Nigel Winterburn's name is synonimous with Arsenal football club, which is enrirely understandable given that he played nearly 500 games for the Gunners, however he also played 94 games for West Ham after joining the club in 2000 before eventually retiring in 2003.
Hammers recruitment, or lack of it, is a continuing bone of contention among the majority of fans, the need for an additional striker, centre back and central defensive midfielder is as blatant as a tapped call instigated by Daniel Levy! Having been 'linked' with a plethora of players from many different clubs for each 'vacancy' the club have as yet overtly appeared to have done very little as the transfer window closure looms.
The Pai(n) 'wash your dirty linen in public' attempted take over of West Ham United had one major flaw that most Hammers fans saw through almost straight away, the use of the Ferdinand name! Now Sir Les is a QPR legend, even after his big money move from what was then called Loftus Road, his little Porsche could regularly be seen in one of the prized parking lots outside the ground as he revisited the club that made him.
Hammers overcame the club's six year opening Barclays Premier League voodoo with a resounding, albeit hard fought, 4-2 victory at St James' Park. The home team, roared on by a packed 50,000 crowd of Geordie supporters, bossed the 1st half for significant periods, they snatched their opening goal courtesy of who else but Irons nemesis Calum Wilson.
Newcastle: Woodman, Krafth, Fernandez (c), Clark, Murphy, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Wilson Subs: Gillespie (GK), Schar, Lascelles, Lewis, S.Longstaff, Hendrick, Fraser, Joelinton, Gayle
West Ham: Fabiański, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice (c), Souček, Bowen, Fornals, Benrahma, Antonio Subs: Areola (GK), Fredericks, Johnson, Baptiste, Diop, Coventry, Lanzini, Noble, Yarmolenko
Never ones to miss a trick, the PR department at the London Dome have 'let it slip' that the club are going to make a 'major transfer update' following the away game against Newcastle this afternoon. Long suffering Hammers fans won't question the timing of the announcement, because they know it is scheduled in case ANY of the club's irreplaceable players pick up a long term injury, and let's face it there is a very strong likelihood.
As with all things West Ham when it comes to player acquisitions, the club's tenuous transfer approaches are being 'stonewalled' for various reasons, the 'elephant in the room' being agents fees and low ball offers. As targets drift by the wayside, the cream of the crop are fading away, just like fans's dreams!
West Ham United's opening fixture of the Barclays Premier League is against Newcastle up at St James' Park on Sunday, much has been made of Hammers' recruiting 'black hole' as Moyes's boys prepare to take on the Geordies. Toon fans have been equally vociferous as those of West Ham when it comes to their owners and the lack of funds provided for transfers, but have been 'buzzed up' by Newcastle completing the signing of Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock on a six-year deal.
Hammers fans have already experienced transfer groundhog day during this window, it is akin to 'range anxiety' experienced by those lucky enough to afford an electric car, essentially one part of you knows everything will be OK, whereas the other panics and can see no light at the end of the tunnel.
After David Moyes's players posed for that photo, his team have affectionately become known as the Backstreet Moyes. However, the Scotsman isn’t a preening popstar who’s happy to take the club for a ride, far from it. He’s a winner who wants to build on the progress from last season.