Daily WHUFC News - 4th January 2013

Hammers snap up striker
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have signed Republic of Ireland U19 forward Sean Maguire from Waterford United
03.01.2013

West Ham United are pleased to announce the signing of Republic of Ireland Under-19 international striker Sean Maguire from Waterford United. The forward, who does not turn 19 until May, finished as joint-top scorer in the League of Ireland First Division in 2012, helping Waterford to finish as runners-up. Maguire, who bagged 13 goals in 24 league appearances to help the Blues reach the promotion play-offs, joined the Hammers on a two-and-a-half year contract on New Year's Day - subject to international clearance - after the two clubs agreed a fee in December following a successful trial. The teenager, who is described as a clinical finisher, moved into the Academy House this week and trained with his new team-mates on Thursday admitted he cannot wait to pull on a claret and blue shirt for the first time. "I played with Waterford but I originally come from Kilkenny," he told West Ham TV. "I finished joint-top goalscorer in the Irish First Division and was nominated for Young Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year, so I thought I had a successful season. "In summer 2011, the Waterford manager brought me in for a couple of training sessions and gave me a chance in the first team and I took it. Here I am now at West Ham and it is a dream come true, really. "People tend to say my best trait is my movement so hopefully I can show that here. I haven't been told yet which squad I will be in but I presume I'll be going into the reserves so I'll try to work my way up like I did at Waterford."

Maguire will hope to settle quickly at his new club, helped by the fact he already knows West Ham youngsters and fellow countrymen Eoin Wearen and Kieran Sadlier, as well as Northern Ireland youth international Jamie Harney. "I trained with Kieran when we went to Latvia with Ireland. He's a great player and he plays a similar role to me. I get on well with him and Jamie and Eoin too. They have really helped me settle into the club, as have the other lads like George Moncur."

Maguire, who was born in Luton but grew up in the town of Castlecomer in County Kilkenny, has been a prolific scorer for the Blues since making his first-team debut just two months past his 17th birthday in July 2011. The 5'9 tall frontman played for local club Evergreen and schoolboy soccer for Deen Celtic and Ormonde Villa before coming to prominence when he scored a hat-trick for the Kilkenny & District League in the Youth All-Ireland final against Cork in 2011.
Following that fine performance, he was snapped up by Waterford, initially going into the club's under-19 side. However, manager Paul O'Brien gave Maguire a chance in the first team and he earned an 18-month contract with the club. After scoring once in the 2011 campaign, Maguire came of age last year, netting four times across three successive league games in June. That form saw him earn international honours in the shape of a Republic of Ireland Under-19 debut in a 1-1 friendly draw in Latvia in September - two weeks before he scored his first senior hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Longford Town.

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Marouane Chamakh: West Ham move for Arsenal striker
BBC.co.uk

Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh is in talks with West Ham about joining the club. The Moroccan forward, 28, has struggled to establish himself at the Emirates since moving on a free transfer from Bordeaux in 2010. But West Ham want to give Chamakh a chance to resurrect his career. Sam Allardyce's side are also poised to complete the signing of Joe Cole from Liverpool, another player who has found himself on the first-team fringes. Chamakh was prolific in France, scoring 79 goals in 293 appearances for Bordeaux, but has scored just eight Premier League goals for Arsenal since joining the club - and he has yet to appear in this campaign. Three of his four appearances this season have been in the Capital One Cup, although he did find the net twice when the Gunners won 7-5 at Reading in October.

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West Ham sign Irish striker Sean Maguire from Waterford
By Frank Keogh
BBC Sport

West Ham have signed 18-year-old striker Sean Maguire from Republic of Ireland club Waterford United. Maguire, who was born in Luton but grew up in Kilkenny, has joined on a two-and-a-half year contract. The Republic of Ireland Under-19 international has scored 14 goals in 32 games for Waterford. Waterford chairman John O'Sullivan told BBC Sport: "I'm a great fan of Lionel Messi at Barcelona. When I look at Seanie, he really reminds me of him."
He added: "Seanie has the same kind of balance, burst of speed and he's powerful on the ball. "He has a great shot from any range and he's good in the air. He has everything going for him. He still has to build up a bit of muscle, but there's no doubt West Ham will help him do that.

Sean Maguire factfile
Age: 18
Height: 5ft 9in
First-team debut: For Waterford in July 2011
Republic of Ireland U-19 debut: September 2012

"If Seanie keeps progressing the way he is, it won't be long before he's getting first-team football at West Ham. There is no question whatsoever he will be a star one day for the Republic of Ireland." Maguire was out of contract and the Hammers have agreed a compensation package with the Irish side, who get crowds of about 1,800 for home matches. He has attracted interest from several English clubs after starring for Waterford as they finished second in the Airtricity First Division, the second tier of Irish football, during their season which finished in November. He was one of three nominees for the 2012 Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Young Player of the Year award, won by midfielder Chris Forrester of St Patrick's Athletic. It is expected Maguire will start in the Hammers development squad, which competes in the Under-21 Premier League. "Here I am now at West Ham and it's a dream come true really," he said. "People tend to say my best trait is my movement so hopefully I can show that here. I haven't been told yet which squad I will be in but I presume I'll be going into the reserves so I'll try to work my way up like I did at Waterford."

West Ham want to sign midfielder Joe Cole from Liverpool and have enquired about Aston Villa left-back Stephen Warnock, 30. Warnock, who has two England caps, is back with Villa after spending three months on loan at Bolton.

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Joe Cole: West Ham to sign forward as Yossi Benayoun leaves
By David Ornstein
BBC Sport

Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole is expected to complete his move to West Ham in time for Saturday's FA Cup tie with Manchester United at Upton Park. The 31-year-old will undergo a medical on Thursday and is set to rejoin his former club on an 18-month contract. Cole, whose move comes after on-loan midfielder Yossi Benayoun returned to Chelsea, must be registered by 12:00 GMT on Friday to face the Red Devils. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers said: "It will be a terrific move for Joe." Cole has struggled to impress at Anfield following a free transfer move from Chelsea in 2010.

Joe Cole's career
West Ham: 150 appearances, 13 goals (1999-2003)
Chelsea: 282 appearances, 39 goals (2003-2010)
Liverpool: 42 appearances, five goals (2010-2013)
Lille: 38 appearances, four goals (loan, 2011-2012)
England: 56 appearances, 10 goals (2001-2010)

The former England international spent last season on loan at French club Lille. Any move to West Ham would have to be permanent because the London club already have one Liverpool player on loan - striker Andy Carroll - and are prevented from adding a second. Cole, though, would be available on a free transfer as Liverpool are prepared to cancel his contract and negotiate a settlement. Talking on Wednesday, Rodgers added: "I spoke to Joe earlier. He is a really good lad and has been brilliant during my time here."

The player came through the youth ranks at Upton Park before moving to Chelsea for £6.6m in 2003. He won three Premier League titles and two FA Cups in a seven-year stay with the Blues. After failing to agree a new contract he moved to Merseyside but has not been able to enjoy the same impact and has made only six substitute appearances this season. News of Cole's potential move comes after Liverpool signed forward Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea. QPR have also been linked with Cole, but manager Harry Redknapp told BBC Radio 5 live he was resigned to missing out. "I love Joe," he said. "I signed him when he was 11 years old at West Ham and I spoke to him. He was keen to come and he is a great lad. "He would be great around the place - he is a great player - but West Ham came in at the last moment and it was difficult because West Ham is his club and you will always associate Joe with them. "That is where he started out. The fans will love having him back there and I wish him all the best because he is a fantastic boy."

Heading out of West Ham is Benayoun, whose loan deal from Chelsea has been ended by a knee injury after just six appearances. The 32-year-old Israel international is expected to return to fitness in the next two weeks and has attracted interest from Southampton, Fulham and Wigan, but Chelsea are yet to receive any formal offers.

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West Ham move 'a dream come true'
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 3rd January 2013
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have completed the signing of young Irish forward Sean Maguire. Last month we told you that a deal had been struck between West Ham and Maguire's former club Waterford for the services of the exciting 18-year-old striker. And the youngster, who moved into club digs earlier this week officially completed his move to West Ham earlier today when it was confirmed by the club's website. Speaking to whufc.com, Maguire said: "In summer 2011 the Waterford manager brought me in for a couple of training sessions and gave me a chance in the first team. Here I am now [18 months later] at West Ham and it is a dream come true, really. "People tend to say my best trait is my movement so hopefully I can show that here. I haven't been told yet which squad I will be in but I presume I'll be going into the reserves so I'll try to work my way up like I did at Waterford."

John O'Sullivan, the chiarman of Maguire's former club also wished the youngster well - insisting that the player reminded him of none other than Lionel Messi.
"When I look at Seanie, he really reminds me of him," O'Sullivan told the BBC. "Seanie has the same kind of balance, burst of speed and he's powerful on the ball. "He has a great shot from any range and he's good in the air. He has everything going for him. He still has to build up a bit of muscle, but there's no doubt West Ham will help him do that. "If Seanie keeps progressing the way he is, it won't be long before he's getting first-team football at West Ham. There is no question whatsoever he will be a star one day for the Republic of Ireland."

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Liverpool's Joe Cole training at West Ham
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 3rd January 2013
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's latest impending signing has been training with his new team mates at Chadwell Heath today. Joe Cole, who is set to complete a return to east London from Liverpool within the next 24 hours has spent the day at West Ham's training complex familiarising himself with Sam Allardyce's squad. And should his transfer be confirmed as expected, the 31-year-old - pictured above - could go straight into the starting XI for the visit of Manchester United in the FA Cup third round tie this weekend. Although full details are yet to be confirmed, it has been suggested that Cole will join West Ham on a free transfer worth around £30,000-per-week. He is also expected to land a bumper bonus from his former club who will have to part-finance the remainder of Cole's contract on Merseyside.

Joe Cole: Career Stats
West Ham Utd (1998-2003): Pld 127 (23), Goals 13
Chelsea: (2003-2010): Pld 189 (93), Goals 40
Liverpool (2010-2013): Pld 23 (19), Goals 5
Lille (2011-2012): Pld 25 (13), Gls 4

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West Ham have signed Waterford United striker Sean Maguire
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: January 3, 2013 6:30pm
SSN

West Ham have signed Waterford United striker Sean Maguire. Maguire enjoyed a successful trial spell at West Ham at the back end of last season and the Premier League club have decided to bring him to Upton Park on a permanent basis. The 18-year-old has agreed a two-and-a-half year deal at Upton Park with the Hammers having the option of a further year. Maguire had been attracting the interest of a host of clubs after his displays with Waterford United over the past 12 months and he is regarded as one of the best young prospects to emerge from Ireland in recent years. The likes of Blackpool, Brighton, Peterborough and Derby had all shown an interest, but West Ham have won the race for the forward's signature. Maguire, who scored 13 goals in 24 appearances, told West Ham TV: "In summer 2011 the Waterford manager brought me in for a couple of training sessions and gave me a chance in the first team and I took it. Here I am now at West Ham and it's a dream come true really. "People tend to say my best trait is my movement so hopefully I can show that here. I haven't been told yet which squad I will be in but I presume I'll be going into the reserves so I'll try to work my way up like I did at Waterford."

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Yossi Benayoun back at Chelsea after West Ham loan deal comes to an end
Last Updated: January 3, 2013 12:13pm
SSN

Yossi Benayoun has returned to Chelsea after completing his loan period at West Ham. The midfielder has struggled with a knee injury this season that has curtailed his involvement at Upton Park. Benayoun has been receiving treatment at Chelsea's Cobham training ground after appearing six times for the Hammers in the Premier League, the last of which came in their 1-0 win at Newcastle on 11 November. The Israel international has played just 11 times for Chelsea since signing from Liverpool for £5m in July 2010 and spent last season on loan at Arsenal.

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Matt Jarvis: Cover Boy
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die

Well this is not what you expect from a footballer. West Ham winger Matt Jarvis is this month's poster boy on the cover of gay magazine 'Attitude'. Matt is not gay himself, but he is very keen to encourage the last taboo in football to be blasted away. He is not the first footballer to appear on Attitude's cover - David Beckham did so in 2002 and Freddie Ljungberg did so in 2006.

In an interview with the magazine, Jarvis said he thought it was time that a gay footballer felt comfortable enough to come out. "It's everyday life. It's not something that's going to be a shock," he said. "I'm sure there are many footballers who are gay, but when they decide to actually come out and say it, it is a different story. It's one that I'm sure they've thought about many times. But it's a hard thing for them to do... There'd be support everywhere within the football community, whether it be players, fans or within the PFA [Professional Footballers' Association]. There would definitely be groups of people who would be supportive and help them through it."

You would hope that would be the case, but if a footballer does decide to take this step, I hope there will be many others that follow his lead, because being the only one would certainly not be a comfortable position to be in.

Homophobia is rife in football, both on the pitch and on the terraces. If Matt Jarvis helps combat that in any way, he should be congratulated.

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Pack Yo bags
Published: 11 hrs ago
The Sun

YOSSI BENAYOUN has been kicked to the kerb by West Ham and sent back to Chelsea. The creative midfielder, 32, was on a season-long loan deal at Upton Park. But with the imminent arrival of Joe Cole, the Hammers have called time on the injury-plagued Israeli's spell in East London. A West Ham statement read: "West Ham United can confirm that the loan of Yossi Benayoun has ended and he has returned to Chelsea. "The club would like to thank Yossi for his efforts during his second spell with the Hammers and wish him the best of luck for his future career." Benayoun made six appearances under boss Sam Allardyce during his second stint with West Ham, having previously been with the club from 2005 to 2007.

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Gunner go? Chamakh in West Ham talks as Arsenal launch winter clear-out
The Mirror
3 Jan 2013 22:30

Arsenal flop Marouane Chamakh has opened talks with West Ham over a loan move to Upton Park. The Morocco striker is one of the highest earners in the Gunners squad, on £80,000 a week, and boss Arsene Wenger is keen to get him off the wage bill. The Emirates club are ready to pay a portion of his salary to force the Hammers move through. West Ham will have the option to make the deal permanent in the summer.

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West Ham hope to draft Joe Cole into side for FA Cup tie with Manchester United
West Ham hope to beat a noon deadline on Friday to ensure Joe Cole is eligible for their FA Cup tie with Manchester United and on Thursday night were talking to Arsenal outcast Marouane Chamakh about a loan deal until the end of the season.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Chris Bascombe10:00PM GMT 03 Jan 2013

The signings would give a timely boost to Sam Allardyce's attacking options, with Andy Carroll's return from injury still some weeks away. Cole passed a medical at Upton Park on Thursday having been granted a free transfer from Liverpool. He was given permission to discuss terms in London earlier this week.
West Ham's interest in Chamakh was revealed by Telegraph Sport on Dec 16. The past 18 months have been miserable for the 28-year-old Moroccan, who has come under increasing criticism from Arsenal fans, although in Oct 2010 he became the first player in Champions League history to score in six consecutive matches. He is likely to be the first of several departures from the Emirates this month. Andrei Arshavin, Johan Djourou and Sebastien Squillaci are also expected to leave.

Only minor details in the arrangements of Cole's £3 million pay off at Anfield delayed confirmation of his return to his boyhood club. An announcement is expected in time to enable the 31 year-old to join Allardyce's squad this weekend. Cole has already been photographed in West Ham training gear and met his new team-mates, the lure of Upton Park ending Queens Park Rangers' hopes of attracting the former Chelsea player to assist in Harry Redknapp's relegation fight. Should his registration be pro­cessed in time, it will be an emotional weekend for the former England international, who was never able to settle on Merseyside due to injuries and lack of form. Liverpool agreed to terminate Cole's deal 18 months early, saving themselves a possible £4 million in wages.

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Joe Cole's West Ham homecoming is populist but ignores the reality
The Hammers' favourite son is set to re-sign on Friday but expectations are a whole lot lower this time around
Jacob Steinberg
The Guardian, Thursday 3 January 2013 21.51 GMT

The sustained applause that greeted Joe Cole's introduction as a substitute during Liverpool's victory at West Ham United last month would have told him how highly regarded he still is at Upton Park and perhaps reminded a player who was once English football's great white hope what it is like to be loved after his disastrous spell at Anfield. Cole would score Liverpool's second goal in that match but demonstrated the affection West Ham supporters feel for him is mutual by not celebrating.

Although there was an opportunity for a reunion with his first manager, Harry Redknapp, at Queens Park Rangers, the chance to rejoin his boyhood club seems like the perfect fit. Even if they do say you should never go back. So almost 10 years after leaving for Chelsea for £6m following West Ham's relegation under Glenn Roeder in 2003, the favourite son is returning and it has been a long time coming.

The longing for Cole to return has persisted ever since his departure and, if nothing else, this is a populist signing that West Ham need to get out of their system. And so here he is: older, wiser but not necessarily better, too many injuries preventing him from maintaining the form that made him such a threat for Chelsea.

Cole was part of the Tony Carr production line that included Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe, and he was by far the most hyped. For Cole, the limelight was blinding. A year before he had even made his professional debut, Redknapp was writing about him in his programme notes, dismissing reports linking a 16-year-old boy with Manchester United, and on his 17th birthday Cole signed his first professional contract on the pitch at Upton Park before a game against Chelsea. The date was 8 November 1998. "You can tell your grandchildren you were here when Joe Cole signed," said the pitch announcer, Jeremy Nicholas. No pressure, kid.

The other youngsters were all appreciated but none were as adored as much as Cole. He was not Joe Cole, he was Joey Cole. He made his debut in January 1999, coming off the bench in the third round of the FA Cup against Swansea City and a week later he made his first appearance in the league in a 4-1 defeat against United at Old Trafford, where he grabbed the attention with his fearlessness, showing off the flicks and tricks that define him.

By now he was impossible to ignore and in May of that year he helped West Ham win the FA Youth Cup. In a hopeless mismatch Coventry City were beaten 9-0 over two legs in the final, West Ham winning the second leg 6-0 at a packed Upton Park.

Yet as much as he had the crowd on their feet when the ball was at his, there was also a feeling that a lack of football intelligence and tactical discipline meant he did not make the most of his talent at West Ham. Despite Redknapp playing Cole behind two strikers, his end-product often left much to be desired; there were not enough assists and he only scored 13 goals in his five years with the club.

Cole ended up playing some of the best football of his career when Roeder made him West Ham's captain in December 2002 – he was only 21 – and moved him to a deeper midfield role. The player flourished but, despite his manic efforts, West Ham still went down at the end of that season, unable to reel in Sam Allardyce's Bolton Wanderers side.

Ten years later, Allardyce is his manager. With funds freed up by Yossi Benayoun heading back to Chelsea after an unsuccessful loan move, Cole's arrival seems to make perfect sense as Allardyce, who prolonged the careers of Jay-Jay Okocha and Youri Djorkaeff at Bolton, strives to add more class and creativity to his squad. However, while Cole will be given a hero's welcome, there is a sense of foreboding after his miserable spell at Liverpool – which included a year on loan at Lille – who are so desperate to get the 31-year-old off their wage bill that they are willing to write off the rest of his contract. He has looked out of shape and out of puff this season, featuring only 10 times.

There is also uncertainty over where Cole fits in. Before he joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Chelsea in 2010, it is understood he felt a succession of serious knee injuries meant he no longer had the pace to play on the wing, but although Roy Hodgson gave him the central role he wanted, his impact was minimal and supporters quickly turned against him. At West Ham the role behind the striker is Kevin Nolan's and Allardyce's captain is undroppable. Cole might have no choice other than to play wide, where he will face stiff competition for a starting place from Matt Jarvis and Ricardo Vaz Te.

Expectations might be low. Cole is not a teenager any more and, to some observers, he is a busted flush. Time has not been kind to the boy wonder who became yesterday's man, yet while he will never recapture the glory of his youth, it is bound to be an emotional occasion when he steps out on to the Upton Park pitch again. West Ham will hope the romance can trump the reality.

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West Ham star shows he has the right attitude by appearing on gay magazine
Matt Jarvis aims to challenge prejudice and says more homosexual players should 'come out'
KUNAL DUTTA THURSDAY 03 JANUARY 2013
The Independent

The West Ham and England footballer Matt Jarvis has posed for the cover of Britain's best-selling gay magazine in an attempt to crush one of the game's last remaining stigmas.

The married winger is only the third footballer to appear on the cover of Attitude in its 19-year history. David Beckham, who appeared in 2002, and Freddie Ljungberg who followed four years later, led the way.

Jarvis, 26, told Attitude that homosexuality was now "everyday life" and not "something that's going to be a shock". He added: "I'm sure there are many footballers who are gay, but when they decide to actually come out and say it, it is a different story. It's one that I'm sure they've thought about many times. But it's a hard thing for them to do," he said.

That view is vindicated by a recent study by the University of Staffordshire, that suggested the majority of fans would welcome players coming out, with 40 per cent of fans blaming clubs and agents for keeping gay footballers in the closet.

Jarvis said that times have changed and it is more likely that an openly gay footballer would receive the support he needed now. "There'd be support everywhere within the football community, whether it be players, fans or within the PFA [Professional Footballers' Association]. There would definitely be groups of people who would be supportive and help them through it," he said.

Previous case histories tell a different story. In 1990 Justin Fashanu – the first black £1m footballer, who played for Norwich, Nottingham Forest and Hearts – suffered extended abuse after coming out. He killed himself eight years later. The prejudices he faced were cited at the inquest into his death. The most high-profile footballer to come out since then is Anton Hysen a player in the Swedish lower leagues.

In the interview Jarvis agreed that not coming out could hamper performance in a sport that has traditionally considered homosexuality as a forbidden frontier. He said: "You've always got something you're worried about at the back of your mind. If you can let that go and then just concentrate on your one goal, which is whichever sport you're doing to the best of your ability, I think that would help. Definitely."

It is part of a wider attempt to tackle prejudice to homosexuality in football. Last month the Spanish midfielder Suso, who plays for Liverpool, was fined £10,000 for calling his team-mate José Enrique "gay" on Twitter and warned about his future conduct by the Football Association.

Previously, former Sheffield Wednesday captain Darren Purse said he would have to think hard before advising a young player to come out; Bayern Munich's German striker Mario Gomez made headlines when he did the opposite, urging gay players to break this last "taboo".

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Well Done One and All!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

Well done, Prince-Boatang and his AC Milan team mates for saying enough is enough and staging a walk off in protest at the racist abuse the player was suffering from the stands. Well done, ex-Hammer, Rio Ferdinand for praising the actions of the AC Milan players, on twitter, and asking he pertinent question why offical sanctions are not more forthcoming in challenging discrimination in football. Well done, West Ham Utd FC for responding so decisively in identifying and dealing with the perpetrators of the disgusting anti-semitic and pro-Nazi chants at the Spurs away match. Well done, our own Matt Jarvis for openly challenging homophobia in the gay publication, Attitude.

Football is not only the beautiful game, it must also be the inclusive game. Everyone, of all backgrounds, must be welcome at matches and be free from bigoted and discriminatory abuse. The football authorities, the clubs and the vast majority of decent fans must collectively ensure that this is the case. The FA, and other football authorities, must take a tough line and give strong leadership. Similiarly, all football clubs must also take their responsibilities seriously and lay down a clear line as what standards of behaviour are expected. The perpetrators of discrimination, whether on or off the field must be identified and dealt with appropriately. Similiarly, the vast majority of decent fans must marginalise and dissociate themselves from any small reactionary elements attached to their clubs. Otherwise, everyone inevitably becomes tainted by association.

Hopefully, the 'Times are a Changing' and will usher in a more stingent approach to equalities and inclusion within football. West Ham are my team, I was born a Hammer. I also passionately believe in social justice and inclusion for all. With rapidly increasing demographic diversity in the population of east London and Essex, the need to make a positive contribution to building inclusive and cohesive communities has never been more important. Football clubs are uniquely positioned to assist via their community and sporting programmes, their respect/affiliation within localities and power to influence and form powerful partnerships both within and beyond football. None more so than West Ham.

West Ham are 'Moore than a Football club,' with a history and tradition as a community based, family oriented club. With the prospective move to the Olympic Stadium, this tradition takes on a whole new importance. As the preferred anchor tenant for the OS, West Ham will have a unique responsibility for ensuring that the post-Olympic community and sporting legacy is delivered. A major criteria for success will be that the legacy is inclusive and delivered for the benefit of all sections of the diverse communities in the club's huge geographical catchment area. This means that the club must actively promote inclusion and social justice as a mainstream part of everything that it does. Whatever your race/ethicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, faith/belief or other social circumstances you should be able to identify with the club and feel part of it; breaking down barriers and promoting inclusion to facilitate it. In this way, the UNITED in West Ham United FC will be firmly underlined.

The club clearly recognize this and leadership the role that they must play in delivering it. The post-Spurs match reaction from the club has been most heartening. The response has been decisive and effective in dealing with the initial issues. Moreover, the club have stated that they wish to go beyond this and continue to develop their policy, practice and community leadership. That can only build West Ham's reputation, further, and help create a football club in which we can all take even greater pride.

With regard to other issues, Joe Cole's return should be confirmed on Friday. We have also signed the promising striker, Sean McGuire from Waterford FC and we are being linked with a number of other players. The club have certainly been quick out of the blocks with its transfer dealings and that is to be welcomed. The added bonus is that key players also appear to be returning from injury. In addition, we can all look forward to a glamour, 3rd Round, FA Cup home tie against Man Utd this Saturday. Hopefully the fully deserved victory over Norwich City, on New Year's Day, will be the prelude to a strong performance in the second half of the season. COYI!

SJ. Chandos.

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Cole in a cup rush
By TONY LITTLE
Last Updated: 04th January 2013
The Sun

WEST HAM hope to finalise the transfer of Joe Cole from Liverpool today. Prodigal son Cole is set for an emotional return to Upton Park on a free after completing his medical. He came up through the ranks at the Hammers and could mark his second coming in tomorrow's FA Cup third round clash with Manchester United. That will depend on the paperwork going through in time, with Liverpool having agreed to cancel the player's contract. The Reds are giving Cole, 31, a year's wages to get him off the books at Anfield. West Ham will pick up the remaining 18 months of his £90,000-a-week deal. It will mark the end a nightmare 2½-year spell on Merseyside for the former Chelsea player. Midfielder Cole started just nine Premier League games since he swapped blue for red in July 2010 — and spent last season on loan at French club Lille.

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I'd rather face RVP than a dirty nappy
Exclusive
By ANDREW DILLON
Last Updated: 04th January 2013
The Sun

JACK COLLISON insists fatherhood has prepared him for anything — well, almost. The West Ham star claims the thought of facing Robin van Persie tomorrow is nowhere near as frightening as one of two-month-old daughter Lucia's nappies. Midfielder Collison is smiling again as the Hammers prepare to host Manchester United in the plum tie of the FA Cup third round. He ended seven months of injury hell with 90 minutes against Norwich in midweek to scotch rumours that he will never fully recover from knee injuries which have dogged his career. Collison said: "Mine has been an interesting house over the past few months with me injured and Alex pregnant. "It's easy to get depressed when you're injured but the baby has been a blessing. I'm growing as a person. "In my job it's important to get my kip and stay fresh but I did one night feed when Alex was ill. "I'm getting quite quick at changing nappies, although some have been frightening, especially the first one in the hospital — now that was interesting. "Nothing scares me after that. If it's a choice between changing nappies and playing Van Persie, I'll take Van Persie every time."

Collison's return from a recurrence of an old knee problem has been challenging both mentally and physically. He added: "To help with the rehab I had to do water excercises. "That meant putting on giant flippers and walking lengths of a swimming pool. It's dull and really tough. "But the most depressing aspect was coming into training every day and seeing the lads go out to play football while I was getting my goggles and budgie smuggler speedos ready. "You know you have to do all that grind to get back again. Playing a full match on Tuesday made it all worth it. "My legs were gone after about an hour but it meant so much to be back. I finally felt part of the group again. "You still talk to the lads when you're injured but you can't help but feel a little alone. But I have had a recovery session and am ready for Saturday. Playing United under the Upton Park lights is a great prospect. The atmosphere will be amazing."

Wales international Collison had previously spent a year out with a serious knee problem and admits his battered joint will need to be "managed" for the rest of his career. But he has the intelligence to cope and has been learning Spanish and doing business studies in his time out. He said: "My agents and I sat down and set some life goals. Alex and I have been learning Spanish. We're still quite basic but we're starting up again after having a break with the birth of Lucia.
"I appreciate football is a short career, even though I'm only 24 and hope to play for as long as possible. I've had a look around at business ventures for when I finish and I'm interested in the media. Being out injured meant I could cover a match for Sky Sports and I also like to write blogs. "They can be about anything really — football, life, my mood, anything." And Collison was delighted to see Joe Cole heading back to the Hammers after a 10-year absence. He added: "Joe's a great player and the fans will love having him back. It's a great signing."

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Sam seeks sson shine
Published: 03rd January 2013
The Sun

SAM ALLARDYCE is ready to raid former club Blackburn for Martin Olsson. The West Ham boss wants to bolster his defence and could get the Sweden left-back, 24, for around £3.5million. Right-back Joey O'Brien was a makeshift left-back in the 2-1 win over Norwich. Stoke are also keen on Olsson.

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