Daily WHUFC News - 1st July 2013

Full steam ahead for Frank
WHUFC.com
Cork-born West Ham United star Frank O'Farrell could have been a train
driver rather than a footballer!
30.06.2013

Had things turned out differently, Frank O'Farrell could have ended up
driving steam trains across Ireland instead of driving the West Ham United
midfield.
Sixty-five years ago, the 20-year-old supplemented the wages he earned as a
fireman on the Cork-Dublin main line by playing semi-professional football
for five-times League of Ireland champions Cork United. As a schoolboy, the
young Irishman grew up dreaming of becoming a locomotive driver like his
father Patrick. He was stoking his way towards that dream when a West Ham
scout named Ben Ives spotted him playing at Cork United's Mardyke stadium in
1948.
The Hammers had already successfully brought Ireland international
midfielder Tommy Moroney over from Cork United in 1947 and a skilful
wing-half Danny McGowan from Dublin-based Shelbourne in early 1948, so
manager Charlie Paynter was quick to travel to Ireland to check out
O'Farrell personally. Now 85 and the oldest living former West Ham player,
O'Farrell is enjoying his retirement with wife Ann at home in Devon, but he
is happy to share his amazing story of how he ended up at the Boleyn Ground.

"West Ham has always been a favourite of the people of Cork since Tommy
Moroney, Danny McGowan and Noel Cantwell went over in the 1940s and 1950s,"
he confirmed. "They have a lot of support in the city. "Back then, Cork had
one of the best teams in Ireland . We used to play at the Mardyke at
University College Cork. Tommy and Danny had both gone over in 1947 at the
start of the season and they were the first Cork people to play for West
Ham. "They had people there to watch us and there was a scout called Ben
Ives who spotted me. Charlie Paynter came over and watched me and they came
to my house and asked me to sign. "I was a fireman on the railway and it had
always been in my heart to become an engine driver, driving the Cork to
Dublin express. I was earning £3 a week on the railways and £3 a week for my
football, so I didn't really want to go. I didn't need to. "I thought about
it long and hard and, eventually, I decided to sign for West Ham. As it
happened, steam was on the decline, so I may never have fulfilled my dream
of driving a steam engine anyway!"

O'Farrell clearly made the right decision, going on to play 210 times for
West Ham, many of them alongside fellow countrymen Moroney, McGowan and
fellow Corkman and Ireland international full-back Noel Cantwell. "Tommy was
one of the most talented players I ever saw. He played for Ireland and could
easily have been a rugby union international too, as he had excelled for
Presentation Brothers College and the Cork Constitution club. "Danny was
unlucky with injuries and his knee just wouldn't allow him to show his best,
so he didn't make the first team as much as he would have liked and he
returned to Ireland.
"I loved my time at West Ham. In 1957, the manager Ted Fenton wanted Eddie
Lewis from Preston North End and their manager, Cliff Britton, said he
wanted me if Eddie was going to join West Ham. "I went up there and we had a
great time, finishing second in Division One in 1957/58."

O'Farrell retired from playing with Preston in 1961 and embarked on a
successful managerial career that saw him coach, among others, Leicester
City, Manchester United, Cardiff City and the Iranian national team.
Nowadays, his responsibilities are rather less complicated. "I am keeping
well. I will be 86 in October but my health is good apart from a dodgy left
knee! "I still drive the car so I can take the wife shopping to Sainsbury's
and I am able to get up to Preston for the annual ex-players dinner, which I
enjoy. There seem to be less of us there every year, but that is life, I
suppose."

O'Farrell last returned to the Boleyn Ground in early 2012, when he joined
his former team-mates to pay his respects to long-serving goalkeeper Ernie
Gregory, who had died at the age of 90. He is planning to come back to east
London again soon, both to watch his old club and to catch up with his
relatives.
"I'd love to come back and I will do so this season. I have relatives living
in Colchester, so I'll be able to see my family too. "I think West Ham have
done well in the last two years. Obviously, it is very difficult to compete
with the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United in terms of
resources and budget, but they have matched them on the pitch. "If the fans
keep supporting the club as they have done, there is no reason why they
can't do that again this coming season. If they do, then I think they can
challenge for the top six and that would represent a brilliant season."

O'Farrell grew up just yards from current League of Ireland side Cork City's
Turner's Cross stadium, where West Ham will contest a pre-season match on
Sunday 7 July. The proud Corkman was invited to the match and a special
dinner at the city's SilverSprings Moran Hotel the previous evening, but is
unfortunately unable to attend. "I was living in Turner's Cross when I grew
up in Cork, not far at all from where the stadium is now. I would love to
have gone back to watch the game, but I have got something else on and I
cannot make it over. "I have written a letter explaining that I am sorry I
will not be there and wishing all the best to everyone involved. I'm sure
it'll be a great weekend."

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Ravel Morrison returns to West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 30th June 2013
By: Staff Writer

Ravel Morrison is due to report to Chadwell Heath tomorrow when the first
team squad return to work following their brief summer break. The
19-year-old midfielder spent the entirety of last season on loan at
Championship club Birmingham City, but is due back at West Ham tomorrow
morning when the squad reconvenes for the start of pre-season. Despite
Morrison's immediate future remaining uncertain - with Birmingham City
hoping to take him on loan for a second successive season - the player
himself appears to be happy with his imminent return to east London.
Speaking via Twitter earlier today, he said: "I need to pack - back up to
London tonight [and] looking forward to my first day back. #whu"

Whether Morrison has done enough at Birmingham to convince Sam Allardyce to
give him a second chance remains to be seen, but City boss Lee Clark is keen
to take him back to St Andrew's should the opportunity arise. "There's a
possibility in regards to Ravel Morrison," said Clarke, speaking last week.
"We're still in dialogue with West Ham; I would really like to get him but
we've got to see."

Morrison will be joined at Chadwell Heath tomorrow by new arrivials Razvan
Rat and goalkeeper Adrian - plus striker Andy Carroll, who recently signed a
six-year contract with the club.

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