WHUFC.com
All the action as it happened as Alex Dyer's reserves drew 1-1 with Fulham
at Motspur Park
03.11.2009
Barclays Premier Reserve League South
Fulham v West Ham United
Motspur Park
Tuesday 3 November 2009
7pm
Full time. It is all over at Motspur Park and that late goal will make the
result feel all the more satisfying for West Ham. It was nothing less than
they deserved after an energetic 90 minutes against a vastly more
experienced Fulham side.
93 min - The Hammers are running right until the end here and some good
pressing from Abdulla so nearly forces Stockdale into a mistake. Luckily for
the home side Kearns cannot quite get it under control.
92 min - Stech does well to come and claim it and the danger is cleared.
91 min - As good as that goal was, Fulham are not finished yet and they have
forced a late corner. We will have three minutes of added time.
90 min - GOAL! But they do not take it. Instead a brilliant break away sees
Abdulla play in Montano down the right. He looks up and plays a perfect
cross straight onto the head of the on-rushing Ferrari, who powers it into
the top corner. Brilliant goal!
89 min - Fulham win a free-kick 30 yards out. Eyjolfsson goes into the book
for the challenge and the home side have a chance to put the game to bed.
85 min - A brilliant move from the visitors puts Montano in one-on-one with
Stockdale but the Fulham goalkeeper makes himself big and blocks the ball
out.
84 min - Final change for the Hammers sees Tony Brookes come on for Dixon,
who has had some real moments of class tonight. Brookes slots in at right
back, with Ferrari moving to the left of midfield.
80 min - Great defending from Brown as he tracks back to get a last-ditch
tackle in on Johnson, just as he was about to pull the trigger.
77 min - Fulham head clear but the ball is straight back with West Ham. Can
they turn this dominance into a goal?
76 min - It is all West Ham at the moment and a good run and shot from
Montano is deflected just wide.
75 min - He cannot and Abdulla comes on to replace him.
74 min - We have a break in play now as Nouble is down and receiving
treatment. It does not look like he can carry on.
70 min - Kearns takes it but once again it is a Fulham head that clears the
ball. Then, as Fulham break away, Edgar catches Briggs from behind and is
booked.
69 min - Superb crossfield pass from Wearen to pick out Montano on the left.
His cross is blocked and West Ham win a corner.
66 min - Montano has gone straight over to the left-hand side so it looks
like it is a straight swap.
65 min - It will be a change and Grasser comes off for Montano.
64 min - It looks like Dyer will follow suit as Montano is getting stripped
and ready.
63 min - The home side make the game's first change as goalscorer Davies
makes way for Luca Moscatiello.
62 min - The Hammers look to make their extra man count straight away and
Edgar's cross is just cut out before it reaches Dixon.
61 min - It is getting a bit tasty on the pitch as Kearns is booked for a
late tackle on Joe Anderson.
59 min - Some good news for West Ham as Saunders is sent off for a dangerous
tackle on Grasser.
57 min - Fulham have started really well this half, though, and Eyjolfsson
and Daprela combine to make a vital tackle on Johnson.
55 min - That goal is hard on the Hammers, who had looked really bright
first half. Nouble has just chased down a weak backpass and very nearly
gets his reward, only for Stockdale just get there first.
53 min - Fantastic save from Stech as he dives to his left to keep out a
header from Kallio. It actually would not have counted anyway as the
assistant on the far side had his flag up.
51 min - GOAL! The home side take the lead with the first chance of the
half. After a shot from the right-hand side of the area had forced Stech
into a diving save, the ball fell to Davies eight yards out and he drilled
it into an empty net.
49 min - Not much to report so far from this half yet so I'll tell you about
the crowd here. There are certainly a few Hammers among the two or three
hundred inside Motspur Park. Ludo Miklosko is also here watching tonight,
which is good to see.
47 min - No changes from either team it looks like at the break so it is as
you were.
46 min - Dixon and Nouble get the second period underway.
Half time - Good half from the Hammers as the two teams go in all square.
45 min - We will have one minute of added time at the end of the half.
43 min - Well they must still be careful at the back as Johnson flashes a
shot inches wide. That was so close I think Stech had given up trying to
reach it.
41 min - Good pressing from first Kearns and the Nouble and Dixon force
Marsh-Brown into giving away a throw-in deep in his own half. West Ham are
really up for this tonight.
39 min - After losing their last two games, Dyer may have been worried when
he saw the Fulham team but his youngsters have done themselves proud this
half and have looked the brighter. He should be a happy man in the dressing
room if it stays like this for the next six minutes.
38 min - Good pressure from the Hammers here as they win two quick corners.
Kearns takes the second one and after a flick on at the near post the ball
somehow eludes everyone.
36 min - But the cards do not stay in his pocket for long as a neat move
forward from the Hammers forces Marsh-Brown to bring down Edgar in full
flow. He is booked, Kearns flights the free-kick in but Fulham clear.
34 min - Our referee tonight, Mr Davies, has a word with Eyjolfsson after he
catches Ki-Hyeon in the centre circle. He opts to keep his cards in his
pocket for now though.
33 min - Dyer has sent his subs out to warm up. Andrea Zola, Cristian
Montano and Ahmed Abdulla are doing their stretching.
29 min - Fulham win a corner off Ferrari and nearly take the lead as Matthew
Briggs climbs higher than anyone. Thankfully the central defender puts his
effort well over.
26 min - Johnson goes close again as he turns Eyjolfsson and curls a shot
inches wide of the far post. That was close.
24 min - Well just to prove my point they have another effort from the edge
of the area but, once again, it is straight at Stech. West Ham do need to be
careful as sooner or later someone will connect with one of these.
23 min - Alex Dyer is out of his seat and shouting out some orders to his
team. There is not too much wrong out there at the moment as they have
limited the home to just long-range shots thus far.
17 min - Safe hands from Marek Stech as Matthew Saunders has a shot from 25
yards. It was straight at the 'keeper but he had to keep his eyes on that.
16 min - Superb play from Dixon as he chips a ball in for Nouble. The
18-year-old goes round the goalkeeper but cannot quite get his angles right
as the ball goes wide. This has been a good start from the Hammers.
15 min - More good defending from Daprela as he out-paces Johnson and clears
the ball to safety.
13 min - West Ham have their first shot on goal as Davide Ferrari tries his
luck from distance. The ball goes bout five yards wide of the target,
though.
12 min - Nice link up play between Nouble and Dixon puts the latter away. He
tries a backheel back to his strike partner but a Fulham foot just gets in
the way.
9 min - The Hammers are enjoying a good spell of pressure now and certainly
do not seem to be overawed by their more experienced opponents. Edgar does
well to sidestep his marker there.
8 min - Lovely ball from Grasser sends Dixon racing into space. He does well
to force a corner off his marker. Grasser takes it but Kallio heads clear.
5 min - The game has set off at quite a tempo with Fulham pushing from the
start. Daprela and Jordan Brown have both had to be on their toes to keep
the home side at bay in the opening five minutes.
3 min - Dyer usually tries to mirror the first team's tactics to give his
players the right experience and tonight looks no different. It appears they
have set out with a 4-4-2 diamond formation with Wearen holding, Georg
Grasser on the left, Danny Kearns on the right and Edgar at the point.
2 min - I think you can tell we are in November now as there is a certain
chill in the air. Some of the players have opted for gloves to try to
counter it.
1 min - Off we go at Motspur Park.
6.59pm - This will be Dixon's first competitive start for West Ham since
joining. The striker scored his first goal in claret and blue in the 2-2
draw with Polish side Arka last week.
6.57pm - I have just checked with the coaches and can confirm that
Eyjolfsson will wear the armband tonight. Let us hope he can give the same
kind of presence N'Gala used to when he was captain.
6.55pm - Both sets of players have left the field now as we get into the
final countdown before kick-off.
6.50pm - The teamsheets have arrived and we know the starting XIs for both
teams. West Ham United partner Fabio Daprela alongside Eyjolfsson in central
defence, while further forward Terry Dixon will play alongside Frank Nouble
in attack.
The hosts have plenty of experience in their side with a host of
internationals throughout. Defender Toni Kallio has played for Finland,
midfielder Simon Davies has played for Wales, while in attack Seol Ki-Hyeon
and Eddie Johnson have represented Korea and the United States respectively.
6.40pm - One player we definitely will not be seeing is Bondz N'Gala, who
has joined Scunthorpe United on loan. That means Alex Dyer will have to pick
a new skipper for tonight. Again, once that is confirmed I will let you
know.
Welcome to Motspur Park for this evening's reserve match between Fulham and
West Ham United.
We are still awaiting final confirmation of the two teams, but looking at
the players warming up it will be another young West Ham United side on
show. Holmar Eyjolfsson and Anthony Edgar are both out on the pitch so we
could be seeing them make their first appearances since returning from loan.
I will, of course, bring the line-ups as soon as we have them.
West Ham United: Stech, Ferrari, Eyjolfsson, Daprela, Brown, Wearen, Kearns,
Grasser (Montano 65), Edgar, Nouble (Abdulla 75), Dixon (Brookes 84)
Subs: Street, Zola
Fulham: Stockdale, Marsh-Brown, Anderson, Briggs, Kallio, Saunders, Davies
(Moscatiello 63), Dikgacoi, Elm, Johnson, Ki-Hyeon
Subs: Foderingham, Hoesen, Smith, Uwezu
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Villa visit fires Clarke
WHUFC.com
Aston Villa arrive at the Boleyn Ground on Wednesday night with Steve Clarke
more than optimistic
03.11.2009
Steve Clarke has said he has no doubt the club will return to winning ways
soon and described Wednesday night's visit of Aston Villa as a "terrific
chance". Focusing on the positives of recent weeks, including two 2-2-
draws, albeit in differing circumstances, at home to Arsenal and away to
Sunderland, Clarke believed the positive signs were there for all to see. He
also confirmed that Valon Behrami should be fit for selection while Scott
Parker is likely to be the only change in the 18 as a replacement for the
suspended Radoslav Kovac. "We are going to win matches, I promise you. I
really mean that," Clarke said. "It is important to win quickly, it is not
imperative because we still have 28 matches to play for I think that is 84
points. It is a lot of points. There is a long way to go. "It is important
that we get a win sooner rather than later so obviously Wednesday night is a
terrific chance for us. Recent performances have been up and down. A lot of
good as well as some things that are not so good. "We are optimistic and we
are positive. It will be a terrific game. Aston Villa are in a good run of
form and we know they have possibilities at the top end of the table so we
look forward to it."
Clarke admitted to concern at not being able to convert winning positions
such as in that draw at the Stadium of Light at the weekend or the visit of
Fulham last month. He said confidence played a part "We are lacking the
finishing touch to turn a difficult game into a win. That is what we are
missing just now. We need to do that. How we do it will be determined by the
circumstances of a particular match but it will happen. "If you are in front
and you can't see the game out it is very disappointing. Sunderland is a
game we should have got three points from. We didn't, we have to take that
on the chin. "The previous week we had done fantastically to come back from
a two-nil deficit [against Arsenal]. There are good things and bad things
and they are all mixed in together just now. What we need is to put all the
good things together and get the win we need."
He also voiced his support for Herita Ilunga, who took criticism from some
quarters for his fall upon being pushed over by Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones
on Saturday. "I find it incredible that the player who was the victim is the
person that everybody is talking about. You have to correct me, tell me what
Ilunga did wrong? "Someone pushed him in the face. He has just recently
recovered from a triple fracture to the jaw … if people are going to have a
go at our players then I am going to have a go back."
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Aston Villa match preview
WHUFC.com
All of the early team news and stats ahead of Wednesday's Premier League
match at the Boleyn Ground
03.11.2009
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United v Aston Villa
Boleyn Ground
Wednesday 4 November 2009
7.45pm
Referee: Steve Bennett
WHUTV - LIVE AUDIO COMMENTARY
• West Ham United welcome Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa to the Boleyn Ground
for their fifth home game of the season. After drawing both of their last
two home games with Arsenal and Fulham 2-2, Gianfranco Zola's side will be
looking to go one better against their visitors and secure their first home
maximum of the season.
• The Hammers have only lost once in their last ten games at home to Villa,
but that single defeat came last season when James Milner's deflected cross
won the game for the visitors. However, they have not beaten the Midlanders
for eight games - a run stretching back to September 2004.
• At the return game at Vila Park in April, Diego Tristan's header earned a
1-1 draw.
• Aston Villa have impressed on their travels so far this season. From the
five games they have contested, they have lost just once, with two wins and
two draws. They are unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions.
• The game was originally scheduled for the first week of the season, but
Aston Villa's UEFA Europa League commitments meant it had to be rescheduled.
• West Ham go into the weekend 19th in the Barclays Premier League table,
having collected seven points from nine matches. Their guests on Wednesday
are eleven points and 12 places above.
• This is the 89th league meeting between the two sides. West Ham have won
31, Aston Villa have won 30 and there have been 27 draws.
Last time out
Saturday 31 October 2009
Barclays Premier League
Sunderland v West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Spector, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami (Diamanti
67), Kovac, Noble, Collison, Franco (Hines 72), Cole
Subs not used: Kurucz, Faubert, Gabbidon, Jimenez, Stanislas
Goals: Franco (30), Cole (36).
Sent off: Kovac (87)
Saturday 31 October 2009
Barclays Premier League
Everton v Aston Villa
Aston Villa: Friedel, Warnock, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Sidwell, Milner
(Carew, 45), Ashley Young, Petrov (Reo-Coker 89), Heskey, Agbonlahor
Subs not used: Luke Young, Guzan, Delph, Shorey, Beye
Goal: Carew (46)
Sent off: Cuellar (90)
Last meeting
The teams last met in April this year when Tristan's diving header cancelled
out Emile Heskey's eleventh-minute opener. The teams that day were:
Aston Villa: Friedel, Luke Young, Davies, Cuellar, Shorey, Milner (Gardner
81), Petrov, Barry, Ashley Young, Heskey (Delfouneso 71), Carew
Subs not used: Guzan, Sidwell, Knight, Salifou, Reo-Coker
Goal: Heskey (11)
West Ham United: Green, Tomkins, Upson, Collins (Dyer 33), Ilunga, Neill,
Boa Morte, Stanislas (Savio 74), Noble, Di Michele (Sears 81), Tristan
Subs not used: Lastuvka, Lopez, Payne, Hines
Goal: Tristan (85)
Head to head
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
18 April 2009 - Aston Vila 1-1 West Ham United
20 December 2008 - West Ham United 0-1 Aston Villa
11 May 2008 - West Ham United 2-2 Aston Villa
6 October 2007 - Aston Villa 1-0 West Ham United
3 February 2007 - Aston Villa 1-0 West Ham United
10 September 2006 - West Ham United 1-1 Aston Villa
Overall record v Aston Villa (all competitions) W 36 D 29 L 34
Next up
West Ham United have another home match on Sunday as they play host to
Everton. Villa, meanwhile, play host to Bolton Wanderers the previous day.
Referee
• Wednesday's referee is Steve Bennett.
• Steve Bennett is 48 and has been a Premier League referee since 1999.
Bennett began refereeing in 1984 before graduating to the Football League in
1995. He was appointed as an official FIFA referee in 2001 before retiring
in 2006 at the compulsory age of 45.
• Bennett took charge of the 2005 League Cup final at the Millennium Stadium
between Chelsea and Liverpool and the 2007 FA Cup final between Chelsea and
Manchester United.
• This will be his first West Ham United game of the season.
West Ham United
• West Ham United have not beaten Aston Villa in eight attempts since a
Marlon Harewood hat-trick helped them to a 4-0 win at the Boleyn Ground in
September 2005.
• However, the 1-0 defeat in the corresponding game last season was the
first home league loss to Villa in ten matches. Their previous defeat was 4
December 1996, when Villa ran out 4-1 winners.
• Six players - Guille Franco, Junior Stanislas, Mark Noble, Matthew Upson
(two), Alessandro Diamanti (two) and Carlton Cole (six) have got on the
league scoresheet for the Hammers so far this season.
• Carlton Cole is the Hammers' leading scorer with six Premier League goals
- just four short of the tally he managed in the whole of the 2008/09
campaign. However, he has still never scored two goals in a game for West
Ham.
• Robert Green has played 98 consecutive Barclays Premier League games. All
being well, he will reach his unbroken century when Everton visit the Boleyn
Ground on Sunday.
• West Ham United's record win at home to Villa came on 30 August.1958, when
they recorded a 7-2 victory.
• In 1931, the sides shared a 5-5 draw in an all-time classic game.
Aston Villa
• Aston Villa are without a win in three matches after three draws, but they
managed to beat Chelsea in the game straight before that.
• They are also unbeaten in five matches since they left Blackburn Rovers
with a 2-1 defeat on 26 September.
• Should they win on Wednesday, it would be their 50th win under Martin
O'Neill. It would also be their 100th away win in the Premier League.
• Gabriel Agbonlahor leads the goalscoring charts for Villa, with six league
goals.
• Aston Villa's biggest win at the Boleyn Ground came in November 1995, when
they left east London with a 4-1 win.
Team news
• Gianfranco Zola will be without Kieron Dyer because of a hamstring injury
and Radoslav Kovac through suspension for Wednesday's game.
• Scott Parker is expected to return in Kovac's place after he served a
one-match suspension against Sunderland.
• Valon Behrami is expected to be fit after he was substituted at the
Stadium of Light with a slight calf strain.
• Long-term absentee Luis Boa Morte (knee) has been back as steps up his
rehab, although he is some months off a comeback. Dean Ashton (ankle) and
Calum Davenport (leg) remain long-term absentees with no date set for their
return.
• Aston Villa could be without Stiliyan Petrov and James Milner, who have
shin and calf problems respectively, so former Hammer Nigel Reo-Coker and
Fabian Delph are standing by as possible replacements.
• Luke Young or Habib Beye are expected to replace the suspended Cuellar at
right-back.
• Definitely out are Craig Gardner, Stuart Downing and Curtis Davies, who
are all injured.
Old boys
• James Collins will be facing West Ham United for the first time since
leaving the Boleyn Ground in the summer. The central defender left swapped
London for Birmingham on 1 September for an disclosed fee after making 65
appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals.
• Carlton Cole will be playing against the team where he spent the 2004/05
season on loan. Cole scored three goals in 30 league and cup appearances (20
starts) for Villa.
• Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker spent three-and-a-half seasons at
West Ham. The former MK Dons player made 142 appearances for the Hammers,
scoring eleven goals, before making the switch to Villa in the summer of
2007 for a £7.5m fee.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Billy Askew,
Alan Curbishley, Mervyn Day, Marlon Harewood, Ray Houghton, David James,
Fred Norris, Tony Scott, Les Sealey, Nolberto Solano, Tommy Southren, David
Unsworth and Phil Woosnam.
General information
• For ticket information, click here.
• Saturday's weather forecast is for a cloudy evening, where temperatures
could drop to 6C
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'West Ham pals' remembered
WHUFC.com
A plaque will be unveiled at the Boleyn Ground on Sunday morning in memory
of a special band of soldiers
03.11.2009
On Sunday the memories of a unique group of soldiers will be honoured with
the unveiling of a special plaque at the Boleyn Ground at 10.55am.
Raised by the Mayor of the Borough in 1914, the 13th Battalion (West Ham) of
the Essex Regiment bravely fought alongside hundreds of thousands of
courageous young men in the First World War. Volunteers from all over east
London answered the call of their nation - ordinary men aged between 21 and
40 - leaving their families, jobs and their favourite football club, West
Ham United, behind to fight for their country.
On Sunday, Remembrance Sunday, Sir Trevor Brooking will join descendants
from that special Battalion, members of the Royal Anglian Regiment, the
Royal British Legion and modern-day supporters of West Ham United at the
West Stand main entrance to mark the tremendous efforts of those men in
keeping the nation safe.
The original 13th Essex King's Colours will be paraded, while the Last Post
will be played by the last line of the Essex Regiment, the men of C (Essex)
Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment, with the 2nd Newham Scouts
forming the Honour Guard.
At 11am, two minutes of silence will be held to honour those who never came
home to the east end. There will also be a minute's silence before the match
against Everton that afternoon, with the players then wearing shirts
featuring embroidered poppies.
A special website has been set up to allow descendants and supporters to
find out more about the extraordinary efforts of the 'West Ham pals'.
The blog - http://westhampals.blogspot.com - features photographs, stories
and a wealth of information about the brave men who risked their lives for
their country, many paying the ultimate sacrifice.
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West Ham v Aston Villa
BBC.co.uk
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Premier League
Venue: Upton Park Date: Wednesday, 4 November 2009 Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Sport
website, BBC Radio 5 Live & local radio
TEAM NEWS
West Ham midfielder Radoslav Kovac is suspended following his recent sending
off against Sunderland. Kieron Dyer remains on the sidelines with a
hamstring problem.
Aston Villa could be without Stiliyan Petrov (shin) and James Milner (calf),
so Nigel Reo-Coker and Fabian Delph are standing by to replace them. Craig
Gardner is out with a groin injury, while Luke Young or Habib Beye will
replace the suspended Carlos Cuellar at right-back.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
West Ham
Suspended: Kovac (one match)
Injured: Ashton (ankle), Boa Morte (knee), Davenport (leg), Dyer (hamstring)
Aston Villa
Suspended: Cuellar (one match) Doubtful: Petrov (shin), Milner (calf)
Injured: Davies (shoulder), Downing (foot), Gardner (groin)
MATCH PREVIEW
West Ham are struggling, but former Aston Villa loanee Carlton Cole is proof
that dramatic changes of fortune are possible.
"I am not anxious about the current situation
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola
The in-form striker spent a year at Villa Park five seasons ago, and
struggled for fitness and form during a tough part of his career that later
saw him endure a difficult period at West Ham.
Now he faces Villa having already netted six goals this term - double the
number he scored during his entire season in the Midlands. He also has six
England caps and a realistic chance of being at next year's World Cup.
It has been a remarkable turnaround, and the Hammers could do with one of
those following their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Gianfranco Zola's side are one off the bottom of the table and in desperate
need of a victory.
Villa, on the other hand, have been making steady progress this season and
are unbeaten in their last four league matches. A victory at Upton Park
would be the club's 50th Premier League win under Martin O'Neill.
Manager O'Neill's squad includes two players he signed from West Ham. Nigel
Reo-Coker had a rocky relationship with the Hammers faithful before being
sold in 2007, while centre-back James Collins is set to face his former side
for the first time since leaving Upton Park in the summer.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• West Ham lost at home to Villa for the first time in 10 games last season.
Seven of those 10 league matches have been drawn.
• Villa are unbeaten in their last six meetings with West Ham (W3, D3). All
three wins were by a 1-0 scoreline.
• West Ham are looking for their first win in nine matches.
Aston Villa
• Villa are unbeaten in their last four matches, but have drawn three of
them.
• A win would be Villa's 100th away victory in the Premier League.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
West Ham
Cole: 6 goals (6 league); Stanislas: 3 goals (1 league)
Aston Villa
Agbonlahor: 6 goals (5 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Steve Bennett
Assistant referees: Michael Murphy & Simon Long
Fourth official: Peter Walton
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
West Ham (D2-2 v Sunderland, a): Green; Spector, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga,
Behrami (Diamanti 67), Noble, Kovac, Collison, Franco (Hines 72), Cole. Subs
not used: Kurucz, Gabbidon, Jimenez, Faubert, Stanislas.
Aston Villa (D1-1 v Everton, a): Friedel; Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock,
Milner (Carew 46), Petrov (Reo-Coker 90), Sidwell, A Young, Heskey,
Agbonlahor. Subs not used: Guzan, L Young, Delph, Shorey, Beye.
MOST RECENT MEETING
Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham (18 April 2009)
Aston Villa scorer: Heskey 11.
West Ham scorer: Tristan 85.
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Curbs set to win millions
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
By: Staff Writer
Former West Ham manager Alan Curbishley has won his case for wrongful
dismissal. Curbishley - who walked out on the club in September 2008 after
claiming that the board has sanctioned the sale of key players against his
wishes - told the court how he was undermined by the decision to sell squad
members such as George McCartney and Anton Ferdinand. The court agreed that
sole authority over player sales should have been Curbishley's - and in
agreeing found against West Ham United who now stand to face a bill of
several million pounds in damages. Curbishley, talking on
http://www.leaguemanagers.com following the successful outcome of a case
that will leave him several million pounds richer but the club in even more
dire financial straits, said: "I am obviously delighted with this result. I
very much enjoyed my time at West Ham and never wanted to leave, but on
joining the Club I insisted that my contract contained a clause confirming
that I would have final say on the selection of players to be transferred to
and from the Club. "The Club completely ignored my contract when selling
Anton Ferdinand, and when George McCartney was then sold, the Club having
given me assurances that no players would be leaving after the sale of Anton
Ferdinand, I had no alternative but to resign. My authority and integrity
were undermined and my position was made untenable. I now wish to put this
entire matter behind me. I would like to thank the LMA, my lawyers, Mike
Morrison of Hill Dickinson, and Paul Gilroy QC, for all of their support and
for the hard work they put in on my behalf in order to help me achieve this
outcome".
League Managers Association Chief Executive Richard Bevan added: "Naturally
we are delighted with the outcome for Alan but, at the same time, sorry that
he wasn't able to continue at West Ham United, a club that has played such a
prominent part in his professional career both as a player and manager.
"The findings of the Tribunal demonstrate the critical importance of
respecting contracts which need to set out the roles and responsibilities of
the parties in clear and unequivocal terms."
It has also been revealed that West Ham attempted to counter-sue Curbishley
as a result of his walk-out for the costs incurred by hiring a replacement
management team (Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke). That plea was rejected
by the court; West Ham United are yet to comment.
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Clarke blasts Bruce
West Ham assistant launches strong defence of Ilunga
By Steve Pass Last updated: 3rd November 2009
SSN
West Ham first team coach Steve Clarke has strongly hit back at Sunderland
boss Steve Bruce in the wake of Kenwyne Jones' sending-off. Jones received a
straight red card in Saturday's 2-2 draw between the teams at the Stadium of
Light for reacting angrily to a challenge from Herita Ilunga. The big
striker shoved the West Ham full-back to the ground, leaving referee Andre
Marriner no option but to hand him his marching orders. Afterwards Bruce was
disappointed with Ilunga's reaction, questioning 'why does he need to roll
around like that?' but Clarke strongly defended his player, believing the
Black Cats boss should have kept his opinions to himself. Clarke also
questioned the antics of Sunderland captain Lorik Cana on the pitch. He told
Sky Sports News: "First of all, I think it was wrong of Steve Bruce to
comment on our players - we have a manager who doesn't speak about any other
teams' players, so I think that was wrong. "He said what he said - I find it
incredible that the player who was the victim is the person that everybody
is talking about. "You have to correct me - tell me what Ilunga did wrong?
Someone pushed him in the face, he's just recently recovered from a triple
fracture to the jaw, maybe he thought there was a punch coming. "I find it
incredible that we're sitting here speaking about our player who was the
victim, this is wrong. It's completely wrong."
He insisted there was no over-reaction from Ilunga, adding the player had to
protect himself. "He's a big boy Kenwyne Jones, he's a very big boy. He had
to look after himself," said Clarke. "I find it incredible that he (Bruce)
gets so much time, so much airtime if he wants to speak about people from
the opposition. "I also find it incredible that the Sunderland captain
wasn't sent-off - he was booked for a terrible tackle on Mark Noble, he
kicked him up in the back. "He was warned for a ridiculous lunge into the
back of Mark Noble three or four minutes later. "He then committed a
two-footed tackle on Guillermo Franco in the centre circle which the referee
knew he couldn't give as a free-kick as he would have had to send him off.
"And then after that he persistently fouled, another two-footed lunge in the
second-half. "You know it is easy to speak about other teams and other
teams' players. "I don't agree with it but if people are going to have a go
at our players then I'm going to have a go back, I'm sorry."
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Diamanti eager to lift Hammers
Striker confident Zola's men can climb out of drop zone
Last updated: 3rd November 2009
SSN
Striker Alessandro Diamanti is determined to help West Ham climb away from
the Premier League drop zone. Gianfranco Zola's side have slipped to 19th in
the table with their only win of the season coming against Wolves at
Molineux on the opening day back in August. They have the chance to end that
miserable run when Aston Villa visit Upton Park on Wednesday night where
victory would see the East Londoners move out of the bottom three. Diamanti,
who joined the Hammers from Livorno in the summer, is not concerned by their
current plight and has vowed to give his all in their quest to turn things
around. "I'm not worried by the start we've had, just sorry for the fans and
my team-mates," he told the Daily Mail. "Every day we train very hard and we
give everything. The results have not been so good but I am confident we can
do well."
Diamanti is keen to play down inevitable comparisons with Upton Park
favourite Paolo Di Canio, but admits he would be delighted to follow in the
footsteps of his compatriot.
He added: "Di Canio has been a great player. Everybody would like to have
the same career. We share the same way to play football. We both give
everything on the pitch for the team and the fans. "I always play with
passion. I am a passionate man. Not just about the goals but about the
football. I try to put everything on to the field. At the moment, I am very
sorry because I'd like to show more."
Diamanti's two goals so far for the Hammers have come from the penalty spot
- against Liverpool and Arsenal - and he believes he can increase that
tally, particularly as he is learning from Italian striking legend Zola. The
forward's initial impression on arriving in London came as something of a
shock, but he is now managing to acclimatise himself to life in the capital.
He admitted: "I'd never been to London before in my life. I left Livorno on
a sunny day and when I arrived here it was cloudy. But it's OK, it doesn't
rain so much and it's not so cold. "The decision to come was half private
and half a career choice. My wife is an international woman. She comes from
Taiwan and I wanted to make a change in my life and have a different
experience. "Also, I wanted to improve my skills as a player and improve on
the pitch. I'm learning a lot from Gianfranco Zola, he gives me a lot of
advice, especially on free-kicks and shooting. "He was one of the greatest
ever in Italian football and it's a great honour to play for him."
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O'Neill wary of Hammers test
Villa boss prepared for trip to East London
By James Riach Last updated: 3rd November 2009
SSN
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has warned his side to be wary of West
Ham when they clash at Upton Park. Villa travel to East London on Wednesday
knowing a win will put them fourth in the Premier League, while the Hammers
are languishing in 19th with just seven points from 10 games. Gianfranco
Zola's side surrendered a two-goal lead against 10-man Sunderland at the
weekend, but O'Neill insists his Villa side should not underestimate their
opponents. "Am I surprised by the start they have made? I would have
expected them to have more points," he said. "I have seen them quite a few
times this season. I was obviously looking when there was a possibility that
James Collins would be available so I saw them early season. "I might have
seen West Ham four times this season against Tottenham, Blackburn,
Manchester City and Arsenal. "I would think they should have more points on
the board but I thought their fightback against Arsenal was fantastic. "So
back at Upton Park I would expect them to be a really tough test."
O'Neill could recall striker John Carew to the starting line-up after he
came off the bench at Goodison Park to grab Villa's equaliser in the 1-1
draw against Everton last weekend.
It was the Norwegian's first league goal of the season and his manager hopes
he can build on that and add to his tally. "That goal will do John the world
of good," O'Neill added. "I just think getting goals for a centre forward is
brilliant news."
However, O'Neill does have some selection problems for the clash as
right-back Carlos Cuellar is suspended after being sent-off at Everton,
while midfielders Stiliyan Petrov (shin) and James Milner (calf) are doubts.
"Stiliyan is sore. I will give him every opportunity to recover but James is
extremely doubtful," he said. "He was feeling very tight after last week's
Carling Cup tie at Sunderland. It seemed to recur and it was hindering in
the first-half at Everton. "Hopefully with the strength in depth that we
have players can come in and do well. "But being without Stiliyan and James
would be a serious loss to our midfield."
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I hope James Collins has a 'stinker' against former club West Ham, says
Steve Clarke
Published 08:23 04/11/09
By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
West Ham assistant boss Steve Clarke welcomes James Collins back to Upton
Park tonight hoping the defender has a "stinker" against his former
employers. The Wales centre-back left the Hammers for Aston Villa for
£5million on this summer's transfer deadline day. In the three Barclays
Premier League games Collins played for West Ham this season, they kept two
clean sheets - since his departure, the London club have shipped at least
two goals in all but one of their matches. Gianfranco Zola's men find
themselves second from bottom in the division, and Collins and Villa will be
looking to add to the Hammers' woes at Upton Park tonight. Clarke was sad to
see the 26-year-old leave and hopes he does not return to the capital to
haunt his former side. "Circumstances dictated he had to go," Clarke said.
"He left on very good terms with everybody at the club and he's desperate
for us to do well, although I'm sure he'll want to beat us tonight as he's a
professional. "He's gone, we have to move on from it. I think he says
himself he improved during the time myself and Gianfranco have been here.
That's pleasing. "But I hope he has a stinker tonight though, if I'm
honest!" Collins has formed a superb partnership with Richard Dunne at the
heart of the Villa defence as Martin O'Neill's men set about attempting to
break into the top four and the Champions League positions. West Ham's
backline, meanwhile, is as porous as they come, something that is giving
Clarke - the former Scotland and Chelsea full-back - sleepless nights. "We
have conceded 14 goals in the last six games - that's too many and we know
that," he added. "We are working as hard as we can to address that.
Confidence is one of the reasons. If you aren't winning matches, confidence
goes. "You become over-anxious to win, and you can leave yourself a little
bit open."
Scott Parker returns from suspension for West Ham tonight, but Radoslav
Kovac is banned as a result of his sending off against Sunderland last
weekend. The Hammers, without a win since the opening weekend of the season,
drew that game against Sunderland 2-2 on Saturday despite going two goals up
after 36 minutes. Clarke is demanding a victory tonight, adding: "That was a
game we should have got three points from - we didn't and we have to take
that on the chin. "What we need to do is put all the good things together
and get the win that we need."
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James Collins can be one of the best, says Aston Villa manager Martin
O'Neill
It did not say much for James Collins's reputation that when he arrived at
Aston Villa after his £6 million deadline-day move from West Ham, the
central defender was confused with a player of the same name in his new
club's reserves.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Sandy Macaskill
Published: 7:30AM GMT 04 Nov 2009
The Wales international is still experiencing an identity crisis because, by
dint of his ginger hair, fans in the street mistake him for his team-mate,
Steve Sidwell. Thanks to his role in what is so far one of the most
successful defences this season, however, he is gradually gaining the
recognition his manager feels he deserves. Premier League Transfer TalkAnd
Collins returns to Upton Park on Wednesday evening, where he was something
of a squad player, with O'Neill suggesting that he has the attributes to
become one of the best central defenders in the Premier League. "He's been
absolutely terrific," O'Neill said. "All the things I saw in James's game
he's shown fantastically well. "The ability to be composed under pressure,
to play the ball, manoeuvre it, control it, and he really tries to defend to
the best of his ability. He can become one of the best. He has all the
attributes." After Martin Laursen's extended knee problems, and Curtis
Davies's damaged shoulder, it stands to reason that Villa would treat
defenders with a history of injury with suspicion. Collins suffered severe
cruciate-ligament damage in a reserve game against Portsmouth last year and
spent nine months out, and O'Neill admitted that there might have been "a
bit of a concern" when scouting him. On the subject of injuries, James
Milner is "extremely doubtful" for the fixture, having injured a calf
against Everton. Stiliyan Petrov, though, will be given "every opportunity
to recover" from a shin injury. To add to the Bulgarian's woes, he has been
given Stephen Warnock's yellow card after referee Lee Probert accepted he
issued it to the wrong man against Everton. Carlos Cuéllar, meanwhile, will
be suspended for tonight's game after being sent off for two bookings at the
weekend. That the club are unable to appeal against the punishment is a sore
subject for O'Neill, for the defender has been on fine form, although
O'Neill has Habib Beye or Luke Young to fall back on.
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HULL EYE SAVIOUR
By Alan Nixon; David Anderson 4/11/2009
The Mirror
Alan Curbishley is in line to become Hull boss after winning his pay-off
dispute with West Ham and becoming a free agent. Owner Russell Bartlett is a
Curbs fan and the latter's availability comes at a good time for him but the
worst for Phil Brown. Hull's new executive chairman Adam Pearson could axe
Brown if the Tigers suffer another bad defeat at home to Stoke on Sunday.
Pearson said: "Results have got to improve. Phil knows that more than
anyone. But I've still got a lot of respect for what he has achieved here."
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West Ham United v Aston Villa: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between West Ham United
and Aston Villa at Upton Park on Wednesday Nov 4 2009, kick-off 7.45 GMT.
Telegrpah.co.uk
By John Ley
Published: 6:00AM GMT 04 Nov 2009
Wednesday, Nov 4
West Ham v Aston Villa
Upton Park
Kick-off: 7.45 GMT
Former West Ham defender James Collins returns to the Boleyn Ground as Villa
look to extend their unbeaten run to five games in the Premier League.
Another former Hammer, Nigel Reo-Coker, could also feature, in place of the
banned Carlos Cuellar, dismissed in the 1-1 draw at Everton. West Ham are
without Radoslav Kovac, who was sent off late in the 2-2 draw at Sunderland
on Saturday. But Scott Parker, banned at the weekend, should come back into
West Ham's midfield. West Ham have yet to win at home but have drawn 2-2 in
three of their last four games.
West Ham (Probable, 4-4-2): Green; Spector, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga; Noble,
Behrami, Parker, Collison; Franco, Cole.
Aston Villa (Probable, 4-4-2): Friedel; Reo-Coker, Dunne, Collins, Warnock;
Milner, Petrov, Sidwell, A Young; Carew, Agbonlahor
Referee: Steve Bennett. Matches: 6. R17 Y0.
Last season: West Ham 0, Villa 1; Villa 1, West Ham 1.
Stat of the game: Villa are unbeaten in their last three visits to West Ham.
Betting tip: A 2-2 draw is 12-1.
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Collison hits the Jackpot
The Sun
Published: Today
JACK COLLISON is set to open talks with West Ham in the next week over a
bumper new five-year contract. The blossoming Wales midfielder is just 12
months into his current deal but the Hammers are already renegotiating in
order to cement the future of their rising star. Collison, 21, earns only
£2,000 a week despite being capped six times by his country. But West Ham
chief executive Scott Duxbury is ready to rip up the star's agreement and
hand him a huge pay rise. Talks are expected to be concluded within the next
fortnight. Collison impressed with both assists in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland
on Saturday.
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O'NEILL FEARS ZOLA WILL BE DRIVEN AWAY
Daily Express
Wednesday November 4,2009
By Tony Paskin Have your say(0)
MARTIN O'NEILL is praying Gianfranco Zola's mission impossible at West Ham
does not force him out of Premier League management. O'Neill rates Zola as
one of the best foreign imports to grace the Premier League as a player and
believes he can have just as big an impact as a boss – but only if West Ham
clear up the financial mess that is turning Zola's first managerial
experience into a firefighting nightmare. O'Neill has been one of the
beneficiaries of the cash meltdown under the club's Icelandic owners, taking
defender James Collins in the summer for a bargain £4million. West Ham are
said to be £100m in debt and lost £33.6m last year. And Zola's position
could become untenable if more Hammers players have to be sold in the
January transfer window to bail out bank owners Straumur-Burdaras. A Villa
victory tonight, pushing their own claims for a place among the top four,
will deepen Zola's relegation plight and leave the Hammers still searching
for their first home win of the season. "The job Zola has is very difficult
given all the circumstances at the club," said O'Neill. "He has been
impressive in what he has done so far, especially when you consider that
circumstances have been particularly trying for him. "But he has got on with
it and I can't think of anyone who is more popular than him. He is not
living off that sentiment, because he knows that won't take him too far.
"And he looks as if he has the temperament to go on and do it. These
problems that are hitting him should stand him in good stead. "I am sure he
would have liked an easier passage and the ability to go and sign Kaka, but
it will only be good for him. I don't think it will deter him."
Zola's loss of Wales international Collins has done little to help West
Ham's plight at the foot of the table. But it has certainly been Villa's
gain, with O'Neill believing Collins can become one of the best in the top
flight. "I was delighted to take him from West Ham, for whatever reasons
they let him leave, and he can become one of the best," he said. "West Ham
had a lot of centre-backs and perhaps they felt they could let him go. "He
just wanted to come and prove himself and take his chance and he has done
that."
West Ham's financial crisis deepened last night when it was revealed former
manager Alan Curbishley will get about £2.2million in compensation after
winning his case for wrongful dismissal. A Premier League managers' tribunal
upheld his claim that he had been forced out when he resigned in September
2008. Curbishley had one year of his contract remaining. "I am obviously
delighted," he said. "But given the club's financial state, I'm not sure
when I will receive my compensation. "I enjoyed my time at West Ham and
never wanted to leave. But my contract contained a clause confirming I'd
have final say on players to be transferred to and from the club. "The club
completely ignored my contract when selling Anton Ferdinand, and when George
McCartney was then sold I had no alternative but to resign. My authority and
integrity were undermined and my position was made untenable."
Curbishley is now free to resume his managerial career after a 14-month
hiatus, but is understood to be waiting for the right job to come along
before making any decision.
He has been linked with a string of jobs in the Premier League during that
time, including posts at Sunderland, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Middlesbrough
and Hull, but has held off until his case was settled.'He has been
impressive in trying times'
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Nigel Reo-Coker ready to make return at Upton Park
The Times
Reo-Coker has struggled since his move from West Ham in 2007
Peter Lansley
Nigel Reo-Coker stands by to return for Aston Villa against West Ham United,
his former club, tonight as he aims to prove that he and Martin O'Neill have
buried the hatchet over their training-ground contretemps in September. The
former England Under-21 captain, who could deputise for James Milner or
Stiliyan Petrov in midfield, knows that he would get a hostile reception at
the club he left in acrimonious circumstances in July 2007. Reo-Coker became
a hate figure at West Ham despite leading the team to the FA Cup Final in
2006 and making them a £7 million profit upon signing for Villa. Milner is
struggling to recover from the calf injury that forced him out of Saturday's
1-1 draw away to Everton at half-time, while Petrov, the captain, has a
better chance of playing at Upton Park after suffering a shin injury at
Goodison Park. Victory would lift O'Neill's team into fourth place in the
Barclays Premier League. Reo-Coker has yet to start a Premier League game
since he and the manager fell out, but he has gone on as a substitute
recently and started last week's Carling Cup triumph over Sunderland,
defying expectations that he had played his last match for Villa.
Alternatively, if Petrov plays, the Villa manager could opt for a three-man
forward line. He recalled Emile Heskey to the starting line-up against
Everton and saw John Carew, who went on as a substitute for Milner, score
his first league goal of the season after Gabriel Agbonlahor, the leading
goalscorer, had moved out to the right flank. "It's a balancing act,"
O'Neill said. "With the strength in depth in the squad, we do have players
who can come in and do it. But if Stiliyan and James were both out, it would
be a serious loss to our midfield."
Villa will make a change at right back because Carlos Cuéllar is suspended
after receiving two yellow cards at Goodison Park. Luke Young stands by to
make his first appearance of the season. The yellow card shown to Stephen
Warnock against Everton has been rescinded, as a case of mistaken identity,
but O'Neill's call for Cuéllar's dismissal to be reviewed is likely to fall
on deaf ears. Scott Parker, available after his second suspension of the
season, should return for West Ham, who are seeking their first home win of
the season, because Radoslav Kovac is banned.
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West Ham face £2million bill after tribunal finds in favour of ex-boss Alan
Curbishley
Published 23:00 03/11/09 By Mike Walters
The Mirror
Skint West Ham face a crippling new £2million bill after a tribunal upheld
former boss Alan Curbishley's claim for constructive dismissal last night.
Curbishley, who is 52 on Sunday, said his position had been made "untenable"
when the Hammers sold Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney to Sunderland
over his head last season. Rooted in the relegation zone, and without a
Premier League win since the opening day of the season, West Ham's latest
financial hammer-blow could not have come at a worse time for manager
Gianfranco Zola. With the East-enders still paying off Sheffield United at
£5m-a-year over the Carlos Tevez affair, Zola can ill afford another drain
on his resources.
And tonight's Upton Park reunion with £5m-defender James Collins, sold to
Aston Villa in the last transfer window to balance the books, will only
remind Zola of the purse strings which will be tightened further by a
Premier League arbitration tribunal's verdict in Curbishley's favour. The
panel will decide on the compensation Curbishley is due before Christmas,
but it is likely to be in the region of the £2m payout Kevin Keegan received
from Newcastle last month - and Toon face £1.5m on top in legal costs.
Curbishley, who resigned as Hammers manager 14 months ago, said: "I'm
obviously delighted with the result, but I never wanted to leave. "On
joining the club, I insisted that my contract contained a clause confirming
that I would have the final say on players transferred to and from the club.
"They completely ignored my contract when selling Anton Ferdinand, and when
George McCartney was then sold - the club having given me assurances that no
players would be leaving after the sale of Ferdinand - I had no alternative
but to resign. My authority and integrity were undermined and my position
was made untenable."
The tribinal threw out West Ham's counter-claim that they were forced to
shell out on hiring Zola and Steve Clarke to replace Curbishley, and League
Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan hailed the case as a
lesson to clubs who ride roughshod over bilateral agreements. Bevan said:
"The findings of the tribunal demonstrate the critical importance of
respecting contracts, which need to set out the roles and responsibilities
of the parties in clear and unequivocal terms."
Curbishley's courtroom triumph stole the thunder from Hammers No.2 Clarke's
venomous response to Sunderland boss Steve Bruce's claim that Herita Ilunga
contributed to Kenwyne Jones's red card at the weekend. Bruce accused West
Ham defender Ilunga of collapsing like a "pansy" under a two-handed shove
from Black Cats striker Jones in the feisty 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light
- a rebuke which drew a stinging retort from Clarke. He said: "It was wrong
of Steve Bruce to comment on our players - but he said what he said, so if
other people are going to have a go at our players, then I'm going to have a
go back. "I find it incredible the player who was the victim in all this is
the one everybody is talking about. He (Ilunga) has just recovered from a
triple fracture of the jaw and somebody has pushed him in the face. "Maybe
he thought there was a punch coming, but there was no overreaction - he was
pushed and he has to protect himself because Kenwyne Jones is a big boy. "If
you want to talk about the opposition, I also find it incredible the
Sunderland captain was not sent off as well. He was booked for a terrible
tackle on Mark Noble and then persistently fouled."
Clarke admitted nine League games without a win was a worrying sequence,
adding: "It's important that we get a win sooner rather than later, but
tomorrow night is a terrific chance for us. "Circumstances dictated that
Collins had to be sold. He left here on very good terms with everyone, but I
hope he has a stinker!"
West Ham welcome back skipper Scott Parker from suspension, but Radoslav
Kovac - sent off at Sunderland - misses out this evening.
West Ham: Green, Spector, Upson, Tomkins, Ilunga, Collison, Parker, Noble,
Behrami, Cole, Diamanti.
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