
his passing was excellent. "He can play anywhere as far as I'm concerned but
I do think he works well off a dominant striker. "Michael Owen always used
to say he had his most productive spell when he was up front with Emile
Heskey. Heskey did not score many goals but Owen got plenty because of him.
"And the bonus with Andy Carroll is he is a better goalscorer than Heskey."

Hodgson took Carroll to Euro 2012 but only started him in the 3-2 win over
Sweden, in which he scored. However, for the next game against Ukraine,
Carroll was dumped on the bench and Rooney took over having served a
two-match ban. Hodgson worked on the principle that he could not start both
and Rooney was always going to be his main man. In fact Carroll has never
started alongside Rooney for England. Allardyce added: "Managers are fearful
of using a big striker because they get it in the neck."

He gave the example of how Rafa Benitez chickened out after signing Peter
Crouch when he was in charge at Anfield. Big Sam said: "He bought Crouchy
but ended up selling him because he didn't like the flak he got." But
Allardyce makes no apology for liking a big 'un up top and says Hodgson can
ill afford to be without one. That is especially so because he agrees with
the England chief's concern that there are too few Englishmen in the Premier
League to pick from.
Allardyce insisted: "Roy's quite right that there aren't too many top
quality players available for England. "As club managers our first priority
is to do the best for the teams we manage and if we end up signing foreign
players, that's the way it is. "But that doesn't mean we're not bothered
about the future for English players — we are. "We need more coming through
because the talent pool is diminishing every year."

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