Carlton Cole Took Pay Cut To Ensure Hammers Promotion

After all the chit chat about Blackpool’s sour grapes especially from Baptiste of all people, Carlton Cole comes to the rescue with some true Hammers spirit.

Did you know that our boy Cole took a 50% cut in wages to play for the irons, the club he loves, to help get us back to the Premier League where the claret and blues belong? Cole is a gentleman and a scholar in my book and deserves a round of applause!

I mean, there he was on 28 grand a week before the irons dropped off the radar and into the Championship last season and he slashes his wages to 14 grand a week because he loves his team and wanted to get back to the Prem. The guy’s a legend!

Ok, a lot of us would say “Mmmm, 14 grand a week’s not bad either” and rubbished the generosity of the player. But guys and gals, don’t forget that these players have different living standards, higher taxes, businesses to run etc etc and all I can think of is that he’s a great guy.

I wonder if some of the Manchester city stars would take a 50% pay cut “to help out”? i don’t think so, especially with the likes of Nasri et al who have left decent clubs that have made them the players that they are today for some easy cash up the road which has fallen off the back of a camel 🙂 Maybe Jermain Defoe should take a look at himself and make a self examination. You remember, he was that guy that jumped ship and handed in a transfer request the day the Hammers got demoted in 2003 – nice fella.

Don’t forget that Cole was offered a lifeline by Stoke City to stay in the Premier League, too. He turned it down though to help the lads get back up.Such loyalty is rarely seen today especially when you have the likes of City splashing their cash and changing the face of football in the process. Anyway, so much for splashing the cash, they only won the league on goal difference at the death of it.

Carlton Cole had this to say about his pay cut:

“I’ve kept my mouth shut for quite a while but I did take a wage cut to stay in the Championship. Half of my wages just went.

“But I thought ‘You know what? I want to help this club get back where we belong.’

“I didn’t want to leave the ship, I am that sort of guy. I would not have been able to live with myself.

“It is just such a reward today to get to the Premier League again with West Ham at the first time of asking. This was D-Day for all of us”.

Cole believed in Sam Allardyce and his team and that was a big factor that led the player to hang around at West ham and not jump ship. The player doesn’t intend on taking another hit in the wages department and plans to fire the Hammers into the big time and stay there.

West Ham Back In The Premier League

What an awesome way to end a season! West Ham United are back where they belong – the Premier League. Blackpool came to Wembley with one thing on their mind and that was to snatch a victory and deny the Hammers their legitimate right – The Prem.

I still can’t believe it as I type up this report that West Ham are back in the big time, back in the Premier League. There is certainly going to be some bubbly uncorked tonight in London’s East End I can tell you. Not the cheap Spanish Cava but a few bottles of the good stuff!

Blackpool “brought it” to Wembley and it showed. They gave West Ham a tough time and it had to be Carlton Cole the man to break the deadlock just before the break. That was a great moment, going into the break with a one nil lead at Wembley – the hallowed turf.

After the break, Blackpool surprised the hammers with a goal and it showed they meant business – the Tangerines wanted this as badly as the Hammers and now they had the bit between their teeth.

West Ham showed great resilience though and it was an awesome match with end to end stuff. Blackpool managed to frighten the Hammers on a few occasions but they soaked it up. Stephen Dobbie was particularly good for the seasiders and he wanted this more than anyone. The irons played like warriors this afternoon and Allardyce’s men were in for a treat. The Hammers toughed it out and the clock was ticking. Who would be able to break the deadlock between these two teams who were chasing Premiership glory?

It was our man from Portugal, Ricardo Vaz TĂ© who sealed the deal for the Hammers! West Ham do not win many matches close to the final whistle but this was sublime. Vaz TĂ©’s goal will go down in history and will be remembered for a long time, I can assure you of that lads!

The boys played their hearts out like true lions and they have reaped the spoils. I’m a great believer of what you put into something is what you’ll get out and the Hammers did that today. They played a great game of football and now they have got what they deserved – premiership glory next year.

Well done to Sam Allardyce and his boys. Sam has turned the club around and put them back on the right track – he knows what he’s doing, even if we did have a few scary moments this season!

So that’s it lads, we are back to the Premier League and the boys deserve a decent rest – but only after a champagne celebration of course!

Tangerines Up In Arms Over Premier League Away Kit

The Tangerines have apparently “got out of their prams” about a “new away kit” that sports the premier League logo on it! I couldn’t stop laughing when I heard this and thought it must be the seasiders new take on Fergie’s mind games!

Therefore the Hammers have come out and denied all rumours of a new away kit with the premier League logo after “somebody” posted a draft version of it online. The tangerines are said to be “riled”, who we play on Saturday at Wembley for Premiership glory in a 90 Million pound showcase.

Ian Evatt, a Tangerines defender has called the Hammers “disrespectful” and overconfident ahead of Saturday’s big game.

And defender Evatt had this to say about the away kit photo scandal:

“If you listen to them, they’re already up aren’t they?” “If I was them I wouldn’t be counting my chickens just yet because what I have learned over the past five or six seasons is these players never give up.
“A guy has just told me that their new kit’s come out with Premier League badges on, which I think is jumping the gun a bit and it’s disrespectful towards our group of players.
“I’m not going to sit here and say Blackpool are going to win, but we’re going to give them a better game than they think we’re going to give them.”

This outburst has surprised the Irons especially as their preparation and build up has been very low key – almost deliberately if you ask me. The Hammers have now responded to Evatt’s rants in a statement by the club:

“West Ham United can confirm that reports of replica shirts being produced with Premier League badges on ahead of Saturday’s play-off final are completely erroneous.
“The photograph of a shirt is a hoax and in no way connected to West Ham United Football Club.
“Comments made as to the conduct of our club in regards to our opponents on Saturday, Blackpool, are also false and have again, nothing to do with the club.”

In my opinion I think the seasiders are playing mind games with us ahead of the Wembley game in a bid to distract our focus and attention. These things happen all the time and anyone who’s worth their salt as a designer could create a mock up and post it on the Net – it’s not that hard believe me!

Ian Evatt should shut up ahead of this game as it doesn’t make too much sense going into a match like this unless you’re up for a few mind games before-hand. There’s just two days to go and the hammers will get to respond to the Tangerines tactics on the pitch with a brace from Vaz TĂ©!

😉

Wembley Glory In Sight As Hammers Beat Cardiff

An awesome performance by West Ham today at Upton Park that left Cardiff beaten 5-0 on aggregate has put the Hammers within a whisker of Premiership glory.

At Cardiff they were beaten 2-0 and today the boys just finished them off in style with goals coming from Ricardo Vaz TĂ©, skipper Kevin Nolan and Nicky Maynard. Jack Collison’s brace set this game up in Cardiff and West Ham have not disappointed their fans who are itching for Premier League action next season.

And skipper Nolan’s header after just 15 minutes virtually said goodbye to Cardiff’s hopes of ever being in this tie. Then Portuguese wonder kid Vaz TĂ© doubled the Hammers advantage just before the break with some decent finishing inside the box. West Ham were on a roll and nothing was going to stop them now! The bubbles were freely flowing and Cardiff could sense it!

Just before the final whistle Nicky Maynard, not to be outdone by his fellow Hammers, fired a beauty into the top corner of the hapless Cardiff keeper.

The Hammers are now awaiting their rivals with Birmingham hosting Blackpool on Wednesday. Blackpool have a one goal advantage after a Birmingham own goal in the first leg of the tie.

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce had this say after the game:

“We’ve produced two outstanding performances. “We’ve got a massive opportunity now. Hopefully we can hold it together and produce a performance like we did today at Wembley.”

Jack Collison had to come off after dislocating his shoulder in the clash. His shoulder was “popped” back in but was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. We have no news at the moment on his condition but it doesn’t look like at this stage that he’ll miss the final.

Great work by the boys, you’ve had us on the edge of our seats at times throughout the season but this tie with Cardiff has shown us all that we deserve to be back in the Premier League. What do you think?

Reading Back In The Prem

You’ve heard that right, Reading are back in the Premier league thanks to a one nil win at Forest with a goal from hero Mikele Leigertwood.

The Royals are back in top flight football thanks to an 81st minute strike by Mikele Leigertwood. They must be walking on air now as this is only the second time they’ve been in the Premier League. The last time they enjoyed top flight football was for two seasons before being relegated in 2008.

Brian McDermott, a former Arsenal midfielder, who took over from Brendan Rogers in 2009 had this to say:

“It’s my best moment in football, considering the worst moment was losing the play- off final.

“We are in the Premier League and I will celebrate for the next couple of months. But this doesn’t seem real at the moment.

“It’s a strange feeling. In fact it feels like it’s happening to someone else.

“But I’ve been very lucky with the players and staff I have. They have carried me along.

“I’m happy. I’m content. But you do it for the fans.

“I had the worst summer after losing in the play-off final last season. I’ll have the best summer now.”

So where does that leave the Hammers, you may be wondering? To put it bluntly, Big Sam may be forced to use the playoffs to reach the top flight where we belong! The game against Bristol last night ended in a draw thanks to Cole Skuse’s equalizer that leaves the irons 5 points behind Saints with just two “freaking” games left! Rob Green should have done a bit better, we think.

Allardyce admitted that it was difficult now and they only have themselves to blame. I cannot believe it myself, if the Hammers fail to reach the Prem, then what? Another year in the wilderness, simple as that!

West Ham roared into the lead from a Tomkins header which came courtesy of a Mark Noble free-kick just after 25 minutes.That gave us some hope until blooming Skuse stuck one in for Bristol 4 minutes later!

And on that note i’ll leave you with what one Hammers fan posted:

Yes lets prepare for the white knuckle ride the play- offs lottery, worth 90m to the winners,US hammers fans wouldn’t have it any other way lol……….COYI – source here

Come on you irons!