This is an article sent to me by Banjo. Thanks for the contribution and if anyone else wants to try their hand then feel free to email me. - whubris


With a number of injuries to ‘regular’ England players and Steve Mclaren wishing to stamp his authority on team selection it is quite possible that West Ham will be well represented, once again, at National level.

My memory goes back to the 1960’s, when Bobby Moore lifted 3 trophies in consecutive years at Wembley and West Ham won the world cup. A hat trick from Geoff Hurst and a single from Martin Peters assured England of world cup victory, and what a time it was. For West Ham, who followed the ’64 FA cup final win, with a ’65 cup winners cup final win, it was heady times. Success was blowing around East London like bubbles themselves, but sustaining this success proved very difficult indeed.

The seventies saw a number of new caps in the England team for the Hammers. The most notable of these was Barking born Trevor Brooking, a true gentleman. Fat Frank Snr earned his meagre amount of caps in the seventies, as did Bonzo .Alan Devonshire, the Yossi look-a-like also won his few caps in the seventies but the team itself seemed to stagnate. West Ham never really went on to become the force its fans wanted , we lacked the killer punch, consistency and a self belief.

Let me skip to the noughties . Here we are, pre season 2006/7 and the paper talk in the UK suggests at least one of our players are in danger of call up to the full England squad for the friendly Wednesday week against the Greeks. There is a possibility that 4 players will receive call ups, those being Deano, NRC, Matty and Anton. That maybe a stretch, but the talent at the Hammers is certainly coming through.

Here’s the rub. Will history repeat itself and lead to individual success, not replicated at club level, or will the talent in the club shine both domestically and Internationally .

Under Pardew West Ham have an energy about them that was missing in earlier decades. We have a steely determination, a self belief and a balance across the club that was not present earlier. We have an educated and professional backroom staff, sports psychologists, dietary specialists and fitness guru’s that elevate the players to a different level. We have a superb and well envied academy, true to West Ham tradition and a stadium that does its loyal fan base proud. In Pardew we have an inspirational man-manager, tactician and task master. All in all we are in great shape to take the next step. Can we take it, will this season be the decider as to whether or not West Ham United can reach the elite level in English football, or continue to be just another pretender to English football supremacy.

Cheers
Banjo.