WHUFC.com
The early team news and statistics ahead of Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie
at the Boleyn Ground
01.01.2010
FA Cup sponsored by E.ON third round
West Ham United v Arsenal
Boleyn Ground
Sunday 3 January
4.15pm
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
• West Ham United play host to Arsenal for what is surely the pick of the FA
Cup third-round ties.
• Both teams have a rich cup tradition, having lifted the famous trophy 13
between them. Arsenal have contributed the lion's share to that stat having
won the competition ten times, while the Hammers have tasted cup success on
three occasions.
• While Arsenal may have won more FA Cups than West Ham, the east Londoners
hold the upper hand when it comes to cup meetings, having lost just three
times in 14 meetings and winning five times in the process.
• The most famous and talked about of those wins was the 1980 FA Cup final
when Trevor Brooking scored the winner with a rare headed goal at Wembley on
10 May that year.
• The first two meetings between teams came in the FA Cup way back in the
1905/06 season, when Arsenal needed a replay to get past the Hammers, taking
the second game by the odd goal in five.
• This will be the second meeting of the two teams at the Boleyn Ground this
season following the thrilling 2-2 Premier League draw on 25 October. That
day, the Hammers fought back from two goals down to tie the game through
goals from Carlton Cole and Alessandro Diamanti.
• West Ham will be looking for their first win in six matches against the
Gunners, having lost three times and drawn twice since winning 1-0 at the
Emirates Stadium on 7 April 2007.
• The two teams have met 106 times in the league. Arsenal have won 46, West
Ham United have won 27 and there have been 32 draws.
• Gianfranco Zola said: "It is important that the mind is always on the
things that we can achieve and that we work hard to reach our targets. We
will try to make it a great year for everybody. In my experience, every time
something has been difficult in my life, I have always achieved what I was
aiming for."
• Arsene Wenger said: "We had a few players who played on the edge the other
night and I will try not to take too big a risk for some players who are
medically vulnerable at the moment, and protect one or two more. But we will
have just as strong a side as we had at Portsmouth."
Last time out
Monday 28 December 2009
Barclays Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga (Spector 19),
Collison (Stanislas 79), Kovac, Parker (Jimenez 12), Behrami, Diamanti,
Franco
Subs not used: Stech, Da Costa, Payne, Nouble
Wednesday 30 December 2009
Barclays Premier League
Portsmouth 1-4 Arsenal
Arsenal: Almunia, Vermaelen, Traore,Sagna, Gallas, Arshavin (Vela 82), Song,
Nasri (Eastmond 85), Diaby, Ramsey, Eduardo (Rosicky 72),
Subs not used: Silvestre, Fabianski, Merida, Wilshere
Goals: Eduardo 27, Nasri 42, Ramsey 69, Song 81
Last meeting
The two sides' last meeting was a 2-2 draw at the Boleyn Ground on 25
October. The two teams that day were -
West Ham United: Green, Spector, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker,
Noble (Diamanti 56), Collison, Franco (Hines 64), Cole
Subs: Kurucz, Faubert, Da Costa, Kovac, Stanislas
Goals: Cole 74, Diamanti 80 (pen)
Arsenal: Mannone, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Eboue (Bendtner 82),
Song, Diaby (Eduardo 88), Fabregas, Arshavin, van Persie
Subs: Almunia, Silvestre, Nasri, Gibbs, Ramsey
Goals: Van Persie 16, Gallas 37
Head to head
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
25 October 2009 West Ham United 2-2 Arsenal
31 January 2009 Arsenal 0-0 West Ham United
26 October 2008 West Ham United 0-2 Arsenal
1 January 2008 Arsenal 2-0 West Ham United
29 September 2007 West Ham United 0-1 Arsenal
7 April 2007 Arsenal 0-1 West Ham United
Overall record v Arsenal (all competitions) W 33 D 38 L 50
Next up
West Ham United have another vital home game seven days after this cup
encounter, when Wolverhampton Wanderers visit the Boleyn Ground. Arsenal
play host to Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday 6 January.
Referee
* Sunday's referee will be Mark Clattenburg.
* The 34-year-old was the man in the middle for the Championship play-off
semi-final first leg in May 2004 when Ipswich Town won 1-0 against the
visiting West Ham United. He has been on the Premier League list since 2004.
* Clattenburg was in charge when Tottenham Hotspur visited the Boleyn Ground
and won 2-1 on Sunday 23 August.
* He was also referee when the Hammers drew 3-3 with Hull City at the KC
Stadium on 21 November.
West Ham United
• West Ham United have won the FA Cup three times - in 1964, 1975 and 1980 -
and been runners-up on two occasions - in 1923 and 2006
• Last season West Ham United were knocked out in a fifth-round replay by
Middlesbrough on 25 February
• The club had won through to the last-16 for the first time since the
2005/06 season, when they went all the way to the final before losing to
Liverpool on penalties following a 3-3 draw at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
• The Hammers knocked out Barnsley 3-0 at home in the third round with goals
from Herita Ilunga - his first for the club - a Mark Noble penalty and
Carlton Cole. West Ham then won 2-0 at Hartlepool United in the fourth
round, with the goals coming courtesy of Valon Behrami and another Noble
penalty.
• West Ham have already won one London derby in the cup competitions this
season when they beat Millwall 3-1 after extra time at the Boleyn Ground in
August.
• In their last game at the Boleyn Ground - the 2-0 Premier League win
against Portsmouth - West Ham United kept their first clean sheet since the
0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers on 29 August.
• The Hammers have scored all seven of the penalties they have been awarded
this season, a Premier League high.
• The Hammers have lost six of their eight games when they have been level
at half-time.
• West Ham have scored 28 goals this season in the league with eleven
different scorers registering. Carlton Cole leads the way (seven), with
Alessandro Diamanti (five) and Guille Franco (three) next in line. Jack
Collison (two), Matthew Upson (two), Junior Stanislas (two), Manuel da
Costa, Mark Noble, Luis Jimenez, Zavon Hines and Radoslav Kovac have also
registered.
• Cole is West Ham's top scorer this season with seven goals in 13 league
games. The England striker has scored 14 goals in 25 Premier League games
since Boxing Day 2008.
• Scott Parker has been booked seven times this season, Guille Franco five -
leading to his suspension on Sunday, while Julien Faubert, Cole and Mark
Noble are each on four yellow cards.
• Jack Collison made his West Ham United and Premier League debut as a
substitute in the 2-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium on New Year's Day 2008.
• West Ham United's biggest home win over Arsenal came in a league game on 7
March 1927, when the hosts were 7-0 victors. Vic Watson scored a hat-trick,
while Joseph Johnson and Jimmy Ruffell were also on target. Arsenal
contributed to their own demise by scoring two own-goals. On 5 November
1960, the Hammers ran out 6-0 winners, with Dave Dunmore netting a hat-trick
and Andy Malcolm, Phil Woosnam and John Dick each scoring once.
• West Ham United became the first away team to win at the Emirates Stadium
in a competitive fixture on 7 April 2007, when Bobby Zamora's goal and a
man-of-the-match display from Green helped the Hammers to secure a vital 1-0
victory.
Arsenal
• Arsenal made it all the way to the FA Cup semi-finals last season, before
losing 2-1 to Chelsea. Prior to that defeat they had knocked out Plymouth
Argyle, Cardiff City, Burnley and Hull City.
• Arsenal have won the FA Cup ten times - only bettered by Manchester
United's eleven victories. The Gunners picked up the trophy in 1930, 1936,
1950, 1971, 1979, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2005.
• Two of Arsenal's three top scorers are out injured. Cesc Fabregas has 12
goals to his name, while Robin van Persie is tied with the available Andrey
Arshavin on eight goals in all competitions.
Team news
• Gianfranco Zola will be forced to shuffle his pack as three players are
likely to be missing from the team that started the London derby with
Tottenham.
• Guille Franco is definitely out after picking up his fifth booking of the
season, while Scott Parker and Herita Ilunga, who were both forced off
inside the first 20 minutes at Spurs with hamstring injuries, are not
expected to figure. Mark Noble, Danny Gabbidon and Kieron Dyer were already
absent with hamstring injuries although Zola is hopeful that he will have a
significant number of returnees for the visit of Wolves on Sunday week.
• Luis Jimenez and Frank Nouble will be pushing for starting places in
attack, along with Freddie Sears, who is available after his return from a
loan spell at Crystal Palace. Sears could take the place in Zola's squad of
Zavon Hines, who is out with a knee injury. He has been further assessed
this week by a specialist, which should mean confirmation soon of how long
he is likely to be missing.
• Long-term absentees Luis Boa Morte (knee) and Calum Davenport (leg) are
also definitely unavailable.
• Carlton Cole is making good progress from his knee injury and is aiming
for a January return.
• Arsenal will be without a minimum of nine players this weekend.
• Nicklas Bendtner (groin), Theo Walcott (muscle), Cesc Fabregas
(hamstring), Denilson (back), Kieran Gibbs (ankle), Johan Djourou (knee),
Gael Clichy (back() and Robin van Persie (knee) are all absent through
injury. Emmanuel Eboue has already joined up with Ivory Coast for the
African Cup of Nations with Alex Song playing his last game before linking
up with Cameroon.
• Philippe Senderos (foot) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) may start after
recent injuries. Wenger could also give rare starts to Lukasz Fabianski and
Mikael Silvestre.
Old boys
• Matthew Upson joined Arsenal from Luton Town for £2m in May 1997 at the
age of 18. Upson made a total of 56 appearances for the Gunners over
five-and-a-half seasons before moving to Birmingham City for £1m in January
2003
• Luis Boa Morte was brought to English football from FC Porto in 1997 in a
£1.75m deal, making 25 appearances for Arsenal before leaving for
Southampton for an initial fee of £500,000 in August 1999.
• Among the players who have represented both clubs are Jeremie Aliadiere,
James Bigden, Jimmy Bloomfield, Liam Brady, Dick Curtis, George Burgess,
Kaba Diawara, Ted Drake, Stan Earle, Bert Fletcher, Ron Greenwood, Eddie
Hapgood, John Hartson, Les Henley, Fergie Hunt, James Jackson, Bernard Joy,
Fred Kemp, Tom Lee, Harry Lewis, William Linwood, Fredrik Ljungberg, Roddy
MacEachrane, Jimmy Marshall, David Noble, John Radford, Stewart Robson,
Charles Satterthwaite, Laurie Scott, Rami Shaaban, Bill Sidley, Bob
Stevenson, Davor Suker, Charlie Walker, Nigel Winterburn, Ian Wright and
Richard Wright.
General information
Tickets for the match are now on general sale. For information click here.
For ticket information, click here. For details on getting to the Boleyn
Ground, click here
Weather: Sunday's forecast is for a clear, bright day with temperatures
getting no higher than 3C.
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Freddie ready after return
WHUFC.com
Freddie Sears is excited to be training again at Chadwell Heath after his
loan spell at Crystal Palace
01.01.2010
Freddie Sears is back at West Ham United and raring to go - starting with
the small matter of an FA Cup tie against Arsenal at the Boleyn Ground on
Sunday. Still only 20, Sears spent the first half of the season on loan at
Crystal Palace. He played 18 games in the Championship - many of which saw
him played out wide rather than through the middle - and believed the
experience would stand him in good stead for the future. He has been handed
the No19 shirt and, after two run-outs over Christmas with Palace, is keen
"to hit the ground running".
The Hornchurch-based striker added: "It feels good to be back. I have come
in this morning and it was brilliant to see everyone. It was a different
type of football at Palace. I was played a lot on the right wing. Sometimes
that was good, sometimes it was frustrating if you are not in the game.
"You have just got to try and get the best out of the experience and that
was the main aim. I had a great time there and couldn't knock it. There was
not a minute of it I didn't like and they have helped me along. It has all
been part of my learning curve."
As a lifelong Hammer and a product of the club's famed Academy, Sears is
especially relishing the chance to figure in the FA Cup third round this
weekend if selected. "It is a great game to come back to. You don't get any
bigger than Arsenal in the FA Cup at Upton Park. The scene is set really. I
just want to come back and do as well as I can.
"I went to the final in 2006 as a fan with my mum and dad. The FA Cup is
massive for every club but for the fans here it is a cup that you can really
get into. You never know, anything can happen and hopefully I will get a
chance."
Sears burst on to the scene in March 2008 with a headed winner against
Blackburn Rovers just five minutes after coming on as a substitute. The
first of the current crop of homegrown Hammers to make his breakthrough, he
is determined to fulfil his unquestioned potential and establish himself as
a West Ham United regular. He is also eager to add to his England Under-21
experience.
"My game has changed a lot since that match against Blackburn. I am a better
player. Training every day here does improve you and it makes you better as
a person and player. I want to improve and get in the starting team here.
"The Palace experience has helped me. You grow up a lot when you leave the
place where you know everything and have to start again. It is great to be
able to come back and show that I have learned a lot. "
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Spence back in the fold
WHUFC.com
After an invaluable loan spell at Scunthorpe United, Jordan Spence has been
recalled to the Boleyn Ground
01.01.2010
Jordan Spence has returned to West Ham United after four months at
Championship outfit Scunthorpe United. The 19-year-old defender made nine
league and two cup appearances for Scunthorpe, although as the team began to
struggle of late he found chances limited with his loan club favouring more
experienced players. Spence could potentially make his West Ham return in
the reserves at Wolverhampton Wanderers next Tuesday. The homegrown Hammer
had a similar loan spell at Leyton Orient last season, playing 20 games in
League One. The England Under-20 international headed back to West Ham in
the summer and was taken on the first team's pre-season training camp in
Austria and subsequent tour of China.
His return to the Boleyn Ground, along with that of Freddie Sears from
Crystal Palace, means only two Hammers players remain out on loan. Nigel
Quashie is with League One high-fliers Milton Keynes Dons but cannot play
against Burnley in the FA Cup while Matt Fry could make his second
appearance in the competition for fellow League One side Gillingham when
they go to Accrington Stanley in the third round on Saturday. He faces a
late fitness test but has been a regular.
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Peters thinks big for 2010
WHUFC.com
With West Ham United and England confident for the new year, Martin Peters
is more than optimistic
31.12.2009
West Ham United great Martin Peters is looking forward to 2010 and the
prospect of success for club and country.
The former England midfielder has been invited back to the Boleyn Ground as
a regular visitor this season, much to his delight. He has also made it a
family affair on matchday with Peters revealing his daughter and
granddaughter are naturally "massive West Ham supporters".
"It is always great to come back to the club," he said, before revealing
that he is certain Gianfranco Zola's men will enjoy good fortunes in the new
year. "The team started with a little bit of difficulty and have had a few
injuries lately but Zola is a great manager. I am confident they can finish
halfway up the league at least."
Peters, who served the club to distinction between 1959 and 1970, is also
looking forward to the FIFA World Cup in June, especially with a favourable
opening for England in the group stage. "It is a good draw," he said. "If we
don't qualify we don't deserve to go through. The teams in our particular
league are beatable. I will be looking to see us finish first and play
someone a bit lower next round."
Now 66, the midfielder was one of three Hammers to lift the 1966 World Cup
along with Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore, and he is hopeful the club will be
well represented this time. As well as current regulars Robert Green,
Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole, the 67-capped times Peters believed there
was a chance for others to stake a claim like Scott Parker.
"There is still six months to go and a lot can happen. Maybe a few players
can come to the fore," he said. "There is still is hope for others to get a
chance. If you look at the team, there are a lot of ex-West Ham players in
there as well. It shows how great the club has been. Playing for England is
fantastic."
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FA Cup tickets update
WHUFC.com
Radoslav Kovac is excited about the FA Cup as the club updates the latest
information
01.01.2010
Fans wanting to purchase tickets for the FA Cup third-round tie against
Arsenal this Sunday can still do so online or via the phone today or in
person on Saturday. For those wanting to snap up their seats on New Year's
Day, supporters can go to whufcboxoffice.com or call 0871 222 2700 and go to
option 1. Tickets will then be available to pick up on the day, although
early collection is advised given the likely demand. Alternatively, the
Boleyn Ground ticket office will be open for personal callers up to 5pm on
Saturday.
The match promises to be a keenly-contested affair with both clubs eager to
keep the dream of getting to Wembley alive. Kick-off is at 4.15pm on Sunday
afternoon and the likes of Radoslav Kovac are excited by the prospect -
having been fully focused on the league campaign until this week.
"The FA Cup is a great competition," said the experienced Czech Republic
midfielder. "I played at Wembley with the national team, it is a great
stadium and very nice. It would be fantastic to go there with West Ham."
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Allen on cup anniversary
WHUFC.com
WHUTV caught up with Paul Allen with this weekend's visit of Arsenal evoking
memories of the last FA Cup triumph
31.12.2009
The FA Cup third-round tie this Sunday with Arsenal has evoked memories of
the last time the FA Cup was brought back to the Boleyn Ground.
One of the heroes of that famous triumph - a 1-0 final success against the
Gunners on 10 May 1980 - was Paul Allen. The midfielder was just 17 when he
took to the Wembley turf and very nearly capped a day to remember with a
late second. Only a desperate foul by Willie Young prevented him a clear
scoring chance. Allen though was delighted just to become a winner with West
Ham.
Back at the Boleyn Ground to help mark the opening of the John Lyall Gates,
Allen recalled to WHUTV that his manager back then was deliberately low-key
when preparing his young charge for the final.
"He really didn't say too much," he said. "I was nervous and had a lot of
trepidation before the game. In the papers on the Thursday it said that John
was going to play me, I was going to be the youngest player to play in a cup
final. I arrived at Chadwell Heath and he said nothing to me. Then I started
to have a little bit of worry.
"He said to me to be myself, play my normal game and I had good experienced
players around me that will see me through. That was all he said. He had
faith in me, knew I was a pretty sensible. It was just words of
encouragement and nothing else. That was probably a good thing. I don't
think you have any fear at 17 but you don't want to over-analyse it going
into a big game like that. "
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West Ham v Arsenal 16:15
BBC.co.uk
FA Cup third round
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 3 January Kick-off: 1615 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live and BBC local radio
TEAM NEWS
West Ham's Mark Noble, Scott Parker, Danny Gabbidon and Herita Ilunga are
all struggling with hamstring injuries. Defender Jonathan Spector is likely
to deputise for Ilunga, but Mexican striker Guillermo Franco is suspended.
Arsenal are missing captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Denilson (back) and
Theo Walcott (side strain). But Czech winger Tomas Rosicky could play,
while defender Mikael Silvestre and reserve goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski may
also feature.
BIG-MATCH FACTS
The tie in context
• This is one of three all-Premier League ties in the third round, and the
only true London derby.
Gulf in class
• At third in the table, Arsenal are 14 places ahead of fourth-bottom West
Ham.
Head-to-head
FA Cup records and best performances
• Arsenal have won 50 of the 121 competitive matches they have played
against West Ham.
• The last two have been drawn, including this season's Premier League match
at Upton Park.
West Ham 2-2 Arsenal (25 Oct)
• This is the ninth time they are clashing in the FA Cup. West Ham have had
the better of the exchanges, progressing in five of the previous eight
occasions.
• But it was Arsenal who took the spoils most recently. The 1998
quarter-final at Highbury was a 1-1 draw, as was the replay after extra time
at Upton Park. The Gunners won 4-3 on penalties, and went on to lift the
trophy by beating Newcastle 2-0 in the final at Wembley.
• Between them these clubs have won the FA Cup 13 times; Arsenal 10, West
Ham three.
• The most recent of the Hammers' three cup victories was in 1980, when they
famously beat Arsenal in the Wembley final 1-0, thanks to a collectors item,
a header from Trevor Brooking.
The clubs
WEST HAM UNITED
Current form
• Struggling in the Premier League, the Hammers have lost four of their last
six, winning just one of them.
• Matthew Upson could play against his former club.
FA Cup form
• The 2006 runners-up, have been dismissed in the third round once in nine
years; in 2008 when beaten by Manchester City.
ARSENAL
Current form
• Won the last three with an aggregate score of 10-1 (all Premier League
games),
• Undefeated in five (W4, D1).
FA Cup form
• Last season's semi-finalists have not fallen at the first hurdle since
1996 when second level Sheffield United were their victors. It was their
last tie before the arrival of Arsene Wenger.
Replay date
Wednesday, 13 January (Kick off: 1945)
Match officials
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
Assistant referees: Stephen Child & Shaun Procter-Green
Fourth official: Peter Walton
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When the Hammers shocked Arsenal
BBC.co.uk
More than 200,000 fans watched the Hammers' 1980 FA Cup-winning parade
By Chris Bevan
If there was one thing rarer than a Trevor Brooking header in the 1970s and
1980s, it was an apology from Brian Clough. The legendary Nottingham Forest
boss loved to ruffle a few feathers as a pundit and was no different in the
build-up to the 1980 FA Cup final between West Ham and Arsenal, when he
singled out Brooking for criticism by saying the veteran England
international playmaker floated like a butterfly - and stung like one.
Brooking remembers being rung up on the eve of the final by the editor of
the Sunday Express, for whom Clough had a column, and being warned he had
given him some serious stick - with Cloughie's general view being that it
was a disgrace that Brooking and the rest of the Second Division Hammers had
focused on reaching a Wembley final rather than getting back into the top
flight.
You would hardly blame the genial Brooking if he had seen his subsequent
nodded winner against the Gunners as a way of making Clough eat his words,
but he never expected the man himself to confirm it in the way that he did,
or when.
Brooking told BBC Sport: "Seven years later I was commentating on a Forest
game in the Cup at Crystal Palace and I was stood in the tunnel beforehand
with nobody around.
"Cloughie poked his head out of a door and saw me, then came over and stood
up really close to me, as he did, before saying 'young man, a few years ago
I said something before an FA Cup final which I shouldn't have done. I'm
sorry and I apologise'. Then he shook my hand and went back into the
dressing room.
"I'd seen him in the meantime at one or two do's where we acknowledged each
other but never spoke about that topic. It's amazing that, so many years on,
he decided that he owed me an apology. I respected him a lot for that."
In May 1980
Dexy's Midnight Runners are at number one on the day of the FA Cup final
with 'Geno'
'The Empire Strikes Back' is the most popular film in British cinemas
Video game Pac-Man hits amusement arcades for the first time and is a
worldwide smash
Ian Curtis, singer-songwriter with acclaimed band Joy Division, is found
hanged
Apart from Brooking's goal and Willie Young's cynical professional foul on
Paul Allen that denied the teenager the chance of adding a second Hammers
goal, the 1980 final was a largely forgettable affair, especially from
Arsenal's point of view. But West Ham fans will be hoping for a similar
outcome on Sunday, when the two teams meet again in the third round of this
season's competition.
Ahead of that tie, BBC Sport speaks to the heroes and villains of Wembley
'80 and finds out what happened to the players who lined up on that day 30
years ago.
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Lyall is the most successful coach in West Ham's history
WEST HAM
Manager - John Lyall
West Ham's 1980 Wembley captain Billy Bonds told BBC Sport: "John got his
tactics spot on.
"He brought Stuart Pearson back into midfield, left David Cross up front and
played five across the middle, with Geoff Pike chasing everything down.
"We thought that if we could stifle Arsenal then we had players like Alan
Devonshire and Brooking that we knew could create something and a
centre-forward in Crossy that could score goals.
Brooking added: "John said the gameplan was that we get the ball and then
pass it well. West Ham sides have always been brought up to pass the ball
and John had taken on the mantle from Ron Greenwood and really had the same
coaching philosophy and that style of football was the one that got us back
up into Division One the following season."
Then: West Ham's most successful manager, Lyall joined West Ham's ground
staff as a teenager in 1955 and stayed at the club for the next 34 years -
becoming a coach in 1964 when a knee injury ended his playing career. He
took over as boss from his mentor Greenwood in 1974, winning the FA Cup in
his first season, and kept the job until 1989, when he was controversially
sacked.
Now: Scouted for Tottenham and England after leaving the Hammers before
taking charge of Ipswich in May 1990, leading them to promotion to the
Premier League in 1992 before stepping down in December 1994. Lyall died of
a heart attack in April 2006.
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Phil Parkes
Billy Bonds told BBC Sport: "Parkesy was probably the best goalkeeper that
West Ham have ever had. "I remember in the third round we went to West
Brom, and scored early - then after that it was just really Parksey against
them. "They equalised but we had our backs to the wall and were clinging on
and I just remember him making save after world class save. It was probably
the best I'd seen a goalkeeper play. "I said to him after that game that I
reckoned our name was on the Cup this year. And we beat them 2-1 at our
place in the replay."
Then: A qualified carpenter, Parkes was a brilliant shot-stopper who joined
West Ham from QPR in February 1979 for £565,000 - then a world-record career
for a goalkeeper. His 1980s winners medal was his only major honour, and the
presence of Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence meant he won only England cap.
Now: Joined Lyall at Ipswich in 1989, where he ended his playing career in
1991. Worked as a goalkeeping coach at Portman Road and QPR but now runs his
own bespoke building firm in Reading.
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Ray Stewart
Bonds told BBC Sport: "In the quarter-finals we played Aston Villa at home.
Late in the game it looked like ending in a 0-0 draw and us having to go to
their place for a replay, which was always going to be a tough one.
"Then Ken McNaught put his hand up in the area for some inexplicable reason
- nobody knows why to this day. Ray was a banker penalty taker for us at the
time, he just didn't miss from the spot, and he scored to send us through.
Then: 'Tonka' was a solid full-back who became the most expensive teenager
in British football when he joined West Ham from Dundee United in 1979 and
soon built a reputation for being deadly from the spot - scoring 76 out of
86 penalties for West Ham.
Now: Left West Ham for St Johnstone in 1991 and retired after a stint at
Stirling Albion. Stewart also managed three clubs north of the border, but
has been working as a chauffeur since he was sacked by Forfar in 2004.
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Billy Bonds
Bonds told BBC Sport: "We didn't really go into the game thinking we were
underdogs because, although we were a second division side, we had a lot of
very good players in that team.
"If you look through that team a lot of them became legends at the club.
"Do I remember much about the celebrations? No, not really, apart from that
I had to put our coach Ernie Gregory and physio Rob Jenkins to bed early
because they had both drunk too much out of the Cup."
Then: A West Ham legend, 'Bonzo' joined from Charlton in 1967, aged 21, and
played a club record 793 times for the Hammers as full-back, midfielder and
eventually centre-back, making his last appearance at the age of 41 in 1988.
This was his second victorious Cup final after 1975, and the second time he
lifted the trophy as captain.
Now: Spent four years as manager at Upton Park from 1990 to 1994 before
leaving acrimoniously when his assistant Harry Redknapp took charge - and
only recently came back to the ground as a fan after vowing never to return.
Bonds, who later worked as QPR's youth team manager and as a radio pundit,
is now a speaker on the after-dinner and theatrical circuit.
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Alvin Martin
Brooking was not the only Hammer riled by pre-match comments, according to
Bonds, who explained: "I was sharing a room with Alvin Martin on the night
before the final, and read an article in The Sun by Malcolm MacDonald.
"I think he just said we would struggle a bit against Frank Stapleton and
Alan Sunderland, me because of my age and Alvin because of his pace.
"He was just making a comment and we didn't take it personally but, if you
are competitive, it just gets you going to try to make sure you are going to
prove people wrong."
Then: Known as 'Stretch' because of his long legs, Bootle-born Martin joined
West Ham aged 16 in 1977 after being rejected by Everton and went on to play
586 games as a skilful centre-back in 19 years with the club.
Now: Ended his playing days with Leyton Orient before a disastrous 20-month
stint as Southend boss from July 1997 to March 1999. Now a radio pundit and
commentator for talkSport.
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Frank Lampard
Then: Committed left-back who made 660 appearances for West Ham and, along
with Brooking and Bonds, was a survivor of the club's 1975 Cup win.
Now: West Ham's assistant manager from 1994 to 2001, Lampard is a TV pundit
and also served as a football consultant at Watford and Reading under
Brendan Rodgers, before the Royals sacked Rodgers in December.
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Paul Allen
Allen told BBC Sport: "I remember the build-up to being fouled; we were just
trying to keep possession but I cut inside Graham Rix and suddenly I was
running towards the Arsenal goal.
"Things happened so quickly and all I was thinking about was that it was a
one-on-one and what I was going to do.
"Before I could make that decision I was tripped over and was lying on the
Wembley turf."
Then: A tenacious midfielder, Allen had broken into the first team the
previous autumn and kept his place to become the youngest player to appear
in a Cup final, aged 17 years and 256 days, breaking Howard Kendall's record
from 1964. Kendall left a congratulatory telegram for Allen in the Hammers'
Wembley dressing room.
Now: Joined Tottenham in 1985 and went on to play in two more finals - 1987
and 1991 - for Spurs. Now works in the commercial department of the
Professional Footballers' Association.
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Sir Trevor Brooking
Brooking told BBC Sport: "The parade is always a bit special because by then
you have had 24 hours to enjoy it. We picked up the open-top bus at
Stratford Broadway and then took a route to get us to East Ham town hall, a
few miles away.
Brooking celebrates at Wembley with his Cup-winners medal
"It took us more than a couple of hours to get there - they estimated that
more than 200,000 people lined the streets. The old east end did know how to
celebrate and people had come out from hospitals so you could see various
patients and babies being held up and crying their eyes out.
"The atmosphere was fantastic on that Sunday because winning a match like
that against Arsenal was something the east end wanted to celebrate. It is
something I will always remember."
Then: A classy midfielder who joined West Ham from school in 1965 and went
on to make 635 appearances for the Hammers in 19 years with the club.
Now: Worked as a BBC commentator before becoming chairman of Sport England
in 2002 but returned to West Ham as caretaker manager in two separate spells
in 2003. Brooking joined the Football Association as director of football
development later that year and was knighted in 2004.
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Geoff Pike
Then: Hard-working midfielder who was another home-grown player to come
through the Hammers' ranks after joining at the aged of 10 in 1966. Pike
made 373 appearances for his local side, scoring 42 goals.
Now: Had short spells playing in the United States before winding down his
career with Notts County and Leyton Orient. Pike moved into coaching and
worked for the PFA as well as with the academies of several London clubs
before taking a job as the FA's regional coach for 12-16 year olds.
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Alan Devonshire
Then: A fork-lift truck driver for Hoover before signing for West Ham in
1976, Devonshire stayed with the Hammers for another decade, winning eight
England caps, before joining Watford in 1992.
Now: Began his management career with Maidenhead and has been in charge of
Blue Square South side Hampton & Richmond FC since 2003.
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Stuart Pearson
Then: Nicknamed 'Pancho', Pearson was a bustling striker who won 15 England
caps and had won the Cup in 1977 with Manchester United before joining West
Ham at the start on 1980.
Now: Managed Northwich and coached at West Brom and Bradford before working
as a TV pundit. Lives in Spain but still regularly returns to Manchester to
watch United.
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David Cross
Then: Tireless and much-travelled target-man who scored 77 goals in 179
games for West Ham in a five-year spell from 1977 to 1982.
Now: Ended a nomadic career in Cyprus in 1987 and became a financial advisor
before returning to football as a coach, and later assistant manager, with
Oldham. Also had a stint working for Blackburn's academy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Substitute:
Paul Brush Unused
Paul Brush (r) had a famous relative cheering him on
Then: A versatile full-back capable of filling in on either flank, Brush
spent 10 years at West Ham before joining Crystal Palace in 1985.
Now: Moved into coaching with Leyton Orient's youth teams and tried,
unsuccessfully, to build his own team of East Enders using West Ham's brand
of passing football when he took charge of Orient's first team from 2001 to
2003. Currently assistant boss at Southend.
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ARSENAL
Manager - Terry Neill
Then: A long-serving Gunners defender who was only 34 when he became Arsenal
boss in in July 1976. Neill steered Arsenal to three FA Cup finals in his
seven years in charge at Highbury - winning at Wembley in 1979 - but success
in the League eluded him and his best finish was third in 1982/83.
Now: Sacked by Arsenal in December 1983 and did not take another managerial
or coaching post - instead opening sports bars and working as a commentator.
He is now back working with the Gunners, however, in his current role as a
sports promoter.
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Pat Jennings
Then: Surprisingly allowed to leave Tottenham to join the Gunners in August
1977 at the age of 32 because Spurs considered him over the hill. Jennings
went on to play more than 300 games for Arsenal and brought the curtain down
on his playing career at the 1986 World Cup finals.
Now: Back at Spurs, where he works as a part-time goalkeeping coach and as a
corporate matchday host at White Hart Lane.
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Pat Rice
Then: The only survivor of Arsenal's 1971 Double-winning side, Belfast-born
Rice was a committed right-back who made 528 appearances for the club
between joining as an apprentice 1964 and leaving for Watford soon after the
end of the 1979/80 season.
Now: Played in his sixth Cup final when he was part of the Hornets side that
lost to Everton in 1984, before returning to Arsenal as youth team coach
that summer. Briefly caretaker manager in 1996, he became Arsene Wenger's
assistant later that year and still holds the same role.
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Willie Young
Then: Like Jennings, Young courted controversy when he moved from Tottenham
to Arsenal in 1977. The powerful centre-back played over 200 games for the
Gunners but he is best remembered for hauling down Allen in the 1980 final.
Now: Left for Nottingham Forest in 1981 but injury restricted the remainder
of his career and he retired, aged 32, after brief spells with Norwich and
Brighton. He ran a pub in Nottingham and now owns kennels and a cattery in
Bottesford.
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David O'Leary
Then:
An elegant centre-back known as 'Spider' because of his long legs, O'Leary
spent 19 years at Highbury between 1974 and 1993, making a club-record 722
first-team appearances before joining Leeds on a free transfer.
Now: Became Leeds manager in 1998 and was at the helm for the club's run to
the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2001 but was sacked a year later.
Following a spell as Aston Villa boss from 2003 to 2006, O'Leary is
continuously linked with vacant managerial positions but has been working as
a TV pundit.
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John Devine
Then: The versatile Devine played at left-back against the Hammers but
became Rice's replacement on the opposite flank the following season, his
only campaign as a first-team regular at Highbury between 1974 and 1983.
Now: A badly broken leg while playing for Stoke effectively ended his
top-class career in 1985, although he did have later stints playing in
Norway, his native Republic of Ireland and India. Later managed Shamrock
Rovers and is now assistant boss of League of Ireland side Sporting Fingal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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David Price
Then: Unsung and under-rated midfielder who made 176 appearances for the
Gunners between 1970 and 1981 before joining Crystal Palace.
Now: Injury restricted his appearances for the Eagles and he quit football
at the age of 28 after a brief stint at Leyton Orient. Now a taxi driver in
Croydon.
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Brian Talbot
Then: A winner at Wembley in the two previous Cup finals, for Ipswich
against Arsenal in 1978 and for the Gunners against Manchester United in
1979, Talbot was a hard-working midfielder who played all 70 of Arsenal's
matches in their marathon 1979/80 season.
Now: The FA Cup was less kind to Talbot in 1991, when as West Brom boss, his
side famously lost 4-2 to a Woking side inspired by Tim Buzagalo's
hat-trick. Had more success steering Rushden & Diamonds into the Football
League in 2001 and his last job was with Marsaxlokk, with whom he won the
Maltese title before leaving in 2008.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Liam Brady
Brady did not get much space to strut his stuff at Wembley
Along with Brian Talbot, Brady was concerned before the game that Arsenal's
fans were at the opposite end of the stadium from the 1979 final, when the
Gunners triumphed.
Brady told BBC Sport: "I can't remember saying that! And it clearly had no
bearing on what happened on the day - West Ham were very good and we were
below par.
"They got a lot of people behind the ball and we struggled to break them
down. And I think one of the reasons we struggled to break them down was
because we weren't very sharp because of all the games we'd played."
Then: 'Chippy' was a supremely skilful and intelligent footballer, who
joined Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1970 and, over the next decade, became the
club's creative fulcrum in midfield. He joined Juventus that summer and his
last act as a player for the Gunners came four days later when he missed
from the spot in the penalty shoot-out that saw Valencia beat Arsenal in the
final of the European Cup-Winners' Cup.
Now: Ended his playing career with West Ham after a successful stint in
Italy but failed to shine as a manager at Celtic and Brighton. Has been back
at Arsenal as head of youth development since 1996 and is also assistant
manager for his native Republic of Ireland.
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Graham Rix
Then: A skilful left-sided midfielder who spent 13 years at Highbury from
1975 to 1988. It was his spot-kick against Valencia which was saved to give
the Spanish side victory in the 1980 Cup Winners' Cup final.
Now: Rix, who had spells as coach and assistant manager at Chelsea, spent
six months in jail in 1999 for a sex offence.
He had unhappy stints in charge of Portsmouth, Oxford and Hearts and is now
coaching at Glenn Hoddle's Academy in Spain.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Alan Sunderland
Then: A bubble-permed midfielder-turned-striker, Sunderland had been
Arsenal's hero with the match-winner against Manchester United in the
'five-minute final' of 1979 but had few opportunities to get on the
scoresheet against the Hammers.
Now: Left Highbury after seven years to join Ipswich in 1984 and an injury
forced him to hang up his boots two years later. Sunderland has been retired
and living in Malta since 1995.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Frank Stapleton
Stapleton told BBC Sport:"It had been a difficult build-up to the game. We
had only reached the final on the Monday, four days beforehand. We played
Liverpool four times in the semi-final, with replays, and we still had two
league games to play after the Cup final as well as the Cup-Winners' Cup
final.
"That's not taking anything away from West Ham but on the day we didn't
compete as we had done up to that point and I felt playing so many games in
a short space of time caught up with us."
Then: Combative striker who formed a potent partnership with Alan Sunderland
and played in all three of Arsenal's Cup finals from 1978 to 1980.
Now: Demanded a move to Manchester United in 1981 and had more Cup success
with the Red Devils in 1983 and 1985 - becoming the first man to score in
Cup finals for two different clubs when he netted against Brighton in the
first of those. Now a TV pundit and after-dinner speaker.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Substitutes:
Sammy Nelson Replaced John Devine (61 minutes)
Then: Charismatic Northern Ireland international, who joined the club as a
teenage winger in 1966 but served mainly as a left-back during 15 years with
the Gunners and was first-choice in that position from 1975.
Now: Joined Brighton in 1981 and helped them reach the 1983 Cup final before
hanging up his boots. After coaching at Albion for a year, he embarked on a
career as an insurance salesman and now works as a tour guide at the
Emirates Stadium.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fernandes: stability is key
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 31st December 2009
By: Staff Writer
Tony Fernandes has told Hammers fans that he believes stability is just
around the corner. 45-year-old Fernandes, who has been linked with a bid for
West Ham United is narrowly leading a KUMB.com ownership poll, where he is
currently a handful of votes ahead of nearest rivals David Gold and David
Sullivan. And speaking exclusively to KUMB.com earlier today, the CEO of
AirAsia suggested that he feels the club are not too far from achieving
'stability' - whilst once again refusing to rule himself out of the running
to succeed CB Holdings. In a message to supporters, Fernandes said: "We
share a common belief that West Ham deserves better and a common love for
the club. Ït has had a bad run of luck but I think we have a fantastic
manager and great management team. "Let's see how the next few weeks pan
out, but I am very sure stability will soon return to the club and from that
West Ham can build on that stability. I really believe Zola can be one of
the greatest managers in football given stability. "Happy new year to all
Hammers. Good luck to us all at Arsenal and see you at Wolves."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham v Arsenal preview
Intriguing FA Cup derby clash at Upton Park on Sunday
By Steve Pass Last updated: 1st January 2010
SSN
Arsenal will be looking to keep their five-match unbeaten run going when
they play West Ham in the third-round of the FA Cup on Sunday. The Gunners
go into the London derby on the back of three wins on the bounce, the latest
a 4-1 success at Portsmouth on Wednesday, to sit third in the Premier
League. But opponents West Ham are struggling at present in the top flight
drop zone after taking just four points from their last six league games.
West Ham quartet Mark Noble, Scott Parker, Danny Gabbidon and Herita Ilunga
are all struggling with hamstring injuries ahead of the game. Mexican
striker Guillermo Franco is suspended after collecting five bookings while
Carlton Cole (knee) and Kieron Dyer (hamstring) are both long-term
absentees. Jonathan Spector is likely to deputise for Ilunga against the
Gunners while Junior Stanislas and Luis Jiminez provide Hammers boss
Gianfranco Zola with attacking midfield options.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks set to rotate his squad for the trip to
Upton Park. Captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Denilson (back) and Theo
Walcott (side strain) are all sidelined, but Czech winger Tomas Rosicky is
in contention and veteran defender Mikael Silvestre and reserve goalkeeper
Lukasz Fabianski could both also feature. Alex Song will play before jetting
off to join the Cameroon squad for the African Cup of Nations, but Emmanuel
Eboue is already away with Ivory Coast. Nicklas Bendtner (groin), Gael
Clichy (back), Kieran Gibbs (foot), Robin van Persie (ankle) and Johan
Djourou (knee) remain out.
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Redknapp rules out Upson move
Tottenham boss not looking to sell Pavlyuchenko
Last updated: 31st December 2009
SSN
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has ruled out a January move for Matthew
Upson and insists he is not looking to sell striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Russia international Pavlyuchenko has made no secret of his desire to leave
White Hart Lane after finding himself fourth in the pecking order behind
Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane.
White Hart Lane boss Redknapp still rates the £13.8million signing from
Spartak Moscow as an important member of his squad, but concedes he could
listen to offers for his services. Redknapp said: "If he wants to leave and
someone comes in and pays the money for him that he's worth, then we'd have
to look at it. "But he's not one that I'm crazy to shift out of here, he's a
good player, he's a talented footballer. "I had a chat with him a couple of
weeks ago and he said he wanted to move. "Somebody has to come and make an
offer which the club accepts, it has to be a good enough offer for us to
even look at it otherwise there is no chance of him leaving."
Spurs have also been linked with a transfer window swoop for England
international Upson, with West Ham facing a battle to keep their key men.
But the former Hammers boss has brushed aside suggestions he could be set to
raid his former club and has no plans to do any significant business.
Redknapp insisted: "There is no truth whatsoever in that.
"He (Upson) is a terrific player, but it's not fair, we keep getting linked
with players and we're really not looking to do anything in the window. I'd
be very surprised if we do anything. "He is a good player, but I don't need
another central defender, I've already got good centre-halves at the club."
Redknapp was also quick to dismiss suggestions that he could be planning to
head back to Portsmouth to bring in veteran goalkeeper David James. He
added: "David James is a great goalkeeper, a fantastic goalkeeper, world
class, but I've got a great goalkeeper here. "David James is not going to
want to be a No.2 anywhere, he is a No.1. (Heurelho) Gomes is fantastic and
has been in great form. "If David James wants to play for England at the
World Cup he needs to play, not be a No.2, so that is not a possiblity."
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Hammers recall Spence
Defender returns to Upton Park
Last updated: 31st December 2009
SSN
West Ham have recalled defender Jordan Spence from his loan spell with
Scunthorpe. Spence made 11 appearances during his spell with the Iron but
had not started a match since the end of October. And the Hammers have now
recalled the 19-year-old two weeks before his loan deal at Glanford Park was
due to expire. Spence could be included in the squad for this weekend's FA
Cup clash with Arsenal.
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I want to emulate Steven Gerrard: West Ham's Jack Collison on FA Cup mission
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 3:38 PM on 01st January 2010
Daily Mail
Jack Collison dreams of emulating Steven Gerrard's FA Cup final heroics and
inspiring West Ham to go one step further than the Upton Park class of 2006.
The Welsh international was an academy player when Alan Pardew's Hammers
tackled Liverpool in a cup final classic at the Millennium Stadium. Collison
and James Tomkins sat together in the stands awe-struck as West Ham went 2-0
up and then reclaimed a 3-2 lead before Gerrard's wonder strike forced the
game into extra-time and penalties. West Ham lost the shoot-out but
Collison understood that day just what the FA Cup means. And the 21-year-old
will draw on those memories this Sunday when West Ham attempt to take their
first step on the road to Wembley against Arsenal. 'We were a bit young but
Alan Pardew took me and James Tomkins along to travel with the team and stay
at the team hotel. We got the chance to see what it was like,' Collison
recalled. 'It was a real good day and a great game, just unfortunate that
Steven Gerrard scored that unbelievable goal. It was an experience I will
never forget and I want to do that for myself - hopefully this time I will
be playing. Every young footballer dreams of winning the FA Cup.' The tie
may have historical significance, coming 30 years after West Ham beat
Arsenal 1-0 in the 1980 FA Cup final, but it is not quite the sympathetic
draw manager Gianfranco Zola would have liked given the injury crisis at
Upton Park. The Hammers are hamstrung, with Danny Gabbidon, Mark Noble,
Scott Parker and Herita Ilunga all struggling with the same injury, while
Carlton Cole is out with knee trouble and Guillermo Franca is suspended.
West Ham go into the game on the back of only one win in six games, but Zola
said: 'What is most important is we maintain the spirit we have shown
recently, that will be the key more than anything else.'
Collison is likely to come up against fellow Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey,
who is beginning to make waves at the Emirates Stadium following his move
from Cardiff. Both players boast huge potential and are examples to all
managers with vast international scouting networks just what quality lies on
their doorstep. 'Aaron is a real class act. I got a chance to play with him
for the Wales Under-21s when we had a real good run in the European
Championship qualifiers, so I am not surprised at all how well he has done.
He is so good on the ball and works so hard,' said Collison. 'I am sure
that, at a club like Arsenal and under a manager like Arsene Wenger, he is
going to really keep improving and over the next few years you will see
great things from him. 'It is hard to get your opportunity but you have to
keep working hard and take the chance when it comes. 'I have done my best to
do that and am enjoying my football, just trying to improve for West Ham as
best as I can.'
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Aston Villa look to beat Liverpool and Tottenham in race for £8m West Ham
midfielder Scott Parker
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 10:46 AM on 31st December 2009
Daily Mail
Aston Villa will act quickly to stave off a dramatic loss of form by tabling
a bid for West Ham midfielder Scott Parker during the Transfer Window. Villa
have lost their last two matches and fell out of the Champions League race
with a dreadful post-Christmas run last season. However, manager Martin
O'Neill is desperate to maintain a push for the top four this time - his
side are currently fifth - and reports in The Guardian suggest he will
attempt to beat Tottenham and Liverpool to Parker's signature. The
29-year-old has been valued at £8m by the hard-up Hammers and his natural
holding midfield role is something O'Neill needs. He has been using
attacking midfielder Stilian Petrov more defensively while Nigel Reo-Coker -
replaced by Parker at Upton Park two years ago - is struggling to hold a
regular place down. History would suggest ex-Charlton and Chelsea man Parker
would favour a London move but he did spend two seasons at Newcastle so is
not averse to leaving the capital. West Ham will not be keen to offload one
of their star performers with the side in a Premier League relegation battle
but with the club's financial future uncertain at present, the owners may
cash in on a big asset before they sell up.
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West Ham's hopes of landing Luca Toni end
Italian joins Roma on loan
Striker fell out with coach Louis van Gaal
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 31 December 2009 15.03 GMT Article history
West Ham's faint hopes of signing Luca Toni have ended after the Italian
striker joined Roma on loan until the end of June. The 32-year-old is
surplus to requirements at Bayern Munich after falling out with coach Louis
van Gaal. "In a discussion Luca Toni asked the board of Bayern Munich to
loan him out to Roma until the end of the season for personal reasons," said
a statement on Bayern's website. "He wants, through regular games in Serie
A, to still realise his main goal of taking part in the 2010 World Cup with
the Italian national team." Toni, 32, joined Bayern from Fiorentina in 2007
and impressed in his first two seasons with the club. He has started just
three Bundesliga games this term, however, and was fined by the club in
November for leaving the stadium at half-time in their 1-1 draw with Schalke
after being substituted by Van Gaal.
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West Ham United ownership saga set to be concluded next week
The future ownership of West Ham United could be decided next week. Bids
have been received for the Premier League club with another promised on
Monday from the relatively unknown Intermarket Group.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt
Published: 4:51PM GMT 31 Dec 2009
The ownership saga at West Ham United is set to be concluded within the next
week .David Sullivan, the former Birmingham City co-owner, has been pushing
hard to secure a deal, having made an offer before Christmas, but he is not
the only candidate being considered.
West Ham's owners, CB Holdings, insist they are under no pressure to sell
but have engaged Rothschild Bank to sift through potential investors who
either want to buy the club out-right or take a stake. The most exciting
prospect for West Ham supporters may be a bid from Malaysian entrepreneur
Tony Fernandes, although he has insisted that he has not made an offer.
Fernandes, the founder and chief executive of Air Asia, is a committed,
lifelong West Ham supporter and attended the Boxing Day match against
Portsmouth after which he met manager Gianfranco Zola, his assistant Steve
Clarke and technical director Gianluca Nani. Fernandes is understood to get
on well with Zola and fully supports the Italian. Telegraph Sport revealed
that he was close to agreeing a deal some time ago with West Ham chairman
Andrew Bernhardt but, since then, his interest has cooled.
However, given his strong business background and record for innovation and
imaginative ideas, Fernandes would represent an exciting potential backer
for West Ham should he change his mind. Fernandes has gained the support of
many West Ham fans who are desperate for the club to gain greater stability
after a period of financial uncertainty following the collapse of the
business empire of former owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson. Fernandes is,
therefore, expected to attend the forthcoming Premier League match at home
to Wolverhampton Wanderers. West Ham will field a weakened side in the FA
Cup on Sunday – with the likes of Robert Green rested – in preparation for
the Wolves game, by which time they expect Scott Parker to recover from
injury and Carlton Cole to be fit enough to take a place on the bench. A
swift resolution to West Ham's ownership – with some potential investment –
will also help the club in the transfer window. At present Zola has to sell
in order to buy and although the owners have pledged to reinvest all the
proceeds, it will be a tricky balancing act with Matthew Upson the most
likely to leave although no bids have been received. A change of ownership,
or strategic investment, may make up his mind to stay.
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Will Zola be Brave Against Arsenal?
West Ham Till I Die
With around ten players unavailable for selection on Sunday, we really are
down to what Harry Redknapp used to call the 'bare bones'. Defensively we
are OK, with Spector, Faubert, Upson and Tomkins playing in front of Rob
Green. In midfield Jack Collison, Valon Behrami and Radoslav Kovac are fit,
and one has to assume that Diamanti will fill the fourth slot. Which leaves
two places up front.
Will Jimenez be given another chance to show what he can do? Or will Zola
throw caution to the wind and play Freddie Sears alongside the massive
talent that is Frank Nouble?
Nouble is, I am told, despite his size, the quickest player at the club. I
desperately hope he is given the chance he deserves. Some of you remember
the massive impact he made when he played for an hour against Millwall. Once
he found his feet he was a huge influence on the game.
Blood him now, Franco!
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Man City line up moves for Borussia Dortmund and West Ham centre-backs
Published 13:32 01/01/10 By John Cross
The Mirror
Big spending Manchester City have made a move to shore up their defence with
Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic. City boss Roberto Mancini wants
two new centre halves in January to as Kolo Toure is away on African Nations
Cup duty and Joleon Lescott is out for more than a month after knee surgery.
The City hierarchy have targeted 21-year-old Serbian stopper Subotic even
though Dortmund have insisted he is not for sale in January, despite
interest from City, Juventus and Real Madrid. Subotic signed a new long-term
contract with Dortmund last summer but City's wealth mean they may be able
to test the German club's resolve.
They also fancy West Ham's Matt Upson but Tottenham are favourites to land
the England defender ahead of City as Spurs boss Harry Redknapp prepares to
wheel and deal in January. Tottenham are also interested in City's England
defender Micah Richards but he may not be allowed to leave Eastlands with
the club already facing a defensive injury crisis. City are also considering
a move for former England defender Sol Campbell who is a free agent after
quitting Notts County. But the chances of City signing 35-year-old Campbell
depend on other deals and whether they can get the likes of Subotic and
Upson. Struggling Hull are desperate to sign Campbell while Newcastle have
struggled to put together a package to lure him to St James's Park.
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Spector's long road home
(FIFA.com) Friday 1 January 2010
Fifa.com
Injuries are unavoidable in football. As the modern game becomes even faster
and tighter, with less and less time on the ball and space on the pitch, the
demands on the body become greater and greater. Every player, at some point,
will need to deal with an injury. And while some are luckier, only made to
endure niggling muscle strains or painful knocks, others face multiple
injuries, one after another, forcing long stretches out of the game,
requiring massive doses of mental strength and discipline. USA and West Ham
United man Jonathan Spector recently spoke with FIFA.com about his personal
experience with big injuries and long, agonising stretches on the sidelines.
Spector, 23, was in fine fettle when the Americans shocked the world to
reach the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa last June,
but national team fans could have been forgiven for thinking the brawny,
blond-haired back was a new member of Bob Bradley's squad. Missing out on
all of 2006 and most of 2008, Spector – once a shining young star for the
future – was forced to deal with a seemingly endless succession of cruel
injuries that kept him out of action for the majority of the last three
seasons for both club and country.
I went through some tough times, but I never felt sorry for myself. I think
now I am a stronger player, and a stronger person.Jonathan Spector on his
injury woes
"It's not easy as a player to be forced out with an injury and have to watch
what's going on around you and not be a part of it," Spector told FIFA.com,
after doing his impressive best in the FIFA Confederations Cup win against
world number-one Spain in the semi-final in South Africa. "When you're
injured you are kind of on your own and you have to keep yourself strong.
You need to keep focused on the hard and not particularly fun job of getting
yourself back to fitness. What's most important, though, is that you don't
lose track of your goals, what you need to do once you get back on the
field."
Spector, who broke out with the USA junior set-up in 2003 and played
alongside Freddy Adu at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Finland, was so highly
touted as a teenager that Sir Alex Ferguson was moved to bring the young man
– a native of Chicago's blustery suburbs - to Manchester United when he was
only 17. After becoming the youngest American player to debut in the English
Premier League in 2004, insidious injuries began to strike. In addition to a
succession of hip injuries, he suffered a shoulder dislocation that knocked
him out of contention for what was sure to be a starting spot in the US side
at the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006™. Bone spurs caused him to miss 2008's
Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing and a troubling string of concussions
had him out of action more recently. As his time on the treatment table
increased, Spector's minutes for the US national team steadily decreased.
Starring in the CONCACAF Gold Cup triumph of 2007, Spector missed all of
2008 and had to fight his way back for the Stars and Stripes in 2009 – a
task he was well up to.
Keeping focus
"Sometimes an injury leads to another injury; you can't let yourself get
down about it," said the brave and versatile defender, described by captain
Carlos Bocanegra as a "critical piece" of the USA's defensive unit. Unable
to show his true worth to Ferguson in Manchester, Spector was loaned out to
Charlton Athletic for the 2005/2006 season – where he secured regular
first-team action - and was eventually sold to West Ham United, where he
continued to struggle initially with injuries at the start of the 2006/2007
campaign. After making only eight appearances for Manchester United, Spector
is now beginning to earn more regular playing minutes under West Ham manager
Gianfranco Zola.
"I think I've turned the corner now," added the player, mature beyond his
tender years. "I went through some tough times, but I never felt sorry for
myself. I think now I am a stronger player, and a stronger person. All I am
thinking about doing now is getting out on the field and re-establishing
myself for my club and for my national team." US coach Bradley is keen to
see Spector back on his active team sheet, too. "He's a player who hasn't
had the best luck with staying healthy," Bradley acknowledged. "But when
he's been with us, he's shown he has some important qualities."
Spector, who can play centre-back as well as out wide on the right, figured
in the USA's remaining South Africa 2010 qualifiers after the conclusion of
the Confederations Cup. And with Bradley having selection issues ahead of
this June and July's FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Spector – should he
manage to stay fit – will likely figure as a starter in the side. "It wasn't
always easy and I had a lot of help from the people around me, but I never
lost my desire to get back," said the player, with 23 caps already to his
name. "Now the only thing I want to do is to play, to help my teammates."
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