Hammers in the Heart

Rat joins rising ship

2013-05-22T12:28:00.001+01:00

And now we've completed the signing of Romania's captain, the 31-year-old Razvan Rat… busy day at Upton Park. Big Sam seems very impressed that Rat has taught himself English. And with 88 caps and Champions League experience he looks like a good signing.

Farewell Carlton Cole

2013-05-22T11:34:00.004+01:00

So Carlton Cole is leaving. His finest moment for the club was scoring in the play-off final against Blackpool a year ago, when he had a great game. Under Zola he looked like he might become the top striker he had the potential to be, though he was never quite the same after a bad knee injury, even if he did always give wholehearted commitment. His scoring rate was never quite high enough but as his tweets have indicated, he did have a genuine feeling for the club and had his pay halved to play for us in the Championship last season. And he's never complained about being on the bench this season and scored that crucial equaliser against Chelsea. Always believe in CC. Good luck at your next club, Carlton

Andy Carroll we want you to sign

2013-05-22T11:29:00.002+01:00

Well, West Ham and Liverpool have agreed a £15 million fee for Andy Carroll, although the big man remains undecided about his future. It's understandable he should want to consider his options, having seen Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing resurrect their Liverpool careers. If Newcastle came in there would be the hometown club pull to consider too and it's possible a club like Everton or Spurs might step in. In his first season at Liverpool Carroll played in the FA Cup Final and won a Carling Cup winners medal, so guess Big Sam has to convince him that we can compete for trophies. Full credit to the board for making the money available though. And if it doesn't work out I hear Carol from Ken's Cafe is available…

More scored against than scoring…

2013-05-22T11:21:00.001+01:00

Did anyone notice that in Match of the Day's Goal of the Season competition four out of the ten goals were against West Ham? These were Adel Taarabt scoring against us for QPR at Loftus Road, Jermain Defoe belting one in for Spurs at White Hart Lane, Gareth Bale scoring the winner at Upton Park and Kevin Mirallas' first for Everton against us at Goodison. Though MOTD did include Andy Carroll scoring for West Ham against West Brom. Either this proves it takes a stunning effort to score against our superb defence or we let in a lot of goals.

We want our parrot back!

2013-05-20T11:49:00.003+01:00

West Ham 4 Reading 2

Inside Ken’s Café Matt is excited by Yeovil getting promoted, though Nigel hates them for once depriving Enfield of promotion in the 1990s. Iain is showing Carol pictures of his dogs, Carol’s gone off that David Cameron and there’s even a second appearance of the year from The Gav.

And there's more good news over at the Newham Bookshop where someone from Hackney Council has just bought five copies of The Joy of Essex, enough to keep me in Maldon Gold for an evening or two.

Within Upton Park Winston gets his Hammer of the Year award and several fans are in fancy dress. Fraser has come as a member of Dexys and Matt is masquerading as a Vicar’s Son.

It's a year to the day since we beat Blackpool in the Play-off Final. Reading almost score twice early on as Jussi makes a great save from Pogrebnyak’s header and Gunter fires into the side netting.

But we take the lead on 23 minutes thanks to a blunder from young goalkeeper McCarthy, who has just been called into the England squad. The keeper boots a clearance into the back of Andy Carroll and the ball falls to Kevin Nolan who passes the ball home. He’ll never score an easier goal. “That’s why you’re going down!” chant the WHU fans.

Eleven minutes later we score again. Diame overhits his cross but Carroll controls it brilliantly to play the ball back to Ricardo Vaz Te who fires through the goalkeeper into the net. Michael the Whovian, possibly the only WHU fan attending the Jo Grimond anniversary bash in Orkney, will have enjoyed that one.

The rest of the first half is exhibition stuff as Carroll bullies the defence, Diame fires over and Carroll produces another great knock-down for Nolan’s header to be tipped on to the bar by McCarthy.

ANDY CARROLL WE WANT YOU TO STAY

“Andy Carroll we want you to stay!” serenades the entire ground.

At half-time Nigel announces that if we win 5-0 and Swansea lose 5-0 we can still make ninth. We pay for thinking about the league table though, as West Ham start the second half in a catatonic state.

Just as Nigel and myself are discussing bagging Wainwright fells, McCleary fires home a deflected shot and then, after a fine move, ex-Hammer Jobi McAnuff crosses for the unmarked sub La Fondre to slot home after 53 minutes.

At least this jolts the Irons back into life. Fearful of Matt getting angry, Nolan plays in Carroll for a shot against the keeper. Can we hold on for a draw? Thankfully Reading revert to uselessness as Noble plays in Kevin Nolan, who outpaces the Reading defence and slots home. We even get to see Modibo Maiga, who makes the fourth goal with a cross on to the head of the unmarked clucking Kevin Nolan. It’s a hat-trick for Nolan, surely not the same player that Nigel predicted would never score in open play for West Ham again?

It all gets very end-of-season as a conga starts in the lower East Stand, fans wave palm trees and an inflatable parrot drifts on to the pitch. The Bobby Moore Stand demands “We want our parrot back!” before a steward obliges.

Even the ref can’t be bothered to extend it, playing only two minutes of added time. We ‘re tenth! And Spurs are in the Europa League.

LOITERING WITHIN TENTH

The players return for a lap of honour in t-shirts thanking us for our support. Jussi throws his gloves in our corner, Big Sam looks avuncular and Kevin Nolan has enough children to cast a Dickensian musical. Meanwhile it’s High Ho Silver Lining from Jeremy Nicholas on the PA.

The season ends well with two pints of Maldon Gold at the Black Lion and Nigel asking us to name the only seven football teams to have a Tory MP in 1997 (don’t ask the answers, but one was Southend and another was Wycombe).

We’re officially top half, our best finish since Curbs kept us in tenth for a whole season and it's certainly a nice little earner for the club with £700,000 prize money on offer per league place. Now all we have to do sign up Andy Carroll…

Is God a third party owner?

2013-05-19T11:54:00.001+01:00

Bit concerned to see Chelsea's Davis Luiz wearing a t-shirt declaring "I belong to God" after Chelsea's Europa League triumph. Surely belonging to God constitutes third party ownership? We got into enough trouble over Carlos Tevez and that was without a Deity claiming third party rights. If I was Dave Whelan I'd be getting my writs out for the lads and demanding Chelsea's immediate relegation...

Meanwhile we find the bizarre situation of West Ham not needing to win on the final day of the season to stay up. It'll never catch on. Beat a relegated team and finish tenth... what could possibly go wrong?

West Ham fail to poop Moyes' party

2013-05-13T13:34:00.000+01:00

Everton 2 West Ham 0

Well, we were never likely to get much out of the David Moyes love-in. West Ham dutifully stood by as Everton scored their first and only had two worthwhile efforts, Nolan producing a good save save with a snap shot and Carroll hitting the post late on from Jarvis's cross. Jussi had another great game and managed to save from Anichebe with his unmentionables.

Still makes a change to be finding the end of season vaguely boring. I remember people complaining that it was really boring under Curbishley because we were always tenth. We came to regret such complacency by the time that Millwall plane was flying above Wigan. Now it's just a relief to be out of it with an end of season party game against Reading to come.

Can West Ham ruin David Moyes' farewell?

2013-05-11T15:59:00.002+01:00

If only Man United could have kept quiet about David Moyes for a couple more weeks… now West Ham will be up against an Everton crowd and team wanting to send him off in style. Goodison is not a happy ground for us. I still recall going up there with Big Joe back in the Redknapp years when we lost 6-0 in a late season match (they were inspired by Deadly Don Hutchison) yet we still managed to finish fifth that season…

Avram for Old Trafford?

2013-05-08T14:47:00.000+01:00

So no mention of Avram Grant or Glenn Roeder in the running for the Man United job? Clearly almost losing to West Ham at Upton Park has made Fergie realise his time is up…

We are mathematically safe, I said we are mathematically safe!

2013-05-07T11:54:00.001+01:00

Phew! Thanks to last night's draw between Sunderland and Stoke West Ham are safe, as Sunderland and Southampton still have to play each other. If Sunderland lose they can only finish on 41, while if Southampton lose they can only finish on 42. If it's a draw then Sunderland can only finish on 42. So all we have to worry about is not owning any third party players or going into administration and we should be safe...

Can we still go down?

2013-05-06T17:21:00.003+01:00

My pal Mystic Morris writes:

Have worked out a combination of results that would see us relegated.

It includes WHU losing 6-0 to Everton, and 3-0 to Reading

Newcastle beating Arsenal 6-0 at the Emirates.

Norwich winning 3-0 at Man City.

WHU would then be relegated on goal difference…

[but think we are mathematically safe if Sunderland fail to beat Stoke tonight]

Drawing drawing West Ham

2013-05-05T10:24:00.003+01:00

West Ham 0 Newcastle 0

Unseasonal hail and rain batters Green Street, which will at least make the Geordies feel at home. Inside Ken’s Café Matt is relaying scores from Watford and the KC Stadium, as Nigel looks forward to taking the highway to Hull.

My comment about not really caring who is relegated from the Championship, having assumed that Millwall are safe, has Machiavellian Matt spinning this into a claim that I’m a closet Millwall fan. Meanwhile my remark that I’ve given Carol The Joy of Essex has CQ quipping, Carry-On style, “And did you give her a book too?” Michael the Whovian arrives at ten to three and orders a full breakfast, as you do.

It’s full sunshine by the time we make the stadium. The first half isn’t good enough from the Hammers. Diame shoots over and then it’s general torpor, as it all feels very end-of-season. Coloccini calms Newcastle’s nerves at the back and we fail to press a team that conceded six the previous week.

The defence plays well though, none more so than Winston Reid, favourite to win Hammer of the Year. When Cabaye finds Cisse who has got round the back of Collins, it’s Winston who clears it off the line. Newcastle claim it’s in, though the TV evidence suggests the ball is only two-thirds over the line.

“Andy Carroll, he wants to come home!” chant the wistful Toon fans.

PASSION IS NO ORDINARY WORD

Allardyce has clearly thrown a few players against some granite kitchen worktops at half time as West Ham are much improved and at last play with some passion. Jarvis sets up Carroll for a header wide and we have a decent penalty appeal turned down.

Then in our best moment Carroll is blatantly pushed by Coloccini in the box, Nolan has an effort cleared off the line and Jarvis’s shot is tipped over by Elliot.

Newcastle nearly score when Jussi rushes out of the box and Gouffran shoots just wide from an acute angle. The ineffectual Vaz Te continues to get some abuse from the East Stand and is finally withdrawn for Collison. Then the game seems to settle into a mutual stalemate despite a cameo from Joe Cole and Michael the Whovian suggests that the West Ham cuddly toy slumped face down over the front of the Bobby Moore Stand is symptomatic of the game.

WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN?

West Ham continue to waste free kicks, though one excellent spin and cross from Carroll will have impressed Roy Hodgson. The game ends goalless and Jeremy Nicholas plays Walls Come Tumbling Down, which they haven’t looked likely to in this game.

Still it’s another point and we are now on 43, though we are not mathematically safe, but still lie in tenth position. The Doombar in the Black Lion is a welcome relief from the Central and for once we can let teams like Newcastle do the worrying.

My Hammer of the Year

2013-05-04T11:58:00.004+01:00

Finally voted for my Hammer of the Year this week. In the end I opted for James Collins, mainly because it's so long since we had a no-nonsense stopper who puts his body in the way of man and ball. He overcame a couple of early errors to become one of our most important players - and look how Aston Villa have struggled without him. Winston Reid ran Collins close and so too did Diame, while Carroll might have got it if he'd plated more games, but in the end it was Ginge. An an honourable mention to Joey O'Brien for being the best honest pro of the season — a man who always does a job whatever position he's played in.

Hammers in the Heart out on Kindle today

2013-05-03T11:15:00.003+01:00

My 2005 book Hammers in the Heart: A Lifetime of Supporting West Ham is out on Kindle today. Click on the link below to peruse. It begins with my first match in 1970 when there were steel toe-caps in the North Bank and Bobby Moore was on the near post at corners, then romps through John Radford's goal drought, Alan "Whippet" Taylor's Wembley brace, Frank Lampard falling over and scoring the effing winning goal, the Redknapp years of Foreign Legions and Di Canio madness, Boogers going barmy, Joey Beauchamp going AWOL, relegation under Roeder, chants of "We want a new back four!" at Charlton and winning the play-offs under Pards. Read it and weep…

Rat trap

2013-04-30T17:14:00.005+01:00

Today's papers claim West Ham hope to sign one Radzan Rat from Shakhtar Donetsk. Rat is a 31-year-old left back and captain of the Romanian national side, so can't be a bad player.

And, of course, Rat would certainly make the headline-writers' life easier. Not since Luis Boa Morte inspired "Boa selector" on the front of Hammer have we had such an animalistic name.

"Rat on board", "Rat trap", "Dirty Rat", "Rat attack", "Rat's life", "Rat catchers", "Rat leaves sinking ship"… the possibilities for the tabloids are endless.

Cheer up Robert Green?

2013-04-28T20:53:00.003+01:00

It would be easy to experience a sense of schadenfreude (whoever he plays for) at QPR's relegation today, complete with one Robert Green.

A year ago Green left for a "new challenge" at QPR and spent most of the season on the bench at what is now a Championship club. He gave West Ham great service during his six years at the club and stayed with us after relegation so we can't be too hard on him.

But even so, as the chant went at Loftus Road, "You should have stayed at a big club!" And so should Bobby Zamora and Anton Ferdinand.

City end West Ham's unbeaten run

2013-04-28T20:44:00.000+01:00

Manchester City 2 West Ham 1

The game hasn’t inspired the locals to turn out in the Worlds End pub in Stroud Green at 12.45pm. We have a choice of numerous empty tables, but Matt and Lisa are there and the Black Rock ale is good.

It’s good to see the 23^rd minute marked with applause for Marc-Vivien Foe, who died ten years ago. Not too much happens in the first half hour. Carroll gets in a decent cross with no one on the end of it. West Ham have a corner and Diame has a good hit saved by Hart. Aguero hits the post after a rather fortunate rebound reaches him inside the box.

City take the lead after 28 minutes as Toure, Silva and Nasri play a series of intricate and unchallenged one-twos and find Aguero in the box, who taps home. A quality goal, but Reid should have been tighter. A couple of minutes later Jaaskelainen makes a decent double stop to deny Nasri and Zabaleta.

We actually have quite a lot of the game in the second half, but don’t create many chances. City should score a third when Nasri misses an inviting cross, while West Ham’s best chance is a Collins snapshot wide after Jarvis’s effort is blocked.

Carlton Cole, Matt Taylor and Jack Collison all come on. The game is settled on 83 minutes when Yaya Toure fires him an unstoppable effort into the top corner from the edge of the area.

“Carlton Cole is leaving it late to get his hat-trick,” muses Matt. But Andy Carroll does connect well with Gary O’Neil’s cross and Hart has to stop to turn away his header, injuring himself in the process.

The Hammers gain a consolation in the fourth minute of injury time when Carroll chests down Demel’s cross and fires in a shot that gores straight through Joe Hart. It’s his seventh goal for the Irons — a decent return from 21 appearances.

Oh well. Bit of an end-of-season feel to the game, but at least we gave them a game and getting something at the former champions was always going to be difficult. If we can get some points from Newcastle and Reading then hopefully we can overtake Swansea into ninth place.

Matt finish

2013-04-27T11:31:00.001+01:00

Couple of interesting West-Ham-related pieces in today's Guardian sport section. David Sullivan can be found commenting on the madness of QPR's finances. He estimates that Rangers will lose £50 million next season even with the parachute payments. He also mentions he had players at West Ham on 30 grand a week who refused a £1 million pay-off to leave.

And there's a big interview with Matt Jarvis where he comes across as a down-to-earth footballer. He travels by tube and says his mum would never allow him to wear gloves on the pitch. He also admits to being a bit scared of Big Sam: "He's a big guy… He's got that presence… I'm only 5ft eight… "

Do Man United play the long ball?

2013-04-23T13:54:00.000+01:00

Interesting to note that when Rooney played a pass from his own half into the path of Van Persie for the "goal of the century" last night it was described as a "probing chip" in the Guardian and a "deep pass" on Sky. Had James Collins played a similar ball for Andy Carroll it would definitely have been a "long ball". Rooney also played a great long ball out wide for United's first. Route one, that Man United, if you ask me.

Once bitten, twice why

2013-04-22T20:33:00.003+01:00

Wonder if the Luis Suarez bite means it's more likely Liverpool will sell the Dracula-lite striker in the summer and want to keep Andy Carroll? Brendan Rodgers would have to go back on his words, but Sturridge and Carroll might make a good combination and the Liverpool board must surely be wondering why they don't utilise a £35m asset. So Suarez's penchant for human flesh could cost the Hammers too… though I hope not. And anyone remember Jermain Defoe's bite on West Ham's Mascherano back in 2006 resulting in a mere yellow card for the Spurs striker?

We are staying up!

2013-04-21T15:28:00.002+01:00

West Ham 2 Wigan 0

My daughter Nell and her friend Anna are impressed with the sausage and chips in Ken’s Café followed by the purchase of mystery Doctor Who Lego figures in the Who Shop, resulting in one handbot, one Matt Smith and a River Song. Can the game match this? In the end, you could say it was overpriced at a quid for kids.

There’s an end-of-season feel to the match in the bright sunshine, with a group of fancy dress Irons in the Bobby Moore Stand brandishing plastic swords adding to the impression that it’s all nearly over. Fraser’s been to see Dexys the previous evening and is wearing his double-breasted suit in tribute. But can he tell us when West Ham’s light turns green?

Early on Mystic Morris predicts that Kevin Nolan will never score another league goal for the Hammers. Nolan immediately produces a great save from Robles as he volleys goalwards from a quick free kick. Wigan play some good passing stuff and should score early on when McCarthy plays in Maloney for a one-on-one, but his effort is smothered by Jaaskelainen. The Hammers’ take the lead after 21 minutes when Nolan goes for Jarvis’s cross, misses the ball, and the ball deceives keeper Robles. A bit lucky, but we’ll take it.

CAN WE HAVE OUR BALL BACK PLEASE?

Wigan dominate the second half against a lethargic Irons. Maloney dominates the game for Wigan. Boyce fluffs a header and then Beausejour shoots tamely when well placed. Jaaskelainen makes another great stop to deny McArthur after Maloney’s run and pull back.

The statistics tell the story: Wigan have 61 per cent of possession and West Ham a mere 31 per cent. The Irons might be tired after their efforts against Man United, but then Wigan have played on Wednesday too, at Manchester City.

In the second half it seems like a training exercise where the defence has been told to play on its own to see how good it is. It’s too much for the Vicar’s Son: “Vaz Te is having a terrible game… Diame is one of those players who scores a great goal against Man United and then think he can relax against Wigan… that’s terrible from Cole! Do something Allardyce!’

WIGAN NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

Thankfully James Collins has a great game at the back and Jaaskelainen is outstanding too. Wigan pay for paying pretty football with no penetration on 80 minutes. Collins’ free kick is chested down by Andy Carroll. His overhead kick is the superbly volleyed home by clucking Kevin Nolan for his 100^th league goal. Except there’s no clucking celebration today, just an arm to the sky in memory of his late aunt. Mystic Morris has been proved wrong again and departs early for the Silverlink.

An unimpressive performance from most of the team, but playing badly and winning isn’t a bad habit. And 42 points and tenth position sees us safe at last. A poor game, but a season of some character from the lads and we’ve achieved what we set out to. Four more wins and we’ll be talking about the Europa League…

Essex Irons

2013-04-19T16:45:00.001+01:00

Check out the latest issue of e-zine Blowing Bubbles for my piece on Essex Irons, inspired by researching my book The Joy of Essex. Exclusive revelations about my mum going to an auction with Billy Jennings's wife in Great Warley, my pal Gavin seeing Martin Peters shopping at Roome's department store in Upminster, Julian Dicks' parrots and bull terriers in Latchingdon, Paolo's piranhas in Chigwell, Trevor Brooking washing his car in Shenfield and Keith Robson going over the top at Ilford's Room at the Top.

Part-time Van Persie saves United

2013-04-18T11:05:00.000+01:00

West Ham 2 Manchester United 2

In Ken’s Café Nigel, CQ, Matt and Michael the Whovian are loitering by the counter with cups of tea while even DC makes a fleeting 30-second appearance. Nigel suggests that the Man United fans will have a special Thatcher tribute of 90-minutes silence. Nigel’s feeling positive as he met Deep Purple’s drummer Ian Paice at the Joe Bonamassa gig. Paicey bought his own drink at the bar too.

Inside the stadium it’s a bright start from the Hammers with O’Neil making one great tackle, Carroll looking full of confidence and Demel making some positive runs down the right.

We take the lead on 16 minutes as Diame finds Jarvis on the left. The winger gets in a fine cross that is knocked down by Andy Carroll for Vaz Te to stoop to head home. Michael the Whovian says he never doubted Vaz.

“Sold in the summer… You’re getting sold in the summer!” chant the Hammers fan as Rooney fluffs a chance.

Collins is having another great match alongside Winston Reid. United keep calm, but don’t really threaten until the 31^st minute when Van Persie nutmegs Collins and finds the Kagawa who eludes Reid and gets to the goalline to pull back for Valencia to tap home. Oh dear.

DIAME ARMY

Just before half-time West Ham force a corner, Carroll launches himself at the ball but clatters De Gea instead. Ferguson later whinges on and on about this, but looking at the replays it should probably have been a yellow card rather than red. And it makes up for the fact Vidic inexplicably escaped dismissal at Upton Park two seasons ago.

The teams leave the pitch to the sound of Walls Come Tumbling Down by the Style Council. Is this an omen? West Ham start the second half to some purpose, with Carroll flashing a fine volley just over the bar. Ten minutes into the half we take the lead with a fantastic goal. Vaz Te backheels to Demel who finds Diame on the right side of the box. He eludes Rooney and thumps home a fabulous curling shot into the corner.

It’s a cracking atmosphere as Bubbles wafts over the stands. But have West Ham scored too early? We never feel less confident than being a goal up with half an hour to go.

Predictably United come at us. O’Neil has to clear off the line from Rooney and Jussi makes a couple of fine saves, one of which was offside anyway.

On 77 minutes Kagawa fires against both posts and just as we’re thinking the luck is with us, Van Persie taps home the rebound, from what TV replays later prove is an offside position, though to be fair to the referee’s assistant it was very difficult to spot in real-time. Even if we was robbed.

FERGUSON TIME

Matt has to leave early to work the night shift at the typeface, Bruce Springsteen-style, and pleads for no texts winding him up saying we’ve won with a last-minute screamer. The returning Noble comes on for O’Neil and Taylor for Diame.

“Sir Alex Ferguson has indicated there will be four minutes of Ferguson time…” Nigel counts down the clock as Matt Taylor suddenly breaks and briefly threatens to bust the net in the style of Geoff Hurst in 1966. But instead he balloons it into the Bobby Moore Stand.

Thankfully there’s no Gareth Bale moment as we hold on for a deserved point from an entertaining tussle. Inside the Central, Al Jazeera TV features Deadly Don Hutchison, Alan Curbishley, Leroy Rosenoir and Man United fan Donny from South Africa, who is one of their more local supporters.

There’s a surreal tube journey home as the conversation turns to the new series of Mad Men, inspired by the fact Fraser has come dressed as Roger Sterling. High Court Judge Michael the Whovian claims to be unaware of the series. A fellow passenger then suggests to Michael that ‘solecism’ is the word he’s looking for as he discusses his trip to Orkney for the Jo Grimond tribute night. Not sure if Deep Purple’s drummer is going. Then the body of a West Ham fan appears between the two carriages. Has he done a Lane from Mad Men? No, turns out he’s urinating between carriages, while perched between them, as you do. Who knows what went on after I changed at Aldgate East?

Thirty nine points, eleventh place, and a point off the Champions in a game where we had them worried. Not a bad night’s work.

Fair play for Andy?

2013-04-16T14:57:00.000+01:00

Is Sam Allardyce getting his excuses in early for not buying Andy Carroll? Or negotiating a knock-down price through pleading poverty? A day after Carroll said he would consider moving to West Ham Big Sam cited UEFA's new Financial Fair Play regulations as the reason why it might not happen: "Financially you are restricted to be able to do it. So in one fell swoop the financial restrictions mean Andy Carroll can't sign for us from Liverpool because it's too expensive, even if he wanted to. I might not be able to afford Andy Carroll, full stop, even if I wanted him, even if the chairmen wanted him, even if we all wanted him - which we do - it will not be allowed to happen."

Personally, I'd rather see one decent signing rather than several mediocre ones. Yes, turnover has to be related to wages, but if we could move on three relatively moderate earners (Chamakh, Carlton Cole and Maiga may all go) to pay for one player who might make a difference it would surely be worthwhile going for Carroll, with cheaper younger players like Robert Hall as back-up.

Hammers in the Heart out on Kindle

2013-04-15T16:59:00.001+01:00

Good news - my 2005 book Hammers in the Heart is finally available on May 3 as a Kindle book. There's been all sorts of problems with corrupted master discs at Mainstream, but now it's been uncorrupted and is available to download. It covers my life supporting West Ham from my first game in 1970 until the 2005 play-off Final against Preston and the start of the 2005-06 season. A book full of lows, and even more lows, plus a couple of Cup Finals, Paolo Di Canio going mad against Bradford, Terminator Dicks, losing 6-0 at Oldham, skinheads in the North Bank, Frank McAvennie and his mock-Turdor mansion, non-scoring striker John Radford, Alvin Martin who's got no no hair but we don't care, and much more. Click on the link below to pre-order.