Hammers face uphill task in second leg

West Ham 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Europa League semi-final) 

Looking at the huge amounts of cans and bottles littering the streets around Hackney Wick it seems some people might have been drinking all day for this one. Well, it is our biggest game in 46 years. Inside the London Stadium the flame throwers are in action, there are blue plastic flags on our seats and Nigel has his lucky Status Quo bag. Matt, Fraser, Michael, Alison, Scott and Steve the Cornish postie make up our contingent, while Lisa is watching in the Bat and Ball.

A big boost is the return of Zouma to the defence. Could we actually do it with Kurt back? After an emotional Bubbles it's the worst possible start. In the first minute Borre is given too much time to cross and Knauff gets behind Fornals to head home. How to silence the home crowd in one minute. Has the tension of the build-up been too much for some of the players? We should play the game and not the occasion suggests a sage Nigel. 

The Eintracht fans are bouncing up and down and waving black and white flags in unison. They seem quite English in their fervour and are the noisiest away crew we have encountered in Europe so far.

But we know this side has resilience, the crowd stick with West Ham, and after a nervous ten minutes start to get some attacks going. Antonio holds it up then Soucek plays a good through ball to Jarrod Bowen. He looks certain to score but it nicks off Trapp's foot and on to the post.

ANTONIO! ANTONIO! 

After 21 minutes the equaliser arrives. Lanzini's free kick is headed back across goal by Zouma and Antonio just gets a touch before Declan Rice to bundle the ball over the line as the decibel level ratchets up again. It's another assist to Mystic Matt who has just claimed that Antonio will never score for us. Goalkeeper Trapp is now hearing the sound of music, and it's I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles.

Frankfurt look very good on the break though, with Kamada impressing. Another good move sees Knauff twist and turn in the box to fire just wide.

At half-time we retreat to the concourse where Nigel eats his lucky Euro banana and we remark it's a little too tense to be enjoyable. Frankfurt are the best team we have seen in Europe so far.

After looking more likely to win it in the first half the Hammers start slowly again, and Frankfurt's passing game makes inroads. Nine minutes into the half a slick move undoes the Hammers. Borre's through ball finds Sow drifting through the defence, his shot is parried by Areola but Kamada taps home the rebound. Cresswell is appealing for offside but Ben Johnson's boot is playing Kamada just onside.

HITTING THE BAR

The Irons keep going, with sub Benrahma doing well to find space and curl a shot against the the outside of the angle of post and bar. Frankfurt almost kill the tie off when Kamada bursts through to fire against the post. West Ham press but the Frankfurt defence remains calm under pressure. The key moment arrives in added time as Rice crosses and Bowen produces a brilliant overhead kick which hits the underside of the bar.

So it's a first-leg defeat. We head to the Refreshment Rooms and conclude it was a decent game and West Ham have done well to get this far with such a small squad. Matt takes some time to recover from the knowledge that Lisa has seen two spare programmes abandoned on the bar and not picked them up, before going into a Proustian reverie about loitering behind fans for dropped programmes and almost seeing Gretna Green play in a Scottish Cup semi-final. 

Will it be another 46 years before West Ham are in another European semi-final, by which time we'll all be looking like Captain Tom and reminiscing about the time young Bowen hit the bar? West Ham are middling-ish suggests a deflated Nigel.

Eintracht are now favourites and their fans will be up for it. Two poor goals given away but some hope to be taken from the fact the Hammers hit the woodwork three times, though Frankfurt's counter-attacking looks ominous. Cue a very nervous night next Thursday.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Johnson 6, Dawson 6, Zouma 6, Cresswell 6; Soucek 6, Rice 8, Lanzini 7 (Benrahma 6), Fornals 5; Bowen 7, Antonio 7.

The Boys of '76

Hard to believe that it was 46 years ago when as a 16-year-old I watched West Ham beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 at Upton Park to reach the final of the Cup Winners' Cup. The game was played on a damp night and the pitch was a mudbath, but Trevor Brooking's header, Keith Robson's rocket into the top corner from way out and Brooking's exquisite third, which saw his dummy send a defender halfway into the Barking Road, saw the Hammers through. The atmosphere was great that night and it was a happy tube ride home to Upminster. 

Mind you, it's often forgotten that West Ham's league form went to pieces that season and the Irons failed to win any of their final 16 league matches. Having seen West Ham win the FA Cup Final in 1975 and the reach the Cup Winners' Cup Final in 1976 it seemed we'd be in a final every season. Things didn't quite work out that way. Still, I'd settle for another 3-1 score tonight in the club's first European semi-final for 46 years. Irons!

Declan decides?

Various papers have reported that Declan Rice has turned down a third contract offer from West Ham, but the club is still in a strong position. Deckers's contract has another two years to run, with the club having an option on a third year. He's not the sort to be unprofessional and go on strike so it looks like he would probably stay another season and then move on should a contract not be agreed. Whatever happens — and he'd be worth at least £150 million — it's been a privilege to watch him develop for the last five seasons and he shows all the signs of developing into a future England captain. Plus Rice seems to enjoy playing football much more than most modern players. Mind you, if West Ham could win the Europa League and get into the Champions League and then make some quality summer signings, we'd be in a much better position to keep him. Here's hoping...

Chelsea win it at the death after Dawson's red card

Chelsea 1 West Ham 0

This is always going to be a tough game with Moyes resting Rice, Antonio, Lanzini and Bowen for Thursday night. The home crowd is depleted and Chelsea look way off it in the first half as West Ham defend stoutly, with some solid work from the squad players like Yarmolenko and Masuaku and Cresswell and Johnson slotting in well in the middle alongside Dawson. Benrahma almost gets through a couple of times after Chelsea mistakes but it's a poor first half.

The second half sees Chelsea improve a little as Fabianski has to save efforts from Chalobah and Werner. Dawson has to make some heroic blocks while Yarmolenko gets through to force a double save from Mendy. With Rice and Bowen on it looks like West Ham might even nick a win as Yarmy lays it back for Soucek to have a shot blocked.

Lukaku coming on is ominous though — and sure enough the game turns as Lukaku rolls Dawson and feeling a tug on his arm goes down in the box. It's a penalty and red card after a VAR review. So West Ham are now down to no centre backs and no strikers. But it looks like the Irons might be on for a point after Jorginho rolls a pathetic penalty straight to Fabianski.

But it's not to be. Rice is dropping back as emergency cover, but In the 90th minute Alonso gets in another cross and Pulisic sweeps home in a position where Dawson might have blocked. A cruel way to lose after a spirited if limited defensive performance. A full-strength West Ham side could have won this, but it's understandable why Moyes has rotated. Chelsea could bring on a £90 million sub which highlights the limits of WHU's tiny squad and the folly of not buying any players in January. With four league games left our season now rests on the Europa League semi-final.

Diop disaster

Will the last fit centre back please turn out the lights? Now we learn that Issa Diop's late knock against Burnley is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season, leaving the stalwart Craig Dawson as West Ham's only fit centre back (is it possible to encase him in bubblewrap?). Without Ogbonna, Zouma and Diop David Moyes has limited options. One might be to shift Ben Johnson to the middle and play Coufal and Cresswell as full-backs. Ben looks to have the physique to do the job, though is untested in the role. 

Another idea might be to promote young Ajibola Alese or Jamal Baptiste — Alese looked promising in the game against Zagreb, but is obviously very inexperienced to play in a Europa League semi-final. Moving Declan Rice back would work, though would deprive the side of its engine in midfield and would mean Mark Noble starting matches when he's better using his experience as sub. As for Alex Kral, Moyes clearly doesn't rate him, though he was surely loaned to cover in this type of situation. Clearly there's a lot of thinking for Moyes to do.

Pope's saves earn point against tired Irons

West Ham 1 Burnley 1

Playing against a team with no manager, what could possibly go wrong? It's an Easter dash to the London Stadium on the Overground to meet Nigel, minus his lucky banana but with a not-very-lucky Blackwell's bag, Matt, who has just purchased a WHU Arthur Masuaku mug, Michael and Fraser. Carlos Tevez is on the pitch, though thankfully we haven't done any third-party deals with his owners for this appearance.

After a tentative ten minutes West Ham start to get some rhythm together, with Antonio whipping in a dangerous cross, Bowen's shot heading for the top corner tipped away by Pope and Cresswell having a shot kicked off the line by Tarkowski.

Then comes a fair tussle for the ball between Vlasic and Westwood, with the Burnley man going down and in trouble. Vlasic is holding his head in his hands and the players are visibly distressed by what looks like a horrible injury. There's an eight-minute stoppage before Westwood goes off, to a round of applause, followed by another medical emergency in the Bobby Moore Stand.

That break seems to disturb West Ham's concentration. The side concede first a free kick and then a corner. Cornet — who likes to blow his own trumpet suggests Nigel — whips in a good corner, Fabianski is stuck on his line, Rodriguez heads against the bar and Weghorst gets above Soucek to head home the rebound and give Burnley hope in their relegation fight.

The Hammers look very tired after the heroics of Lyon. With Burnley ceding possession the Hammers lack creativity and incisiveness. It should be two just before half-time. The out-of-sorts Johnson miscues a clearance allowing Cornet to break. The winger puts the ball past Fabianski and goes to ground after contact. Penalty and a red card for Fab. Bizarrely, Cornet, who has never taken a club penalty, insists on the ball, and slices a Fancy Dan penalty wide of the post to mass derision from the home fans.

At half time Nigel quips that defeat might be good for big picture of sending Big Frank and Everton down. We end up discussing the Invisible Man, Alex Kral, who is a Czech international — with Michael suggesting that of all the Doctor Who Monsters we got the not-very-good Krals, not that Michael is a Whovian of any sort. Meanwhile the game is not looking good for Matt's antipodean-based brother Adam, who is yet to see the Irons win on his visits from Down Under.

Rodriguez curls an effort wide early on, but the Hammers do improve in the second half. Though the Vicar's Son sitting behind me is having his patience tested and suggests that Vlasic can't tackle, shoot or dribble, and asks, like war, what is he good for? 

Sub Benrahma does inject some impetus to the Irons' attacking. The equaliser comes after Antonio wins a free kick. Lanzini curls in a good ball and Soucek shoulders home in a packed box. 

With 16 minutes left the Hammers press for a winner, only to be denied by Burnley's inspired goalkeeper. Pope tips over an Antonio long-range shot and then produces a brilliant Gordon Banks-style save to tip away Diop's header with one hand. In the final minutes Bowen releases Antonio, who races through in a one-on-one only to be denied by another fine Pope save.

You have to admire the resilience and spirit of this West Ham side, though it's again obvious that with this small squad we will struggle with the demands of Thursday-Sunday football. It was a game either side could have won. Still, at least there's a week's break until Chelsea and Burnley played with a lot of spirit. Though the Europa League is now looking like WHU's best hope after this chance of going sixth was spurned.

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 5; Johnson 5, Dawson 7, Diop 6, Cresswell 5; Rice 6, Soucek 7, Vlasic 5 (Benrahma 6), Lanzini 6 (Fornals 6); Bowen 5, Antonio 5.

Hammers storm into semis with massive away win!

Lyon 0 West Ham 3 (Europa League)

It's a disastrous start to the evening. The Sky box has broken in the Lucky Pub, the Leicester Arms, so there's no football. Nigel, Martyn, Michael and myself head to the Glassblower opposite, where we are promised football by the barmaid upstairs and then denied it by the barman downstairs. 

Luckily Nigel manages to keep his head while about him are losing theirs and delves into his mind palace to reveal that the Blue Posts near Green Park has televised football. After a quick dash across the West End we arrive to meet Matt and Lisa, having missed the first 15 minutes of the match.

Barcelona versus Frankfurt is on the main screen for some reason but we do find the Irons in the subsidiary screens. Lyon have hit the post early on and after Dawson has to make a fine block in front of the line and Dembele stumbles with a chance — it looks like being a long evening in front of 50,000 noisy Lyon fans. 

The Hammers create a chance on the break when Antonio gets in a good cross and the stretching Bowen puts it just past the post. Nigel has his lucky Status Quo bag from the 2011 Quid Pro Quo tour, Michael is carrying the manuscript of his new play in a carrier bag, Fraser is cheering the Irons on from his local in Ilford and Matt is wearing his West Ham away shirt, earning the admiration of one of the Green Park locals. Can our kinetic force see the Irons through?

WEST HAM ARE MASSIVE

Mystic Michael is just saying that after the Brentford game we might as well give up on this season. Cue a West Ham corner. Fornals whips in a great ball and there is Craig Dawson wanting it more than anyone else, getting to the near post before the hesitant young keeper Pollersbeck to head in a great set-piece goal. From Radcliffe and Rochdale to Europa League glory.

A minute before the end of the half Johnson's cross is headed out by Palmieri and the unattended Rice calmly fires in the second. What sort of thing is happening here? We haven't won away since Kidderminster.

We retreat to the bar for more Neck Oil, wondering if this is really happening. The second half starts and there is Fornals playing a fine first-time ball through to Bowen, who is on fire, and scores with ease. Blimey. 

None of us have ever doubted Captain Moyes for a minute. Michael descends into chuckles for the rest of the half wondering who scripted this and what other set of fans would be so worried about being 3-0 up. We think of the West Brom and Wimbledon games which we lost 4-3 and Nigel has to be loudly admonished by Matt and Lisa for mentioning that we were 3-1 up in the 2006 FA Cup Final.

Areola has to make one decent save and Dembele spins only to fire over, but we hold out with relative ease. Credit to the heroic Dawson and Issa Diop for doing a quietly efficient job in place of Zouma and Antonio for his hard work holding the ball up. And what spirit Moyes has somehow instilled in this small squad.

As we enter four minutes of added time we start to think we mighty actually do it. And we do, 46 years after our last semi-final WHU are playing Eintracht Frankfurt again. A beaming Moyes is on the pitch as the players celebrate.

So all we have to do for the semi-final away leg is ensure we go to a pub with a broken box, miss the first 15 minutes of the match and make sure that Nigel has his lucky Status Quo bag and Michael has a play manuscript with him. Easy. And we certainly have a new lucky — and expensive — pub. What a night. Irons!

A Bookshop for All

Pleased to have an interview and picture in the Newham Bookshop's A Bookshop For All, which has interviews with staff, customers, readers and writers celebrating 44 years of being the prime literary salon of Barking Road. The book is £6 to buy from the Newham Bookshop. My interview features memories of the District line of dreams from Upminster to Upton Park and hanging out at the bookshop with the eclectic likes of Benjamin Zephaniah, Gilda O'Neil, Cass Pennant and many other writers. As long-standing friend and supporter Michael Rosen says in the book’s foreword: “Newham Bookshop is much more than a bookshop. It’s a philosophy.”

Home win?

My piece in the Guardian asking if the London Stadium is finally starting to feel like home for West Ham fans has generated a lot of debate with 274 comments. Some agree that it's getting better, some fans still hate it, and it isn't much liked by away fans. While there's a few people still banging on about the fact West Ham got it on the cheap after taxpayers' paid for it. It's not perfect, but as we proved against Sevilla and Liverpool and Chelsea this season, with a winning team it can work. And as my pal Nigel commented on twitter: "No one loved Upton Park more than me, but even I admit it’s time to move on." Click on the link to read the whole piece.

A game too far for tired Hammers

Brentford 2 West Ham 0

This was always going to be a difficult game after the exertions of Thursday night and so it proved. West Ham looked flat throughout and are paying the price for Moyes' refusal to strengthen the squad in the January window.

Mbeumo's early shot parried by Fabianski indicated the way the game was going. A header from Soucek is West Ham's only effort on goal in the first half while Brentford create a series of chances. To make it worse Zouma goes off injured, which is a major worry for Thursday.

The second half sees two preventable goals.The first is a flick from a throw-on as Mbeumo gets behind Cresswell to beat Fabianski at his near-post. The second is the result of Antonio losing the ball in Brentford's half, a cross coming in and Toney getting between the centre backs to score with a free header.

The Hammers did have Soucek almost connect with a corner and sub Benrahma fire a late deflected effort on to the roof of the net, but that was about it. A bus stop in Hounslow has done the double over West Ham.

So now the Irons have to concentrate on the difficult away leg against Lyon and six games after that to try and ensure we finish in the top six. But long-term a small squad isn't sustainable in modern football and we really need to invest in the summer.

Spirited Hammers force draw after Cresswell's red card

West Ham 1 Lyon 1 (Europa League)

Several police vans are on Stratford Broadway and there are officers with drawn batons — they must have got wind of the fact that Fraser is making a rare appearance in the Best Cafe along with his firm of Matt, Lisa, Michael, myself, Sue the Chester fan and Matt's brother Adam, who has travelled all the way from Melbourne, Australia. With two vicar's sons present we are hoping that the crowd will keep it polite. Inside the London Stadium we meet Nigel, still reeling after reading a BBC article about the demise of the printed programme, and the Clacton contingent of Alison and Scott plus Steve the Cornish postie.

After the fireworks, Bubbles and the plastic bag waving it's a cagey first half compared to the Sevilla game. Lyon pass the ball neatly and Dembele goes close from a cross, but generally they are restricted to inaccurate long-range shots. Antonio is getting fouled a lot again, but causing problems and has a chance blocked after a return ball from Fornals. A long ball from Dawson finds Benrahma who under pressure shoots into the onrushing keeper from a tight angle. Rice has a low shot on target from a corner, though it's easily saved by Lopes.

Lyon players keep going down as if shot by the ubiquitous Jack Grealish sniper. "Lève-toi ta tarte!" comments Michael, our resident linguist.

Then comes disaster. In added time of the first half Souar plays in Dembele behind Zouma. Cresswell comes together with Dembele and it all looks very innocuous until referee Felix Zwayer brandishes a red card. Cresswell can't believe it and astonishingly there's no VAR intervention.

THE REFEREE'S A WINKER

The red card looks doubly suspect. Cresswell's arm has barely touched Dembele yet he's collapsed on the ground and the Lyon player also appears to be running away from the goal. It's very debatable that Cressy is the last man. To make it worse Moyes claims that Bowen has been fouled in the build up. Social media also reveals that Dembele has winked as Cresswell walks off — proof that Lyon are a bunch of winkers.

Moyes is booked for his protests after the half-time whistle blows. We'll take a 0-0 from this now. At least Nigel has his lucky banana out in the concourse in an attempt to get us through a difficult 45 minutes. For the first time in his life Matt starts to feel nostalgic for Mike Dean.

Johnson comes on for Benrahma as ten-man West Ham look to contain Lyon. But the sense of injustice is producing a fighting performance and astonishingly the Hammers go ahead after 52 minutes. The tireless Fornals plays the ball into the Lyon box, Boateng miscues and Bowen manages to spin and shoot, his shot deflecting off Boateng's boot and rolling gently over the line. Cue a massive explosion of noise from the London Stadium as Bowen runs to the Bobby Moore end.

Ndombele fires a shot wide, but it's almost an improbable two for the Hammers as Bowen makes a fantastic run from his own half, showing great strength to win the ball and get down the left before sending in an inviting ball that Antonio just fails to connect with.

SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT

But it's not to be. In the 66th minute sub Tete beats Johnson to fire in a cross. Areola can only parry it out, the ball strikes Fredericks and falls nicely for Ndombele, a Tottenham player, to equalise.

The crowd continue to inspire the home side with chants of "West Ham are massive!" and despite conceding most of the possession, the togetherness of the squad helps the Irons hold on. A rare Hammers' corner sees Lopez produce a good punch to deny Zouma. When West Ham mount a promising attack the game is stopped because of a Herbert invading the pitch — the second pitch invader of the evening. As the miscreant is hauled away by stewards a fan from the Bobby Moore Stand throws something at him. "Must be another Guardian reader," quips Fraser.

Meanwhile the ref seems completely unable to spot Lyon theatricals as players repeatedly fall to the floor. He incorrectly allows Lyon to re-take a foul throw and books Jarrod Bowen seemingly for looking at a writhing Lyon player in a funny manner. "Get up you tart!" suggests the vicar's other son beside me.

The spirit is epitomised by Craig Dawson winning a header and then surging into two storming tackles. WHU survive eight added minutes and it's still all to pay for in Lyon.

We head for the Refreshment Rooms to reflect on a battling performance, the great job Frank Lampard is doing at Everton, and the fact that Geoff Hurst was the last WHU legend to relegate Chelsea. Ultimately that dodgy red card might cost WHU in the second leg but whatever happens it's been an epic campaign and we can be proud of the way the side has tackled the Europa League so far. Irons!

PLAYER RATINGS Areola 6; Fredericks 6, Zouma 7, Dawson 8, Cresswell 6 (Johnson 6); Rice 8, Soucek 6, Fornals 7, Benrahma 6; Bowen 8, Antonio 6.

Upton Park revisited

It all felt a bit like being Charles Ryder returning to Brideshead... Had a good look around our old manor after the Tony Carr book signing at the Newham Bookshop on Saturday. The Boleyn Ground has now been replaced by a monstrous carbuncle of flats. Ken's Cafe, alas, is now Bad Boyz Diner, while our pub of (bad) dreams, the Central, is being refurbished as flats and retail (as my pal Lisa points out they always did have retail if you count the woman selling dodgy dvds). Better news is that the Boleyn has lost its sticky carpet and is now a splendid Victorian boozer with excellent beers.

Bowen returns to thwart Everton

West Ham 2 Everton 1

There's a strangely muted feel to this Sunday afternoon match, with the London Stadium feeling soporific and Big Fat Frank not even being taunted, though Fraser does ask how many men it would take to carry Lampard. We're joined by Matt, Lisa, Nigel (minus his lucky banana) and Michael, though the Clacton crowd appear to be waiting for the big one against Lyon on Thursday.

Good news is that Bowen is back though Lanzini is omitted after his car crash on the A12 and Johnson is also absent. Everton have lost Van de Beek in the warm-up. The game starts slowly with West Ham's best effort seeing Bowen and Benrahma set up Fornals, for a shot smothered by the onrushing Pickford. But Iwobi and Doucoure and seeing a lot of the ball in midfield and only a great recovery tackle from Fredericks foils Richarlison, who looks about to score when through.

The breakthrough comes on 32 minutes when Holgate gives away a free-kick on the edge of the box. Mystic Matt says we never score from free-kicks but Nigel has a good feeling about this one. Sure enough, Aaron Cresswell curls an effort over the wall into the top corner. It's positively Ward-Prowse-esque and Scouser Cressy enjoys celebrating in front of the Everton fans.

A few minutes late Everton should equalise, as Pickford's kick finds Richarlison getting behind Fredericks and chipping over the bar. It's almost two for the Irons when Benrahma finds Antonio — who is getting manhandled by Keane every time he goes for the ball — who rounds Pickford but from a tight angle can only hit the side-netting.

West Ham start slowly again in the second half, with Calvert-Lewin hitting the frame of the goal after a mistake from Rice. Eight minutes into the half the Toffees equalise after winning a corner. Fabianski punches to the edge of the area, but Richarlison pokes the loose ball to Holgate, who fires home with the aid of a big deflection off Fornals. At least this rouses the home crowd with some belated choruses of "West Ham are Massive!" and Bubbles.

BOWEN BOUNCES BACK

Luckily, Everton are in relegation trouble and prone to making silly mistakes. They are only level for five minutes before Iwobi mis-controls and Fornals sends Antonio away with an excellent first-time pass. Michail's shot is saved by Pickford, but Jarrod Bowen, who hasn't looked fully match fit, is on hand to stroke home the rebound. 

Everton further assist West Ham with a sending-off, as Keane receives a second yellow for another agricultural lunge at Antonio. "It's always difficult to play against ten men," mutters everyone in our group. West Ham almost make it three after great work from Benrahma on the left, only for the hit and miss playmaker to wildly overhit his cross. 

Everton show enough spirit to still trouble the Hammers and Moyes sensibly replaces the tiring Bowen with Mark Noble, who has the experience to calm things down. Cresswell is a bit fortunate to only get a yellow card for kicking the ball against Richarlison's face late on, though he's not helped by the Brazilian's multiple roll-overs as if he's been shot by the Jack Grealish sniper.

The Irons see the game out, and despite not playing well it's another great three points taking us back up to sixth. The side has again shown resilience and it's workmanlike performances from the likes of Dawson, Zouma and Fredericks that have got us through this. 

We start the long march to the Railway, but after some special pleading opt for the Cart and Horses instead. The pub is billed as the birthplace of Iron Maiden and certainly milks its claim to fame, even though, as Matt points out, they made their name mainly playing at the Ruskin Arms. The band also seem to have had time to brew their own beers, as we sample some Trooper and a rather good stout called Fear of the Dark.

Trivia king Matt misses an open goal when he forgets the name of the Uruguayan club we loaned Jonathan Calleri from — it was of course Deportivo Maldonado. Nigel has rarely looked happier as the juke box plays Metallica and even a song by Angelwitch, whom he once saw play at the Hermitage Club in Brentwood. All this and he's seeing 10CC live later... Michael looks less happy, as he scrolls down the jukebox for songs by Soft Cell and Bucks Fizz, only to find it won't accept his money. Some of the prices have us tempted to Run To The Hills, but it's a decent boozer with a good selection of ales.

Overall, a valuable three points when WHU were not at their best and now comes the biggest game of the season on Thursday. Irons!

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 6; Fredericks 7, Dawson 7, Zouma 6, Cresswell 7; Soucek 5, Rice 6, Fornals 6, Benrahma 6 (Yarmolenko n/a); Bowen 6 (Noble 7), Antonio 7.

Tony Carr and the golden generation of Hammers

Good to get a signed copy of A Lifetime In Football at West Ham United by Tony Carr at his Newham Bookshop signing today. Tony, who was at West Ham for 43 years and discovered Ferdinand, Lampard, Cole, Carrick, Johnson, Noble, Tomkins and numerous other Academy products, told me that of all his prodigies he considered Rio Ferdinand to be the one with the most natural talent. 

I asked him about players who had got away and he mentioned Ray Houghton as a loss, who was let go to Fulham because John Lyall had high hopes of Alan Dickens. Carr said Dickens was affected by Lyall leaving and then moved to Chelsea, which was a totally different type of club, and although having a good career didn't achieve as much as he might have at West Ham. Another player he was sad to miss out on was someone called John Terry, whoever he is. He also praised Jermain Defoe and his generation for loving the game and always being happy to do extra work after training.

Good to be back at Upton Park and a happy birthday to Vivian at the Newham Bookshop, who for once was lost for words after losing her voice, but was able to dispense cake. Enjoyed a swift half in the refurbished Boleyn pub afterwards with David, a fellow fan at the signing, who saw the 1964 FA Cup win. The sticky carpet has gone, the floorboards are stripped, it's full of real ales, and it's a now a great pub with superb Victorian fixtures and fittings. I'll be reviewing Tony Carr's book in future posts.