WHUFC.com
Herita Ilunga is fully prepared for three important league games over the
coming week
04.11.2010
Herita Ilunga is back to full fitness and ready to play his part in lifting
West Ham United up the Barclays Premier League table. The Hammers face
Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Blackpool over the coming
fortnight and the experienced defender knows victories are the order of the
day.
West Ham travel to St Andrews on Saturday aiming to record a morale-boosting
success following last weekend's heart-breaking 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.
Despite their lowly position in the Premier League standings, Ilunga
insisted victory is not beyond them. "We did very well at Arsenal. We were
compact as a team. Sometimes we had some chances on the counterattack. For
the future, it's very important to remember our first half because it was
very, very good. "We can win at Birmingham. We have to win. We don't have a
choice. We need three points to start very well our season. Now, we have six
points and we need nine after the next game, nothing less."
Ilunga has also warned his club-mates to keep a close eye on his compatriot
Youssuf Mulumbu next Wednesday evening. The pair were both born in Kinshasa,
the capital of DR Congo, initially moving to French football, then on loan
to the Barclays Premier League before making their transfers to their
respective English clubs permanent. While left-back Ilunga has impressed
since swapping Toulouse for West Ham in summer 2008, Mulumbu has also been
earning rave reviews since joining West Bromwich Albion in February 2009.
The Hammers defender has lined up alongside Mulumbu for his country in the
past, but recently the defensive midfield player has taken a self-imposed
break from international duty to concentrate on helping the newly-promoted
Baggies to make a superb start to the 2010/11 campaign. A combative presence
in the centre of the park, the 23-year-old even managed to net a rare goal -
his fourth in more than 50 appearances for West Brom - in the recent 2-1 win
over Fulham at The Hawthorns. "He's a very good player, but he's young,"
Ilunga explained. "This is his first year in the Premier League so I'm
looking forward to seeing him on the pitch. "He's still young and at this
moment he has said he doesn't want to play for the national team as he
prefers to play for his club. Maybe after, he will be back for us."
Ilunga himself remains an influential figure for his country, captaining the
Leopards in their impressive 1-1 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifying
draw in Cameroon last month. Some erroneous reports claimed the 28-year-old
had scored DR Congo's goal in Garoua, when it had in fact been netted by his
namesake, AS Vita Club striker Yves Diba Ilunga. "I captained them in the
last game because our captain did not come. The reports said I scored but it
wasn't me! It was another Ilunga who is a striker!"
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Faubert to open store
WHUFC.com
Julien Faubert will open the club's new Romford Store on Friday afternoon
04.11.2010
Christmas is coming and so is the club's brand new store - with West Ham
United star Julien Faubert conducting the grand opening on Friday. Opening
at the Liberty Shopping Centre in Romford, the shop has come about in direct
response to fan feedback. Supporters said they wanted somewhere other than
the popular Lakeside and Stadium stores to pick up their Hammers holiday
merchandise. From 10am, the launch day on Friday promises a host of festive
fun with Faubert making an afternoon appearance from around 2.45pm and a
host of other great initiatives.
* The first 250 visitors in store getting a free gift
* A limited number of golden hangers featuring up to £100 in vouchers
* Spend £75 in store and enter a free prize draw for 'money-can't-buy'
prizes including a training ground trip, signed shirts, match tickets and
the chance to meet club legends
Located in Unit GLIA, opposite Sports Direct and Waterstones in the busy
centre on South Street, Liberty Romford will have everything you could wish
for to make it a true claret and blue Christmas. In order to get the store
open as soon as possible, anyone heading along to the opening weekend should
note purchases will be cash only. Yule find a great range of goods in store,
from calendars and annuals, to cards and decorations. Keep an eye on
whufc.com for more news on our latest gift to you.
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Frankie Mac and TC return
WHUFC.com
You can get up close and personal with some of your Hammers heroes on 30
November
04.11.2010
A trio of Hammers heroes from the memorable 1985/86 season will be meeting
corporate guests at the Carling Cup tie against Manchester United.
Skipper Alvin Martin and prolific strike partners Frank McAvennie and Tony
Cottee will all be holding court on Tuesday 30 November. It promises to be a
memorable night under the lights under the Boleyn - especially with thoughts
turning to their exploits here 25 years ago.
Frankie Mac and TC will be remembering their goalscoring exploits for a
select number of guests in a luxury box in the West Stand. You get stunning
views overlooking the pitch and will also be able to enjoy a three-course
meal and drinks in absolute comfort and style.
Martin, who famously scored a hat-trick against three different keepers in
8-1 evening kick-off win against Newcastle United, will be the star turn in
the exclusive 100 Club. A popular football pundit on talkSPORT, the one-club
man will be giving his expert opinion.
If you have never experienced corporate hospitality with the Hammers, then
Manchester United's visit is the perfect time to start. With packages
starting from £110, there is something to suit every budget at the Boleyn.
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Fry feeling fine
WHUFC.com
Defender Matt Fry is enjoying his loan spell with League One
promotion-chasers Charlton Athletic
03.11.2010
He might not have a song in his honour just yet, but Matt Fry is quickly
winning a place in the hearts of Charlton Athletic supporters. The on-loan
West Ham United defender has become the Addicks' regular left-back in recent
weeks, scoring his maiden Football League goal and boosting the club's
challenge for promotion from League One. Fry is not the only player with
Hammers links at The Valley - centre-back Christian Dailly has been an
invaluable mentor both on and off the pitch, while winger Kyel Reid is one
of the 20-year-old's best friends at the club. Speaking to whufc.com, he
said: "The fans have taken to me and I get a lot of good feedback from them
when I speak to them one-on-one but I still haven't quite got myself a
song!"
"Reidy only needed to play a few games and he got one, but I'm putting that
down to his name being easier to rhyme with than mine. "Seriously, though,
the fans give me a good cheer whenever I win a tackle and they're really
supportive of me."
Another great supporter of Fry has been Dailly, the 37-year-old former
Scotland defender who spent seven seasons with the Hammers between 2001 and
2008. The experienced Dailly has helped the aspiring youngster, giving him
tips both on defending on the pitch and how to be a model professional away
from it. "Christian has had a great career and playing alongside him has
been brilliant for me. He is a great professional and there is nothing
better for a young player than to play alongside someone like him. "I have
learned so much on the footballing side and also about how to live my life
off the pitch - it's been invaluable."
With Dailly, Gary Doherty and Jose Semedo battling for the centre-back
berths, Fry has been used as a left-back by manager Phil Parkinson. While it
is not his preferred position, the Academy graduate is happy to be playing
week-in, week-out in a promotion-chasing side. "When I first went to
Charlton on loan last season, the gaffer told me he might use me at
left-back. While I see my position as centre-back, I do enjoy it at
left-back and it can't hurt for me to learn how to play the position. "While
before I was always concentrating on heading the ball clear and keeping a
close eye on my striker, now I've got to stop the crosses coming in in the
first place - it's a different job. "On the other hand, we have played some
teams who use 4-3-3 formations this season and that has given me plenty of
space to get forward, so I've got a couple of assists and my first league
goal."
That goal arrived on Fry's Charlton debut in a 3-1 League One defeat at
Huddersfield Town on 28 August. "It has to be the best moment I've had since
I came to Charlton. I got sent on for my debut and we were 3-0 down. The
ball dropped to me and I thought I had nothing to lose, so I swung my leg
and it went in. "To score in front of 17,000-odd fans at a nice stadium like
the Galpharm is something I'll certainly never forget."
Fry's loan spell comes to an end on 4 January 2011 and, as yet, he does not
know what the long-term future holds. One thing is for sure, though, and
that is the benefit regular first-team football has given him. "My first
loan spell last season was at Gillingham and, although it was local to me,
I'd have gone anywhere in the country to make my league debut. "I think
sometimes young players can get carried away with the prestige of being at a
Premier League club, but for me there is nothing better than playing every
week. "I love preparing for each game on a Thursday and then getting that
Friday buzz. I am enjoying myself."
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Upson calls for improvement
Skipper keen to avoid relegation dogfight
Last updated: 3rd November 2010
SSN
West Ham skipper Matt Upson has called on the side to be more clinical if
they are to avoid a relegation scrap. The Hammers find themselves rooted to
the bottom of the table after picking up only six points from their first
ten games. Upson admits they cannot feel sorry for themselves after losing
narrowly to Arsenallast weekend and he is keen to see the team move clear of
the drop zone before Christmas. "Our target is game by game to put points on
the board," Upson told Sky Sports News. "You cannot deny the fact that we
are bottom of the league and that needs to change.
Dogfight
"All of a sudden, you hit Christmas and if you are still in that kind of
scenario you have a real dogfight on your hands. "So we need to improve, we
need to get results and we need to do it quick. "We have had several
scenarios like that this season where we maybe don't deserve to get the
result we have, but it's happened and we have got that result. "It's all
about results at the end of it all so we have to turn them around and
possibly be more clinical in what we are doing."
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Grant's job 'safe for years'
Gold insists Hammers will stick with manager
Last updated: 4th November 2010
SSN
David Gold has promised to keep faith with Avram Grant even if West Ham are
relegated. Grant was only appointed manager over the summer after Gianfranco
Zola was sacked following a disappointing 2009/10 campaign. Having only just
avoided relegation last term, the Hammers find themselves facing another
scrap for survival as they are currently bottom of the table. Gold has
already given his backing to Grant on a number of occasions, saying he
should not feel under any pressure. And the co-owner fully expects Grant to
remain at Upton Park for the long haul. "I'd be devastated if Avram Grant is
not with us for three, four, five, six years," Gold told Sky Sports News.
Asked if Grant would stay in charge if the worst came to the worst and West
Ham dropped out of the Premier League, Gold replied: "We will remain
absolutely resolute behind our manager."
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Gold maintains title vision
Hammers' co-chairman insists they will stand by manager Grant
By Ben Collins Last updated: 4th November 2010
SSN
David Gold admits he still aims to one day guide West Ham to the Premier
League title despite currently propping up the top fight. The Hammers are
rock-bottom after just one win in 10 games and travel to Gold's former club
Birmingham on Saturday. Gold, 73, and business partner David Sullivansold up
at St Andrews a year ago and bought a controlling stake at Upton Park in
January. They are working to turn around off-field issues, with the club up
to £90million in debt, but despite replacing Gianfranco Zola with new boss
Avram Grant in the summer the Hammers remain in trouble on the pitch. "We
are in the worst place in football, which is at the bottom of the Premier
League," Gold told the Daily Mirror. "People say to me it is just as bad at
the bottom of other divisions. I don't think it is, being at the bottom of
the Premier League you have the eyes of the world on you. "Establishing
ourselves in the Premier League and reducing debt, that is the key issue.
Five-year plan
"Realistically if you take it stage by stage we have to retain our Premier
League status, get to the new stadium and then hopefully maybe in five years
we will start challenging the top six. "But if you said to me what is our
ultimate aim? Our ultimate aim is to win the championship. Is it likely? No.
Is it possible? Yes."
Gold continues to have faith in the Hammers' hierarchy, with vice-chairman
Karren Bradyhaving followed the co-chairmen to Upton Park. They only had
five managers in 16 years at Birmingham, and despite a poor start to the
season, Gold insists they will stand by former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss
Grant. "People say we are well-known for not sacking our managers," he said.
"That is not necessarily a quality but what is a quality is choosing the
right manager in the first place.
Proud record
"We are proud of the managers we employed and the fact we didn't sack many
of them shows we employed the right manager. "It is all about that
chemistry. Nobody's CV says I am a terrible manager and I have failed
wherever I have been. All the CVs we looked at in the summer were quality
CVs. The key then is the chemistry and is there a chemistry? "Here we have
an unusual structure with two co-chairmen and a vice-chairman in Karren
Brady.
"There are three people where the chemistry has to work but there was no
doubt in my mind having met Avram and spent some time with him that the
chemistry is good and durable. Now all we need is hopefully the results will
start coming."
Gold helped rescue Birmingham from bankruptcy in 1993 and is proud that he
helped bring top-flight football back to St Andrews. "It will be mixed
emotions on Saturday definitely," he added. "We paid £1 for Birmingham and
having arrived, we saw the devastation. We saw the stadium hadn't been
touched for 30 or 40 years and we were thinking could we get our £1 back!
"That's how dilapidated the entire place was but we did promise to get the
club into the top flight. It took us a lot longer than we thought but we did
it."
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Illunga row hits the courts
The Sun
By VIC HOLLY
Published: 04 Nov 2010
WEST HAM are being sued by Toulouse after a row over left-back Herita
Ilunga's transfer fee. The Hammers have been accused of not paying in full
for the Congo international - and Toulouse are demanding £220,000 in the
High Court this week. Ilunga, 28, originally moved to Upton Park on loan in
the summer of 2008 before the Londoners agreed to sign him permanently in
March 2009. West Ham paid Toulouse two initial instalments of £400,000 and
£1.5million - but now the clubs are haggling over the outstanding amount.
The Hammers have paid what they consider a final sum of £700,000 to Toulouse
- but the French club want another £220,000. The situation is complicated by
the fact Ilunga's previous club Stade Rennals are entitled to five per cent
of the overall fee.
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Ex-Blue Kezman released by PSG
The Sun
Published: 03 Nov 2010
The Sun
PARIS ST GERMAIN have terminated the contract of former Chelsea striker
Mateja Kezman. The much-travelled 31-year-old's deal was due to expire next
summer but both parties have agreed to end the agreement ahead of schedule.
The ex-Serbia international made just two substitute appearances for PSG
this term having spent last season on loan at Russian outfit Zenit Saint
Petersburg. A statement on the Ligue 1 club's website read: "Paris St
Germain and Mateja Kezman has reached an agreement today to terminate the
player's contract. "The club wishes to thank Mateja for his professionalism
during his time in the colours of Paris. We wish him every success for the
rest of his career."
Kezman scored just five goals in 25 league appearances for PSG since first
signing on loan from Turkish side Fenerbahce in 2008. He joined the French
club on a permanent deal a year later but failed to establish himself as a
first-team regular. His recent struggles are a far cry from his early
career, which saw him score prolifically in his homeland for FK Partizan
prior to a hugely successful spell in Holland with PSV Eindhoven, where he
hit 105 goals in 122 league appearances. Kezman's exploits in Dutch football
attracted the attention of Chelsea, who signed him for £5.3m in 2004. But he
failed to shine in the Premier League and quit Stamford Bridge after just
one season to join Atletico Madrid. Kezman was offered to West Ham last year
but the Irons decided against offering him a contract
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Exclusive David Gold interview on being bottom, Avram Grant and West Ham
winning the league!
Published 23:00 03/11/10 By James Nursey
The Mirror
David Gold says propping up the Premier League is making him depressed but
insists his ultimate aim is still to win the title with West Ham. Gold, 73,
returns to his old club Birmingham on Saturday embarrassed that his beloved
Hammers are 20th in the top-flight. Gold and business partner David Sullivan
sold up at St Andrews a year ago and ended up buying a controlling stake at
Upton Park in January. But Hammers' co-chairman Gold has inherited a raft of
problems at his local club, who are up to £90million in debt. And this
season West Ham are last in the Premier League despite replacing Gianfranco
Zola with new boss Avram Grant in the summer. East Ender Gold said: "We are
in the worst place in football which is at the bottom of the Premier League.
"There is no doubt it is the worst place in football. "People say to me it
is just as bad at the bottom of other divisions. "I don't think it is, being
at the bottom of the Premier League you have the eyes of the world on you.
"Establishing ourselves in the Premier League and reducing debt, that is the
key issue. "Realistically if you take it stage by stage we have to retain
our Premier League status, get to the new stadium and then hopefully maybe
in five years we will start challenging the top six. "But if you said to me
what is our ultimate aim? Our ultimate aim is to win the championship. "Is
it likely? No. Is it possible? Yes."
West Ham have reached the Carling Cup quarter-final under Grant but only won
once in ten games this season in the League. Gold only had five managers in
16 years during his reign at Birmingham from 1993-2009. And he insists the
Hammers' hierarchy, including vice-chairman Karren Brady, remain firmly
behind the former Chelsea and Portsmouth manager. Gold added: "People say we
are well-known for not sacking our managers. "That is not necessarily a
quality but what is a quality is choosing the right manager in the first
place. "We are proud of the managers we employed and the fact we didn't sack
many of them shows we employed the right manager. "It is all about that
chemistry. "Nobody's CV says I am a terrible manager and I have failed
wherever I have been. "All the CVs we looked at in the summer were quality
CVs. "The key then is the chemistry and is there a chemistry? "Here we have
an unusual structure with two co-chairmen and a vice-chairman in Karren
Brady. "There are three people where the chemistry has to work but there was
no doubt in my mind having met Avram and spent some time with him that the
chemistry is good and durable. "Now all we need is hopefully the results
will start coming."
Gold says Saturday's trip to St Andrews will be emotional after he helped
rescue the club from bankruptcy in 1993. He would ideally want a draw but
admits the Hammers are desperate for victory this weekend. "It will be mixed
emotions on Saturday definitely," said Gold. "We paid a £1 for Birmingham
and having arrived, we saw the devastation. "We saw the stadium hadn't been
touched for 30 or 40 years and we were thinking could we get our £1 back!
"That's how dilapidated the entire place was but we did promise to get the
club into the top-flight. "It took us a lot longer than we thought but we
did it."
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Exclusive: Hammers resigned to losing Upson on a free transfer next summer
Published 23:00 03/11/10 By James Nursey
The Mirror
West Ham are resigned to losing England defender Matt Upson on a free
transfer next summer. The Hammers hierarchy have tried to tempt Upson, 31,
with fresh terms after Scott Parker penned a new deal at Upton Park. But the
England centre-back, who has 21 caps, has refused to extend his
£60,000-a-week deal at the club. And the star, signed from Birmingham in
January 2007 for £6million, intends to consider his options in the New Year
with a view to becoming a Bosman. Now West Ham's owners David Gold and David
Sullivan fear Upson is determined to run down his contract. A source said:
"We have tried to keep him. "If he feels he can get more money elsewhere
then good luck to him."
West Ham hope to have injury-prone midfielder Kieron Dyer, 31, back in their
squad to visit Birmingham on Saturday. Hammers' staff have been impressed by
Dyer's recent determination to return to full fitness. West Ham officials
also hope to hear whether their bid for the Olympic Stadium has been
successful before Christmas. The London's 2012 Olympic legacy committee are
still making a decision on what to do with the venue.
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Player Of The Month - October
Vinny - Thu Nov 4 2010
West Ham Online
PLAYER OF THE MONTH - OCTOBER
MARK NOBLE 46%
Scott Parker 18%
Robert Green 10%
Games In October
Fulham (h)
Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
Newcastle United (h)
Stoke City (h)
Arsenal (a)
Mark Noble is the WHO player of the month for october after some impressive
displays in the centre of midfield alongside Scott Parker. It is typical
that when Noble starts to find some excellent form that he has to have his
appendix out and will be missing for up to a month. The best performance of
his October came against Stoke when he came on as a sub with the team a goal
down and his performance totally changed the game. He got the team goal and
showed superb skill to create the second goal and his assist for the third
was a sublime pass. Noble has done well for most of the season and when he
is on form his passing and vision is the best at the club. Runner up was
Scott Parker who continues to be out most important player. His performances
have remained consistant and I think that he is on course for another Hammer
Of The Year award even at this stage.
Thank you to everyone who voted.
Previous Winners
August - Kieron Dyer
September - Victor Obinna
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Birmingham City v West Ham United: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between Birmingham City
and West Ham United at St Andrews on Saturday Nov 6 2010, kick-off 15:00
GMT.
PREVIEW
BIRMINGHAM V WEST HAM
Saturday, November 06 15:00
Premier League
St Andrews
Telegraph.co.uk
Published: 6:00AM GMT 05 Nov 2010
Birmingham (Probable, 4-4-2): Foster; Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell;
Larsson, Ferguson, Hleb, Gardner; Zigic, Jerome.
West Ham (Probable, 4-3-3): Green; Jacobsen, Upson, Da Costa, Gabbidon;
Behrami, Parker, Boa Morte; Obinna, Cole, Piquionne.
Referee: Michael Oliver. Matches: 4. R2 Y18.
Tale of the game
Birmingham, who need one defeat for 100 in the Premier League, have kept
consecutive clean sheets for the first time since December. If they claim a
third it will be the first time since March 2007 and the first in the
Premier League since October 2003. West Ham have lost their last two Premier
League games and have failed to win in four. And they have not won away from
home in 23 attempts, since they beat Wolves at Molineux on the opening day
of last season. Birmingham, who need four goals for 250 in Premier League
football, must decide whether to recall former Hammer Lee Bowyer, who missed
Sunday's 0-0 draw with Villa, while Cameron Jerome, who returned as a
substitute at Villa Park, could return to attack. James McFadden (cruciate
ligaments) is out and Julien Faubert is suspended.
West Ham miss Mark Noble, out for a moth after undergoing an operation on
his appendix, so they could go with a three-man attack, with Carlton Cole
restored to the front line. Matthew Upson could return to defence, with
Danny Gabbidon returning to the left-back slot.
Last season: Birmingham 1 West Ham 0, West Ham 2 Birmingham 0.
Stat of the game: Since their last away win, in August 2009, West Ham have
taken just eight points from a possible 69, scoring 17 goals and conceding
46.
Betting tip: With one home defeat in 13, and against a team that can't win
away, this has only one outcome. A 1-0 home win is 6-1.
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West Ham's David Gold hopes points heal pain on return to Birmingham
West Ham's co-owner travels back to St Andrew's looking to beat club he left
under a cloud
Guardian.co.uk
Sachin Nakrani
The Guardian, Friday 5 November 2010
Saturday 6 November 2010 has been a date long marked in David Gold's diary;
his first return to Birmingham City since he and David Sullivan sold the
club to Carson Yeung just over a year ago. That the pair travel there with
West Ham United – which they bought two months after leaving St Andrew's –
bottom of the Premier League only adds to the occasion.
"I was at Birmingham for 16 years and made many friends there, I even know
dozens of the fans by name," says Gold. "Birmingham's result is one I still
look out for, but we go there fighting for our lives and looking to win the
game."
Sat in the directors' box, Gold and Sullivan will be absorbed by what takes
place on the pitch tomorrow, but for the former there will be much else to
take in. A year has passed but Gold remains bitter about the manner in which
he left Birmingham, having arrived in March 1993 and overseen the club's
rise from the third tier to the Premier League.
Gold had, after all, planned on staying after the £81.5m takeover was
completed, with Yeung offering him an honorary post only for it to be
revoked. The board has put that down to financial liabilities left at
Birmingham by the previous owners, and their subsequent recruitment to Upton
Park of the managing director Karren Brady – matters which eventually led to
an out-of-court settlement – but for Gold, the episode was personal.
"I was 100% sure I was going to be given a position so for there to be a
change of mind was devastating," he says. "The acrimony is with Peter Pannu
[Birmingham's vice-chairman] and Sammy Yu [a former member of the board] as
I don't think Carson [Yeung] was part of the decision to remove me from the
board.
"They've never spoken to me directly but Pannu claimed in an article that I
was too elderly to be involved at the club. I found that disgusting and
insulting." How, then, will Gold react if he crosses paths with Pannu
tomorrow? "I'm a big boy, I'll shake his hand. But will I invite him out for
dinner? No."
How the home fans react to seeing Gold and Sullivan again is of interest
given the anger they displayed against the pair following Birmingham's
relegation to the Championship in May 2008, but for the owners all that
matters is a West Ham win.
After seeing the club just survive last season, the owners decided in the
summer to replace Gianfranco Zola as the manager with Avram Grant. Yet the
team have won only once in 10 league games since, albeit having reached the
quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
Gold and Sullivan's handling of Zola came under criticism, most notably from
the Italian himself, but the former has no regrets about the decision they
took. "When we arrived [in January] the morale of the club was horrendous
and while we liked Franco he didn't have the qualities we wanted," Gold
says. "A change was needed and apart from the position we're in the manager
is doing a good job."
Nevertheless, there is a hesitant pause as Gold assesses how long Grant can
keep his job should results fail to improve. "We'll cross that bridge if and
when we come to it," is his eventual message.
For now it is Birmingham who occupy his mind and tomorrow he will hope for a
less stressful return to the West Midlands than three months ago, when he
came under physical attack after West Ham's 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa on the
opening day of the season. "It was horrendous," says the 73-year-old. "I was
leaving the ground when this mother of a boy in a wheelchair waved me down.
I told my driver to stop, got out of the car and had a picture taken with
them. I then got back in to drive off, but we hit a red light by this pub,
and it was full of Villa fans.
"Most of them were waving and smiling, but then this guy carrying a bottle
came charging over with the most extreme ferocity I've ever seen. He hurled
the bottle at the car and it smashed into a thousand pieces. Then another
guy came over with a pint glass and did the same. They then started kicking
the car and tried to get in. Luckily, it had locked itself but I was fearing
for my safety. These thugs looked like they wanted to cause serious harm."
All in all it has been a trying time for the man who grew up gazing at Upton
Park from his home at 442 Green Street, but there is plenty to be optimistic
about with West Ham's £115m debts slowly being cleared and plans for them to
take over the 2012 Olympic Stadium progressing.
"Owning this club has proved difficult, but I have no regrets," Gold says.
"Things could change dramatically if we beat Birmingham. It's a huge game
for the club, and for myself."
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Ex-West Ham and Birmingham star Parris reveals gambling addiction almost
killed him
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 1:18 AM on 5th November 2010
Daily Mail
Former West Ham and Birmingham City star George Parris will watch his old
clubs do battle in the Premier League at St Andrews on Saturday - just
grateful that he is still alive to see the game after a serious gambling
addiction almost killed him. The 46-year-old - who began his career at Upton
Park in 1982 and made more than 200 appearances for the Hammers in an
11-year spell at Upton Park - is now well on the road to recovery after
fighting a long battle that began when he moved to Birmingham in 1993. But
Parris admits he considered suicide after his addiction and mounting debts
spiralled out of control in the late 90s. After another large bet on the
horses lost, he walked out of a bookies in Sussex, where he still lives, and
seriously considered ending it all. He reveals: 'I drove up to Newhaven. I
can remember looking out over the bridge there and thinking 'what do I do?'
'I couldn't see how I was going to get myself out of the big hole I was in.
I'd begged and borrowed from everyone I knew and, yes, I did give serious
thought to killing myself.
'I owed money to my closest friends and family and had nowhere else to go.
But, thankfully, I pulled myself together and went home and confessed to my
then wife that I'd lost every penny I had gambling.'
After attempting to confront his issue, Parris managed to take some steps on
the road to recovery but, five years later, relapsed and hit an all-time low
point... 'Desperate to have one more bet, I withdrew all the money from my
young son's building society account. The bet lost, and it was the worst
example of how my gambling had gripped me. I still live with the hurt of
what I did,' said a tearful and remorseful Parris, who still attends regular
counselling sessions at the Sporting Chance clinic founded by Tony Adams.
As part of his continuing rehabilitation, Parris has now decided to tell his
amazing story in a new double DVD, produced by the publishers of retro West
Ham magazine EX as, with remarkable honesty, he faces up to his demons and
talks openly and from the heart about his gambling addiction.
In the four-hour production, Parris also provides an insight into his
playing career in which he made 364 League appearances from 1985 until his
unhappy farewell at Brighton & Hove Albion in 1997 . . . including the card
schools, where he got his first 'buzz' from gambling; what it was like
playing for the Hammers' most successful team ever; and his thoughts on
those he played with and for. Parris will be signing copies of his new DVD
when it is launched at the EX Magazine West Ham Retro Forum & Fair in
Romford, Essex on Sunday.
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West Ham and Tottenham state their cases in bid for Olympic Stadium
Bidders have different plans for athletics track and legacy
West Ham proposal looks to be in pole position
Owen Gibson
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 4 November 2010 21.14 GMT
West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur will tomorrow go head to head in the
latest stage of their bid to take over the Olympic Stadium after the 2012
Games, against a backdrop of friction between the north London club's
partner AEG and the Olympic Park Legacy Company.
Both bidders will present to the OPLC, which plans to announce a shortlist
next week, reach a decision on its preferred bidder by January and announce
a final decision by March next year. There was mounting speculation tonight
that a third, unnamed bidder was also due to present to the OPLC.
The Guardian has learned that AEG, the global sports and entertainment giant
that successfully rebranded the Millennium Dome as the O2, issued a coded
warning to the OPLC in the wake of its press conference to announce its
vision for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
AEG is believed to have been alarmed by press reports that interpreted
comments by the London mayor Boris Johnson and the OPLC chair Baroness Ford
as indicating that the track would have to be retained in the £538m Olympic
Stadium. Spurs and AEG believe the only way to make the stadium commercially
viable is to scrap the track and provide a legacy for athletics elsewhere.
The company wrote to the OPLC, making clear its displeasure and indicating
that it had been given encouragement to bid under the terms of a tender
document that did not require the track to be retained.
It was this intervention that is believed to have been a key factor in the
decision to postpone any bid for the World Athletics Championships until
2017, so as not to prejudice the process and open up the OPLC to a potential
legal challenge. It is believed that AEG's letter was copied to the minister
of sport Hugh Robertson and Johnson. AEG today declined to comment.
The joint bid for the stadium from West Ham and Newham council, which is
backed by Live Nation and proposes to retain the track in a 55,000 seat
stadium, would appear to be in pole position, but they will have to convince
the OPLC that the economics of its bid stack up.
AEG and Tottenham Hotspur, who are pursuing a twin track approach to the
need for a new stadium and have also had a planning application approved to
rebuild on their White Hart Lane site, will argue they have a more
commercially viable vision. "Our proposal captures the spirit of the Olympic
Games. We are offering them a do-able, costed legacy vision that provides
something for everyone," said West Ham's Olympic project director Ian
Tompkins. West Ham's bid also has the backing of UK Athletics, which this
week withdrew its bid for the 2015 world championships in favour of the 2017
event.
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Matthew Upson tells West Ham he's ready for action at former club Birmingham
after neck injury
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 8:29 PM on 4th November 2010
Daily Mail
West Ham captain Matthew Upson has given his club a major boost by declaring
himself fit for the crunch game against his former club Birmingham on
Saturday. The England international has endured a stop-start season and
missed the match against another former club, Arsenal, last weekend with a
neck injury. Avram Grant will be hopeful Upson is also joined on the St
Andrews turf by Manuel Da Costa. He picked up a knock to his ankle at the
Emirates Stadium.
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West Ham set to make Olympic Stadium pitch
Talk Sport
By Marc Isaacs
Thursday, November 4
West Ham are hoping to take their first major step in securing control of
the Olympic Stadium when they meet the board of the Olympic Park Legacy
Company (OPLC) on Friday. The east London club have made a joint bid with
Newham Council for tenancy of the £538m stadium after the Olympic Games in
2012 as they look to be named on the shortlist. West Ham co-owners David
Gold and David Sullivan are convinced the club can become even stronger if
they manage to move into the 80,000-seater venue and beat off competition
from London rivals Totttenham. West Ham will make their pitch today for why
they should be playing at the Olympic Stadium and the club's project
director, Ian Tompkins, feels they are the best option to make the most of
the stadium. Tompkins said: "We've said all along that we feel we have the
most competitive and effective bid for the future use of the stadium. "We
are meeting with the OLPC on Friday and we will be hoping to convince them.
"If we get on the shortlist then we can begin to put together a clearer idea
of what we want to do in Stratford. "Then we can get into the details of how
many toilets it is going to have, how people are going to get there, what
sort of ticketing prices we will have, all the little things that are so
important."
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