WHUFC.com
15.11.2011
WHYTELEAFE v WEST HAM UNITED XI
DEVELOPMENT SQUAD FRIENDLY
TUESDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2011
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
FINAL SCORE - Whyteleafe 0-2 West Ham United XI
93 mins - That's it. Full time and a very good night's work. Watch out for
action and reaction to come on West Ham TV.
92 mins - Olly Lee wins a corner. Hendon is telling Kenzer Lee to attack it.
He does just that but Borrett saves brilliantly on the line.
91 mins - Kenzer Lee does well at the back and the Hammers break before
Moncur shoots wide.
90 mins - Into the last minute, corner to West Ham after Olly Lee's shot was
saved. From the corner, Montenegro rises but just fails to connect. He then
gets a chance when the ball is played back in but cannot direct his shot on
target.
88 mins - Whyteleafe are pushing had to get a consolation. A long ball
forward is fielded well by Kurucz. He will be pleased with another 90
minutes as he continues his return from a serious knee injury.
87 mins - Borrett has been the real star for the home side with his
terrific agility in goal. He isn't their first-choice but has done extremely
well tonight.
86 mins - We are into the closing stages here and it has been a productive
night's work. Olly Lee has just been named man of the match I think for the
visitors.
85 mins - Jerson gets a free-kick fully 30 yards out. He fires in on goal
but it is straight at Kurucz and comfortable for the keeper.
84 mins - Moncur is penalised for a foul. The No4 is here, there and
everywhere in that midfield. He has not had as much time as he would like on
the ball as he would like but has always tried to use it well.
83 mins - Kenzer Lee does well at the back. The big No5 has been impressive
tonight. Meanwhile Karl Douglin is off to be replaced by Bajrush Halili for
the hosts.
81 mins - Montano and Wearen are coming off to be replaced by Jack Powell
and Taylor Miles.
80 mins - West Ham are back in full control. Hendon will pleased with how
they weathered the storm. Double substitution coming up.
78 mins - GOAL! - Olly Lee scores a tremendous goal to finally beat the
resilient Borrett. The skipper played a one-two with Montano before letting
fly from just inside the area.
77 mins - Vose is coming off to be replaced by Elliott Lee. We have both Lee
brothers on the pitch now as well as the unrelated Kenzer Lee.
76 mins - The subs have made a difference for the hosts. West Ham are being
tested more than at any other time.
74 mins - Borrett then denies Montenegro twice. A header for the home side's
Clare just goes wide. This has suddenly got lively at both ends.
71 mins - As if to underline his brilliance, Borrett saves with his feet
from Montenegro.
70 mins - Montano fires in from 20 yards. It was a fizzing effort but the
excellent Ricky Borrett in the home goal tips it onto the post. So close.
The home keeper has done superbly this evening despite giving away a few
inches in height to most on the pitch.
69 mins - A wayward Jordan Brown effort clears the trees behind the goal. We
need a new ball.
68 mins - Chambers and Kenzer Lee are forced back into their own half. The
ball is eventually cleared but Montano just can't bring the ball under
control.
67 mins - It is getting a little misty here. It is a picturesque setting in
a valley but it is absolutely freezing.
65 mins - The Hammers have dominated but are still only leading by one. We
have another sub. Fabian Batchelor is replaced by Chris Webster.
63 mins - Montenegro is picked out superbly by Jordan Brown. The striker
chests down for Olly Lee but the defender is alive to it.
62 mins - Vose is hacked down by Alec Brown. Jordan Brown takes the
free-kick but fails to beat the first man.
61 mins - Olly Lee nearly gets a shot away inside the area. A desperate
block foils the No7.
60 mins - Outstanding control from Montenegro to trap a high ball on his
chest. It earns a ripple of applause from the home crowd.
59 mins - Olly Lee is fouled 30 yards from goal. He takes it quickly but the
home side clear and can break here. They pour forward but Lee forces them
back. The skipper is putting in a shift.
57 mins - Another Montano effort goes over. Off goes Gnamore and on comes
No14 Greg Clare.
56 mins - The Hammers are getting closer and closer. Montano is the latest
to go close after a driving run into the box.
55 mins - Montenegro almost gets the second. He just couldn't connect when
presented with a decent chance.
54 mins - Elliott MItchell takes a decent free-kick for the home side. It
just misses his captain Fleming. That was close.
52 mins - Vose is hugging the left-hand touchline in this half. He shows
good footwork but goes down under a fair challenge in the box.
51 mins - The home side are battling hard but they cannot get out of their
own half.
50 mins - Moncur wins the ball in midfield. The Hammers are trying to put
lots of passes together but it isnt easy on this pitch. Montano picks it up
out wide left before the ball comes back in for Olly Lee to shoot. The
effort is blocked.
48 mins - Montenegro has looked very lively this half. He seems desperate to
score. His latest foray forward finishes with Montano just firing over. You
get the sense that the Hammers are eager to add to their tally.
47 mins - Montenegro again meets the corner but just cannot divert his
effort on target.
46 mins - Montano has missed from close range. It was deflected behind but
he will feel he should have scored. Montenegro then nearly meets the
resulting corner but it goes behind off a defender. Another corner.
46 mins - Guy Demel has come off for Leo Chambers. That looks like the only
change for the visitors.
HALF-TIME - Whyteleafe 0-1 West Ham United XI
45 mins - Now Brown concedes a free-kick. Fred Fleming, the home captain,
gets some space and fires in on goal from a central position. Kurucz saves
and that is almost the last kick of the half.
44 mins - Foul from Driver on Kwabena Agyei. Whyteleafe are giving as good
as they get at the moment.
42 mins - This is a bit stop-start at the moment. The referee has had to
blow his whistle more than he would have liked. Olly Lee has another go from
distance.
41 mins - Montenegro shows electric pace out on the right wing before
cutting inside. He just can't pick out Moncur
40 mins - Olly Lee gives the ball away, having done so well 20 seconds
before to win possession. Kurucz eventually has to field a lofted ball into
the box.
38 mins - Alec Brown does well to stop a Hammers surge. The home side are
having a good spell here and making a contest of it. Can they get back in
the game before half-time?
37 mins - By the way, Sergio Sanchez, Matt Fry and Paul McCallum were all
doing running work at Chadwell Heath today. Rob Hall and Danny Potts were
with the first-team squad.
36 mins - It is a strong squad for Ian Hendon tonight. Demel is the main
attraction though and was on hand again a second ago to clear a Whyteleafe
cross.
35 mins - So close for Olly Lee. He drove at the home defence before looking
up and curling a right-footed effort from 25 yards that smashed against the
corner of post and crossbar.
34 mins - Demel wins a free-kick. The home side aren't happy about that but
the Ivory Coast international dusts himself down and carries on. His
attitude has been tremendous so far. He was the first player at the ground
this evening and looked up for a chance to play again.
33 mins - Demel is penalised for a foul. Whyteleafe are still in their own
half though. It has been pretty much one-way traffic for the Hammers.
32 mins - Well done Kurucz to head clear after a hopeful ball over the top
from Whyteleafe. The keeper has looked alert.
31 mins - Brown crosses for Olly Lee but he doesn't make the connection. The
skipper then slips and loses his footing.
29 mins - That goal owed everything to a commanding header by Demel from a
Whyteleafe corner that set the Hammers off on the attack. He has not put a
foot wrong so far.
29 mins - GOAL! - Vose slams it in on the half-volley. The Hammers had
broken quickly through Montenegro. He forced a save before the ball fell to
Moncur to have a go. That effort was blocked as well but it was third-time
lucky when Vose connected.
27 mins - The temperature is dropping here. You can see the players' breath.
Montenegro is wearing gloves as well. Meanwhile, Montano tracks back but
concedes a corner.
26 mins - Brown crosses well for Montenegro but the Paraguayan misses his
kick. Danger averted for the home team.
25 mins - Wearen tries a long-ranger but slices it. The Hammers are looking
dangerous but have not had a clear sight of goal yet.
24 mins - Demel then does well to stop the home side as they surged forward.
Nice little cameo of his ability at both ends.
23 mins - Lovely touch from Demel gets the Hammers going. He was seemingly
crowded out by two but a little flick and he was away. The move finishes
with Montenegro forcing a decent save from the home keeper.
22 mins - Montano takes it and three times plays a one-two with Moncur.
Eventually the ball is cleared. Whyteleafe break but Brown deals with the
danger and sets the Hammers away.
21 mins - Montano goes down the left and crosses. The keeper claims but the
ball has gone behind. Corner to West Ham.
20 mins - Demel steps out well from the back. He has not put a foot wrong
yet but has not been tested too much. This will be great for his fitness.
Meanwhile, Olly Lee has another go for goal. This time the shot is cleared.
18 mins - Kurucz commands his area and comes to punch away just ahead of
Karl Dougal. Moncur does brilliantly on the counter to free Vose. He finds
Olly Lee and the skipper shoots for goal. Just wide.
17 mins - Olly Lee does well to get the ball under control in midfield.
Eventually the play reaches Jordan Brown up from left-back in an advanced
position but his cross is wayward.
16 mins - Olly Lee has a go from 30 yards. There was plenty of pace on the
ball but it sailed to the right of the keeper's upright.
15 mins - A small break in play but we are going again. Neither keeper has
properly been tested yet.
14 mins - Nearly a disaster as a stray ball hurtles towards the press
seating. Luckily the club's computer is safe but I've just taken a whack in
the face.
13 mins - Kenzer Lee again plays it forward but this time the ball runs
straight through. The home back four are certainly an imposing rearguard.
They are paying close attention to Montenegro for sure.
12 mins - Joint-Chairman David Gold is an interested observer in the
proceedings. He is sitting with Tony Carr as they run the rule over the
latest crop of Hammers youngsters. Meanwhile, Moncur gives away a free-kick
just inside the Hammers half. The set-piece comes to nothing.
11 mins - Great move. Montano to George Moncur. he feeds Vose, who in turns
finds the overlapping Driver on the other flank. A great cross is only just
cleared to Olly Lee but the skipper can't get his shot away.
10 mins - Kenzer Lee lofts the ball forward for Brian Montenegro to chase.
The striker just can't bring it under control and the ball is grasped by the
goalkeeper.
9 mins - Vose takes the corner but the ball runs behind without troubling
the keeper.
8 mins - Good spell of possession here for the Hammers. Whyteleafe get teh
ball back and break through pacy Stephane Gnamore. The Hammers stand firm
and counter up the other end. Montano wins a corner.
7 mins - Driver knocks the ball forward again but Whyteleafe clear. Montano
then does well on the left wing and looks like he should have won a corner.
The referee points to a goal-kick.
5 mins - Whyteleafe try and break but are flagged for offside. Callum Driver
breaks down the right and crosses but it is too long. Goal-kick Whyteleafe.
4 mins - Montano has a go from range with his favoured left-foot. It was
blocked on the edge of the area. West Ham are on top here.
3 mins - Guy Demel is playing at centre-back. The Hammers go on the
offensive at the other end and a decent left-wing cross eludes the home
goalkeeper. Dominic Vose picks it up on the right but the hosts snuff out
the danger.
2 mins - Eoin Wearen gives the ball away and the Whyteleafe No9 has a chance
to shoot from 20 yards. The shot was comfortable for Kurucz. The Hammers
counter through Montano but the home side defend well.
1 min - Cristian Montano and Brian Montenegro get us under way. Whyteleafe
win possession inside 20 seconds and attack down their right-hand side.
Jordan Brown makes a great tackle to stop them in their tracks and the ball
runs behind for a goal-kick. An early touch coming for Peter Kurucz in goal.
KICK-OFF
7.51pm - The captains shake hands and we are almost ready to go.
7.50pm - We are having a minute's silence.
7.45pm - Just waiting for the teams here. I don't have a home team-sheet yet
so you might have to bear with me. Here come both sides to a good round of
applause. Olly Lee has the captain's armband for the Hammers.
Whyteleafe: 1 Ricky Borrett, 2 Alec Brown, 3 Dan Aldous, 4 Fred Fleming, 5
Danny Dudley, 6 Elliott Mitchell, 7 Fabian Batchelor, 8 Karl Douglin, 9
Stephan Gnamore, 10 Jerson Dos Santos, 11 Kwabena Agyei
Subs: 12 Jay Garrick, 14 Greg Clare, 15 Chris Webster, 16 Bajrush Halili, 17
Ashley Henry-Brown, 18 Sam Marks.
West Ham United: Kurucz, Driver, Demel, K Lee, Brown, Wearen, Lee, Moncur,
Vose, Montano, Montenegro
Subs: Cowler, Chambers, Powell, Miles, E Lee
Welcome to the Church Road home of Whyteleafe in east Surrey for this
evening's friendly. Whyteleafe FC compete in Division 1 South of the Ryman
Premier League, the seventh tier of English football. It is a chilly but
clear night and a good turn-out is expected with tickets at just £8 for
adults, and £5 for concessions. Joint-Chairman David Gold is the The Leaf's
patron, living and working in the area. He will be among the crowd, with
assistant manager Neil McDonald also making the trip around the M25 to see
the team in action.
It promises to be an interesting night's football, with coach Ian Hendon
naming a youthful side full of players eager to force their way into the
first-team picture. The game will also be a welcome chance for Guy Demel to
get another hour's action under his belt, after a 45-minute run-out at
Gillingham last week. The only other player involved with senior experience
for the Hammers is goalkeeper Peter Kurucz.
Brian Montenegro will be looking to maintain his scoring run, with four
goals in four matches at this level while the likes of Olly Lee and George
Moncur will also be out to catch the eye in midfield. Cristian Montano and
Dominic Vose will play either side of Montenegro, with Hendon opting for a
4-3-3- formation.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big names at the Boleyn
WHUFC.com
Some familiar faces will be greeting corporate hospitality guests at
upcoming matches
15.11.2011
The Boleyn Ground will be bursting with big-name guests for West Ham
United's final three home matches of 2011. The Hammers close out their
complement of npower Championship fixtures for the year with the Saturday
visits of Derby County (26 November), Burnley (3 December) and Barnsley (17
December). All three matches will see a host of West Ham greats from years
gone by on hand to greet the club's corporate hospitality guests.
The visit of Derby will see 1980 FA Cup winner and Boys of '86 left-back Ray
Stewart headlining a roll call of greats, with the former Scotland
international joining host Stuart Slater in the Legends Restaurant. To spend
the afternoon with 'Tonka', enjoy a sumptuous meal and access to a licenced
bar and watch the Hammers take on the Rams from exclusive VIP seats will
cost just £69 per person plus VAT. Elsewhere, 1966 FIFA World Cup winner
Martin Peters will play host in the 66 Club Restaurant and 66 Champagne Bar,
while 1964 FA Cup winner Peter Brabrook will visit the BM6 Lounge.
To complete a superb line up, 1975 FA Cup final hero Alan Taylor will visit
the Executive Boxes, while fellow FA Cup winner Bobby Gould will be guest of
Allen McKnight in the Greenwood & Lyall Lounge. The visit of Burnley will
see the big-name guests keep on coming, with Legends Restaurants host Phil
Parkes being joined by fellow Boys of '86 star Mark Ward. Another hero from
that momentous season, George Parris, will be guest of Allen McKnight in the
Greenwood & Lyall Lounge and also visit the BM6 Lounge. FIFA World
Cup-winning full-back George Cohen will host the 66 Club and 66 Champagne
Bar, while Taylor and 1976 European Cup Winners' Cup finalist Keith Robson
will visit Executive Boxes. Finally, the visit of Barnsley on the weekend
before Christmas will see Parris return to join host Parkes in the Legends
Restaurants, while McKnight will be joined by Geoff Pike in the Greenwood &
Lyall Lounge. Taylor and Robson will also return, with the former visiting
the Executive Boxes and the latter meeting guests in the BM6 Lounge. Both
will also visit the 66 Club Restaurant and 66 Champagne Bar.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Demel closes on Hammers debut
Summer signing nearing full fitness after hamstring injury
Last Updated: November 15, 2011 1:45pm
SSN
Guy Demel is looking forward to being able to make his West Ham United debut
as he edges nearer to full fitness after a hamstring injury. The Ivory Coast
defender joined the Hammers on a two-year contract from Hamburg prior to the
close of the transfer window, but has yet to feature for the Championship
club. He was an unused substitute against Crystal Palace at the start of
October and could now come into contention for Saturday's game at Coventry
City. "I am much better now," Demel told the club's official website. "I
played 45 minutes with the reserves last Tuesday, it was good, so I feel
much better. "I still need to work on my fitness and gain my condition back.
I think it's a good moment for me. It's still the international break so I
have enough time to work hard. "It was a hard situation. I want to help the
team because when I came the players were really nice to me and made me
welcome. "I want to play for the fans and everyone, and of course for me. It
was not easy but injury is a part of football. I know how to handle this and
I have come through it."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham target Leeds defender Andy O'Brien
Published: Today
The Sun
WEST HAM want Leeds' Andy O'Brien after missing out on a loan deal for
Arsenal defender Sebastien Squillaci. Irishman O'Brien, 32, is struggling to
hold down a regular place at Elland Road. The Hammers need cover for
centre-half Winston Reid, who has a dislocated shoulder. The Squillaci deal
fell through with the Gunners anxious to off-load him permanently in
January.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ANDY HESS WANTS FRANK NOUBLE UNTIL JANUARY
WEDNESDAY 16 November 2011
GillsConnect.co.uk
The Gills loan period of impressive West Ham youngster Frank Nouble (right)
comes to an end after next Saturday's League Two game at Aldershot's
Recreation Ground. So far Frank has played ten games during his loan period
for a total of 836 minutes on the pitch and has scored four goals. This
sort of form is obviously of great value to the team prompting Gills manager
Andy Hess in wanting to extend the loan period until the New Year.
Gills boss Andy Hess had already appealed to West Ham manager Sam Allardyce,
before the Bournemouth Cup tie, for loanee Frank Nouble to play but was
turned down by the Hammers and the Premiership Club rate the striker highly.
Now Hess has the task of discussing and asking Frank himself whether he
wants to stay with the Gills for an extended period, excluding any Cup
games, to help Gills in their promotion push from League Two. The Gills boss
(left) told kentnews, "I need to sit down with Frank and see what he wants
to do because I only want to do it if the player wants to do it. I need to
speak to the Chairman as well and I think we'll have a decision by
Thursday."
If the signs are positive from Frank and Paul Scally then the Gills former
assistant manager Ian Hendon, who is now West Ham Development Coach,
indicated that if the player wanted the extension then it wouldn't be a
problem. Hess would definitely like Frank to stay saying, "Frank's
definitely made an impact, and he is a different type of player with power
and pace. He'll create something in that final third and I've been really
pleased with him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham look to free agent Pavon as Allardyce seeks to solve defensive
shortage
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:47 PM on 15th November 2011
Daily Mail
West Ham are eyeing former Real Madrid centre half Francisco Pavon as they
look to strengthen their defence. The 31-year-old, who was part of the Real
squad when they won the Champions League in 2002, is a free agent after
leaving French side Arles-Avingon. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce came close to
signing Pavon for Bolton in 2007 but the move fell through and the Spaniard
moved to Real Zaragoza. Allardyce, who is keen to find a defender as Winston
Reid is out for six weeks with a dislocated shoulder, has had loan enquiries
for Manchester City's Nedum Onuoha and Arsenal's Sebastien Squillaci
rebuffed.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
London 2012 Olympics: Newham Council demands management role in stadium in
return for investment
By Paul Kelso, Chief Sports Reporter
8:38PM GMT 15 Nov 2011 1 Comment
Telegraph.co.uk
The Olympic Stadium will only be able to count on £40million investment from
Newham Council if the local authority is given a powerful role in the
management of the arena, and a say in the amount of money invested in
transforming it for football. Newham's investment is crucial to the
transformation of the stadium into a 60,000-seat arena fit for football, but
following the collapse of the original deal with West Ham it is not
guaranteed. The council was a partner with West Ham but challenges to the
legality of the proposed £40million loan that would have helped the club
take control of the stadium ended negotiations. Now the Olympic Park Legacy
Company will keep ownership in public hands, but wants Newham to help fund
the £100million cost of converting the stadium. But sources have suggested
Newham will not write a cheque unless it can agree a share of revenue and
seats on the management board proportionate to the investment. Amid
suggestions of a cooling in relations with West Ham, the council is
understood to favour an operating company running the stadium, with the
football club just one of a number of tenants paying rent of around
£2million a year alongside events such as concerts.
The council will also want a say in the capital spending on the arena,
including the amount spent on hospitality boxes. Hospitality is crucial to
any Premier League club's revenue, but can add massively to the conversion
costs. One option being considered is fewer glass-fronted boxes, with guests
eating in dining rooms inside the stands before taking their seats. Tender
documents will be issued in early December, and any deal will require the
approval of the full council. West Ham say they are still committed to the
stadium, though there is some frustration that they still don't know what
they will be bidding for. They have explored temporary seating options,
understood to cost around £10million, to bring fans closer to the pitch.
Tottenham, meanwhile, say the requirement to retain the track, sealed by the
award of the 2017 World Athletics Championship, means it is no longer an
option for them. West Ham will begin High Court action on Thursday to reveal
the identity of a private investigator allegedly hired by Tottenham to
procure private data including Karren Brady's bank and telephone records
during the battle over the stadium. The action follows allegations that
Tottenham hired investigators to mount surveillance on all 14 members of the
Olympic Park Legacy Company Board during their failed bid for the stadium.
West Ham's action is against accountant PKF and its partner Howard Hill. The
club believe that PKF sub-contracted the surveillance work to a third-party
company. The action is intended to reveal the identity of those responsible.
Last week a 29-year-old man was arrested and bailed on suspicion of fraud.
PKF denied any wrongdoing.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tribute to the West Ham United legend Ernie Gregory as he turns 90
Newham Recorder
by Trevor Smith
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
6:30 PM
Ernie Gregory has turned 90. Not perhaps a name to ring a bell with a many
these days. West Ham United followers of my vintage, however, will recall
what a steadfast guardian of the Hammers' goal Ernie was and how he went on
serving the club in various capacities until he was past 70. But this isn't
just about Ernie's footballing talents, enough though they were to have
Arsenal vainly trying to lure him there one time. With West Ham part of my
Recorder job, I got to hear a good few stories concerning a man whose
friendship became a valued spin-off of work. Ernie finished up working with
no fewer than six West Ham managers –Charlie Paynter, Ted Fenton, Ron
Greenwood, John Lyall, Lou Macari and Billy Bonds. No mean achievement at a
club noted for keeping faith with their managers. Paynter, who rivalled
Ernie's length of service and also topped 90, was the one to give a
ground-staff job to the gangling youngster whose displays in district
schools football the club had noted. Charlie once told me about the day he
signed the lad from the Carpenters Road neighbourhood. It had me chuckling.
Proud neighbours
Charlie, as was typical of him, went in person to Ernie's home. Hearing why
he was there, Ernie's mum said she thought it ever so nice, but it wasn't
possible. An alarmed Charlie feared a rival club had beaten him to it –
until Mrs Gregory explained that Ernie would soon be leaving school and must
go to work and earn some money, so he'd not be playing football much any
more. Charlie assured her that Ernie would be doing both on the ground
staff. Ernie once told me what a stir his being taken on West Ham's ground
staff had created in his street. So proud were all the neighbours, they had
a collection and bought Ernie a pair of shin pads to start his career with..
The lanky schoolboy filled out into a big, deceptively agile man, number two
at West Ham to Harry Medhurst in a career fragmented early on by wartime
Army service.
When Medhurst moved to Chelsea soon after the war, Ernie took over and soon
earned a reputation for solid goalkeeping. That doubtless owed something to
a routine he'd developed to hone his game which I heard about long after
from Charlie, not Ernie himself. After home games, once the crowd had gone
Ernie got Charlie out on the pitch with him and together they analysed any
goal the opposition had scored on the day, discussing what more Ernie could
have done to stop it. Sometimes they got so engrossed, an anxious-to-lock-up
groundsman would be jangling keys on the touchline.
Over the years, Ernie was a father figure to young clubmates, some of whom
gave him enough to put up with at times. I once ran across a pair of them
gleefully slipping gravel into a hubcap on Ernie's car parked on the club
forecourt. They planned to cadge a lift and then scare Ernie by asking what
the funny noise was his motor was making. The beggars reported that it
worked a treat! Though a stroke some while back has robbed Ernie of speech.
a while after he retired as a player I asked Ernie if he'd ever thought
about doing a book? "Who remembers Ernie Gregory now?" he answered.
The old lad would, I'm sure, be bucked by just how many today still fondly
do. One behalf of them all, congratulations, Ernie! Get better soon.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gills boss nudges Nouble to stay
Tuesday 15th November 2011 13:56
TeamTalk
Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler hopes to convince striker Frank Nouble
to extend his loan spell with the club. Nouble, who has struck four times in
10 starts since joining in September, is due to return to parent club West
Ham after the Gills' trip to Aldershot on Saturday. But Hessenthaler is keen
for the 20-year-old to remain at Priestfield having already spoken about
that very prospect with his former assistant Ian Hendon who is now the
Hammers' development coach. "I need to sit down with Frank and see what he
wants to do because I only want to do it if the player wants to do it,"
Hessenthaler told Kent News. "I need to speak to the chairman as well and I
think we'll have a decision by Thursday. I had a quiet chat with Frank on
Monday and he seemed quite keen, so we'll see what West Ham are saying as
well, Ian didn't think it would be a problem. "Frank's definitely made an
impact, he's a different type of player with power and pace. He'll create
something in that final third, i always feel when he gets the ball there
something might happen. I've been really pleased with him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers bid to land Squillaci
November 15, 2011
ESPN
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
West Ham United have made an audacious bid to sign Arsenal's central
defender Sebastien Squillaci having failed in a loan move for Manchester
City's Nedum Onuoha.
Hammers manager Sam Allardyce is scouring the Premier League for a defender
to sign on loan because of his injury crisis at the back. Arsene Wenger is
ready to sell Squillaci, and has been since the summer, but if Arsenal loan
him out now to the Hammers, it would wreck any chance of a sale in January
to any club other than the Hammers. FIFA rules stipulate that a player can
only be registered with two teams in a season. West Ham need cover while
Winston Reid recovers from a dislocated shoulder, but Onuoha rejected a move
that City might have sanctioned, while Arsenal are opposed to a loan move
across London for Squillaci. The Hammers would consider buying Squillaci out
right in January if a loan could go through now, but that is highly unlikely
as the Frenchman's £40,000-a-week wages make a permanent deal prohibitive.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Powell's extra training leads to loan move
Posted on: Tue 15 Nov 2011
Cafc.co.uk
Gary Haines reports
As a young winger at West Ham United, Hogan Ephraim would regularly pit his
wits against Chris Powell when the veteran defender stayed behind for extra
training.
And the duo have been reunited across the capital after the 23-year-old
sealed a loan switch from Queens Park Rangers until January 3rd. Charlton
manager Powell, and his assistant Alex Dyer, were the main attraction when
Ephraim made his decision regarding the move, and the newcomer is relishing
his new challenge. "I know the manager and I played with him at West Ham,
where Alex Dyer was as well," said Hogan. "I need to get back to my best and
I know the training under them will be first class, and it's just confirmed
it was the right decision because the training so far is different class.
"The first session I had was the best training session I've had since left
West Ham - it was that good. I felt I made the right decision and I'm
looking forward to it."
Having played a big part in getting Rangers promoted back to the Premier
League last season, Ephraim admitted a sense of disappointment at not being
able to showcase his talents at the highest levels. A second-half substitute
outing at Everton is his only league appearance this season, and his second
- and final - outing of the campaign came in a Carling Cup clash against
Rochdale. "I wasn't named in the 25-man squad at the end of the August
transfer window, so I knew I had to get myself out on loan," he said. "A few
things arose in the meantime. Some sounded good but couldn't go through for
different reasons, and then others were not to my fancy. "I didn't just want
to go anywhere to play football - that was the important thing. "A lot of
people have said to me 'why haven't you gone to the Championship?' There
were only a handful of clubs in the Championship that I would have liked to
go to. "When I spoke my agent the other day, I said to him 'how about
Charlton?'"
The rest, as they say, is history, and Ephraim is looking forward to playing
a part in an exciting new era in SE7. "Everyone knows the club is on fire at
the moment. They are top of the league, scoring a lot of goals and playing
well," he said. "The main thing for me was the staff at the club. Alex Dyer
and Chris Powell were the main attraction. "I know with those two that they
wouldn't expect anything other than the best. You know you will get the best
training, the best preparation for games, and it's something I look forward
to. "They will get the best out of me and that's the reason I made this
move. I know they will get the best out of me."
On fitting into the mould of hungry young players amid the Powell
revolution, Hogan was happy to get on board, adding: "They have brought in a
lot of young exciting players. You can see that. The energy levels in the
team and the vibrancy around the club - it's all paying off. "The boys are
on fire. I was watching Sky Sports News the other day when I was at home
twiddling my thumbs on a Saturday afternoon, and they were 4-0 up at
half-time and I was thinking 'wow'. "Preston are not a bad team, and to be
4-0 up against them at half-time shows how well Charlton are doing. "It's
something that definitely caught my eye, and hopefully we can keep that
going. "It's a long old season and you need to have a good period over
Christmas. Every team that goes on to push for promotion has a good
Christmas period, and I think that will be important for us."
Ephraim played just a handful of minutes for West Ham after coming off the
fabled Upton Park production line, and had spells on loan at Colchester
United and Leeds United before signing permanently for Rangers in January
2008 following an initial loan move in West London. "The players have helped
me settle straight away," he said. "The spirit is high because of how well
the club is doing, and they've made me very welcome, and I appreciate that.
"I've been out on loan before at Leeds and Colchester, and obviously had to
go to QPR as well, which was a new club for me. "When you go to clubs you
have to get your head down. The boys do make you feel welcome, though, and
they did that. I know Johnnie Jackson, whom I played with at Colchester, and
I know Bradley Wright-Phillips and Jason Euell as well, so it was good to
see a few familiar faces."
And as seamless a transition as moving across London was, Ephraim admitted
it wasn't the definitive factor in his local switch. "That wasn't a factor
at all, to be honest," he admitted. "Three or four weeks ago I was very
close to moving up north, and I would have happily have gone there. "It
wasn't a question of location; the main thing for me was the manager and
Alex Dyer. "I've got to also say training with Damian Matthew and the boys
was very good, too - it was all good. "It just feels right. First
impressions are a very important thing, and I got a very good first
impression."
The Archway-born attacker did admit a sense of regret about his lack of
action in the top flight this season for his parent club, and is keen to
make up those extra few yards that regular match action will provide. "After
working so hard to get there, you want to stay there," said Hogan, who
scored three times in 28 outings in last season's Championship-winning
campaign. "It came as a bit if a surprise, but the manager had a decision to
make and he made it. I had to respect that and now I just have to get on
with my football at Charlton. "I've been playing in reserve games but that's
nothing compared to first-team games," he continued at the end of last week.
"My general fitness is good. Maybe in the first yard or two, I'm not feeling
as sharp, certainly in the last few weeks because there hasn't been much to
do.
"But training today felt perfect. It was a high intensity session, so I feel
I'll be fine by the time Brentford comes along. I've no doubts about that."
So what can fans expect from the new signing? "I feel my best position is
behind the front man, but a lot of teams don't play the formation to
accommodate that," he said. "I mainly play wide left. I'm not a massive
lover of playing on the right, but I can play there as well. The left is my
favourite position, though, and I like to create opportunities. "Hopefully,
with the way Bradley is going, I might be able to help him and others to
score - and hopefully I can get on the scoresheet, as well. "I think it's
important for midfielders and attacking players to contribute with goals and
assists; it's what you are based on. "That's what I will be looking to do -
get some goals, get some assists and hope to add to that great start to the
season."
Despite his incredibly short stay in SE London so ar, Ephraim sees plenty of
similarities between the Addicks and the club that honed his talents, West
Ham. "It's a very good club and it's well run," he said. "It's a family club
and it's a nice environment. "Coming here reminds me a lot of when I was at
West Ham. "I've played at the stadium, which is fantastic, and there are
great facilities here. "But what we do know is that other teams will come
here and raise their games. "For me, The Valley is the best stadium in the
league and we are the best team at the minute. "Teams will come and it will
be their cup final. Hopefully, our fans can make it an intimidating
atmosphere for away teams to play in and we can keep getting results."
Ephraim watched Sunday's game at FC Halifax Town on television, and said: "I
was keen to see the boys play and also watch their style of play as well.
"It's always nice for clubs and for fans to have a nice little run in the
cup. Hopefully, we can do that this year." Looking beyond January to a
potential permanent move, Hogan said: "I'm just concentrating on having a
great time up until January, and we will see what happens after then.
"There's obviously three points of view to take into perspective - mine,
Charlton's and QPR's, so we will see how things go. "The most important
thing for me right now is to enjoy the football. "I'm enjoyed training like
I haven't for a long time. I had a smile on my face and that bought the best
out of me today. "Hopefully, that will continue for the next six or seven
weeks and we can all have smiles on our faces. The club is going well and I
hope to contribute to that and play a big part."
Finally, it would be remiss not to reflect on those afternoon training
battles between the young upstart and the wily old campaigner. Hogan
recalled: "Alan Pardew was the manager at the time, and I was 16 or 17 and
training with the first team almost every day at that stage. "They used to
keep me behind after training to go one-on-one against Chris because he
wanted to do some extra defending work. "That showed me a lot. He was a
former England international and he was 35 or 36 at that time, yet was still
staying behind after training and wanting to improve when a lot of people
would say you are at back end of your career. "That showed a lot of
dedication for me and that showed he was always striving for the best. When
I saw him today, it was just the same."
And the biggest question of all - who came out on top? "Seeing as he is now
my new manager, I'd best say he put me in my place," smiled the winger.
"I'll tell you the real story later on."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Posts
