It might be instructive to keep an eye on Scunthorpe’s matches over the next month or so!
Why? Because with Bondz Ngala joining Jordan Spence on loan at the club, there is a prospect of seeing them team up in central defence in some forthcoming Championship fixtures. It will be interesting to see how they perform individually and as a partnership in 2nd tier matches. It could prove a good indicaton of how near they are to challenging for a first team place when they return to the club?
Also worth a watching brief is Fry’s progress on loan at Gillingham and Effloysson’s form at Cheltenham Town!
With back to back home fixtures this week, it would appear that our first opponents, Aston Villa, could be minus Ceullar, Milner and Petrov through injury and suspension. Whilst the weekend’s opponents, Everton, also have a few problems on the injury front. Unfortunate for them, but we will take any help we can get at the moment to get a couple of home wins on the board!
Finally, well done to the West Ham youths on Saturday for doing a double over the gooner kids at their place. The U-18s won 1-3 and the U-16s thrashed their gooner counter-parts -3-7!
SJ Chandos.
Claret & Blue and nicknamed the Irons – shouldn't we be twinned with them?
The Iron, I think Devo, and this Hammer was certainly supporting them and Burnley during the playoff weekend last season
Devo what you reckon for the villa game,Cole and Hines against Dunne and Collins?
Licking my lips, chris – I still like the look of Franco as well.
It's the other end that worries me!!
Spot on – the other end looks totally and utterly without hap……..
me to ,who right back then?
RB and LB – Illunga looks like he's a one-season wonder!
I like Scunthorpe! I have no idea why! I just like them! lol
Fry has really settled in at the Gills. My pal who is a season ticket holder really rates him
Thanks for keeping us up to speed, guys. Job well done.
Also, while I'm on, I am really not a keen fan of football phone-ins, but does anyone else enjoy Saturday morning with Danny Baker? (I think he might be a Marmite broadcaster in many people's eyes – either love him or loathe him).
One topic he has on the go at the moment concerns fans having to put the case for saving their ground from demolition.
One guy came on, claiming that he should save Meadow Lane because apparently there was a big hole on the site of the pitch, into which a horse had once fallen. The horse couldn't be rescued and therefore perished and was buried where it lied.
Therefore, if they tried to sell off the ground it would be like flogging a dead horse.
As the listening public (well, me, at least) groaned, Baker hit the 'demolish' button.
By the way, good to see you back posting on here Graybo!
Let's hope they don't flop like Sears has. Even the Championship is proving too much for him lol.
Freddy needs to go on a Guinness and pie diet or get invited to lunch at the Ashtons more often. With a bit bulk he might not get blown off the ball so often,
Effloysson is apparently doing OK at Cheltenham in a struggling side. This comes from a mate of mine who watches all of their home games.
Thank your mate for the update and give him my condolences!
He's a real sucker for punishment.
Oddjob, as a matter of interest is he playing centre back or are they using him at all as a defensive midfielder?
alright everyone, came back from college, what is our nickname, Irons or hammers?
Both Mustaqim However the HAMMERS is the more popular
The Irons comes from the THAMES IRONWORKS before they were renamed WHUnited. Lol!
Scunthorpe are nicknamed The IRON as they were an industrial town with the largest steel processing centre.
Both.
The press always use Hammers but the fans have always preferred Irons
Yep – Both mustaqim.
You'll hear "Up the 'ammers" & "Come on you Irons," shouted by fans.
Have you been to a live game yet mate?
Hi SJ – whilst you are correct that we should eye Scunthorpe's results with interest, you are also wrong – an ability to perform in the second tier has NO relevance in comparisson to the Premier League, and for Defenders probably more than at any other level.
If you want proof – how about the year we won our place back to the Premier – who was the rock at the heart of our defence? Elliot Ward that's who – a young lad proving he had the ability to make it at the highest level – except he didnt and was sold to Coventry within 18months.
Hi Jolly, no it does not guarantee success as a PL defender, but Championship football is a large step above reserve team football. As such it is part of their footballing education and a test of their ability to start making the transition.
Otherwise, why loan players out? It quite commonly the case that players start with a loan to a Divison One or Two club and then move on to a Championship club. More than anything it gives them a taste of competitive football, something that is lacking at reserve team level.
Soon to be Boleyn Bucaneers!!
Devo, That is too close to the Tampa Bay/MU
Glazers
But cannot think of an appropriate newname
oh ok thanks oddjob, lol, I like Irons better as well, lol…
We have put so much investment into the younger players that we need to see some more of them start to come good. But let's hope we're not forced to play them in the first team out of necessity rather than choice come January.
By the way SJ, now you are on the staff, you need to start getting Eyjolfsson's name right.
I do not think that we can really criticise the number of youth products ‘come good’ at Upton Park recently. With Tomkins, Noble, Stanislas, Ngala Collison, Hines, Payne and Sears all making a break through into the first team and five of them now regulars.
I am sure that you are correct about the spelling of his name, thank you for pointing it out to me. I will note it for future reference.
Didn't Ian Botham use to play for Scunthorpe at centre back? Not a great footballer, but one of the most exciting cricketeers that England has ever produced.
Mustaquim, if you don't mind me asking mate, how old are you? And how long have you been a West Ham fan? just curious
No problem if you would rather not answer!
Matt
Matt behrami could miss the villa game apparently,know anymore fella?
It is likely he will miss the game on weds mate! As it will be a few days before he can even train again! Calf strains a odd things!
The pain can go away in 24 hours but as soon as you put stress on it, the muscle will give way! So I think Weds is pushing it! He MIGHT get a run out on Sat but I doubt he'll start!
can anyone tell me were is ashton is he suffering from depression because was watching the hammers against sunderland and thought of wat a partneship cole and ashton would be right now…
Stav, No one knows still nothing from the board room and GZ has given up trying to locate him.
I last heard he was one of the next group on Strictly or ITVs Ice Dancing
Zola has interest in Cassano or Pavluychenko wonder where the money would come from selling someone good are we;Bellamy for savio or Ginge for nobody Nani is there enough in it for you Italy,s answer to Arfur Daley!
Killstom & Chamakh still appear to be in the mix
With Upson leaving January for approx £10/12mill
Whether these will come to anything along with a couple of loans we could do quite well
Perhaps Harry will loan us Pav! Ha Ha
I read that too! But the 2 of them would cost over £20Million! lol!
I say sell Nani and use his wages! lol
Devo Devo- you are quite right.
I do keep a little eye on Scunnie. I didn't know anything about them, til a couple of years ago.
For my sins I spent a year and a half living in a lovely flat right by Stamford Bridge (I had to leave though – I couldn't stand it).
Chelsea drew Scunnie at home in the cup while I was there so one January morning I came out of my gate onto the Fulham Road to see thousands of people in c& b shouting "Irons, Irons."
I learned pretty quick that they were Scunthorpe but I can't tell you how happy it made me and it remains my favourite day of the whole time I lived there!
If you have ever been to Scunthorpe then you know that an away match would be a real treat. A day out of Scunthorpe and a chance to watch your team play footie. I assume that the nickname comes from the town's steelworks which is a real blot on the landscape. Guess they did not fancy being called the "steelers" in case they were mistaken for Mikey Mousers. Full marks for playing in Claret and Blue. I have always had a soft spot for Burnley for the same reason.
I spent 5 years living behind Stamford Bridge and all the fans resembled humans who had been tortured due to the way Chelsea never won a raffle until the money launderer washed his dosh.Money enough of it will win you something if you have enough of it clean or dirty!
When I was there (Stamford Bridge) it was The Special One Era so they rarely lost. Seeing them so happy every Saturday and then again on Wednesday nights is what became so unbearable.
That and the piss trickling up the garden path twice a week.
matt how u doin mate, lol, Im 16, I will tell you the truth, I was a man u supporter, back in 2005 i changed to a west ham because they were a local team, played brilliant football, dropped being a man u supporter because i dnt go to the games, not a proper supporter, so im still learning mate, hope you wont take the mick, lol
Not taking the Mick mate! We all have to start somewhere!
But ManU????? lol! 
Well welcome to the World Of West Ham
Matt
Mustaqim
You made the right choice to come over to the wonderful world of WHU. Only the wrong half of Essex support Man U.
4 years iv supported the Irons
Mustaqim…the history of the club is well worth a read. There are some terrific books in the club shop but even the Wikipedia offering is worth a look.
Welcome to the world of claret and blue. We can't guarantee you many days of glory, but it will be a ride to remember.
COYI
And be prepared to be regularly disappointed. It comes with the territory.
thanks mate, i appreciate that comment, i only started getting into football that time, didnt know who to support, so started with man u, but its west ham for me m8, and i will stick by them, Up the Irons!, lol, neway how u been m8?
No probs! mate! Was just curious!
I suppose ManU is the usual place to start if you have no idea about who to support
All good here mate! Thanks for answering
You been to a game yet?
thanks kildarehammer, i appreciate that comment, lol, my whole familys a west ham
but dont understand why people who live in london support man u, they aint exactly local are they? lol, west ham is just 5 minutes from my house, lol
The party for Melboure cup starts in 2 hours and I am hoping to pace myself right through to the Villa game.I have been in training to sink a thousand beers so for a tip get on Bart cummings horse to win the cup and 1-0 West Ham over Villa!
What's the name of the horse, Aussie?
hi guys. just want to share a few thoughts.
does anyone know or agree with the fact that faubert has been dropped for spector? Spector has vever made the mark in my opinion and we all voted faubert as one of the best so far.
has anyone noticed diamanti? i like the guy by he lookslike he's glued to the floor. everytime someone sprints past him he tries to push him with both hands! we need to work on that.
collison and behrami are our best two players but they still are not mature enough to take the game by the scruff of its neck and keep possession to win us a game. we really lacked leadership last saturday
what happened to jimenez? i know he has not performed so far but he needs games to gel in the squad. he has not been given a minute in the last two games and he was supposed to be zola's top man
i think cole and franco can be the ones that save our season…fingers crossed
a lot have critisised noble…he has not had the best of ganes so far but at least he is the most consistent from all the midfield men as regarding games played, suspensions and injuries.
your views????
Dominic – IMO neither Faubert or Spector are good enough to be a regular PL right back. I was never Neill's biggest fan but it seems to be a case of never missing something til it's gone.
Spector has been with us now for 3 or 4 years (?) and doesn't seem to have improved one bit. I've never been exactly sure what Faubert really is and how he is a full French international is a mystery.
Only time will tell with Diamanti and Jiminez although Diamanti looks, at the moment, the more likely to make a contribution. It can be difficult for players coming into the Premier League when a club is struggling and devoid of confidence. The problem seems to be that, if we play both of them, we look thin in midfield and get overrun. Time will tell.
ye I know lofty, iv read some history books on west ham, have to say they have a brilliant history, amazing, I am currently reading the book ‘The First and Last Englishmen’, apparently west ham were the first and last all english team to win the FA cup and european cup, amazing Irons history, just brilliant, im a proud west ham fan.
BY THE WAY EVERY1, THANKS FOR WELCOMING ME TO THE WORLD OF CLARET AND BLUE, REALLY APPRECIATE IT!!
Anyone else always look out for Sheff Utd's result? Am currently enjoying them losing to the Toon on a stream. Great to see them struggling at their true level.
As another throwback, did anyone catch the article in the NOTW or Mail on Sunday on Tevez? Humbling stuff. Had to lol at the comment that Warnock allegedly met Tevez recently and had the front to say "you cost me millions, you did" at which the gentlemanly Argie simply looked at him incredulously. What a prize mug Warnock is. Double lol!!
Headmaster…the Tevez piece in the Screws was certainly thought provoking.
Here's the link for those who missed it.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/575273/Manc...
nice one lofty
I must admit I take lots of pleasure in the misfortunes of Sheff Utd.
As for the Warnock thing, it would be funny if that northern serial whinger hadn't cost US millions!
Good ol Colin!
Surely Colin's sell by date has expired by now. He's hardly setting the world alight at Palace.
I seem to develop an irrational hatred of any club he is associated with. Actually, on second thoughts, it's entirely rational.
my favourite film is even Green Street, lol.
Lofty Bart Cummings has 3 in the race he has won it 12 times before it is the race that stops the nation cos everyone is smashed,everyone!9am kick off haha!
Have lumped on Viewed, Aussie. Watch this space.
Are you sure about this excessive imbibing? Could become a habit, you know.
Have fun and think of us poor sods at Upton Park on Wednesday.
We'll be moaning, screaming and blowing our brains out as usual…but loving every minute (probably)
Lofty mate enjoy but bart owns roman emporer just my own conpiracy as he has a girl on the other one but viewed looks good efficient is its danger, go on you IRONS!off to the pub now 8 am sunny and hot keep warm mate!
With Scunthorpe now level on points, having played the same amount of games, with Sheffield United I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on them.
IRONS! IRONS! IRONS!
I have had the dubious pleasure of working in 'Scunnie' on a couple of occasions. The one bit of trivia that sticks with me is that the guy I was working with said the reason he loved the place was that it had the highest ratio of females to males of any town in England. Not sure of the truth of that statement, but there has to be a decent reason for wanting to live there!
Shropshire – I always thought that Nottingham had the highest proportion of women but I haven't counted them all so you may be right.
I have also spent some time in Scunthorpe in the past and it is soulless.
I am not sure that any one has seen this post from the Newham Recorder but if there is any truth in this Woah Betide us in the next few wks
Met an ex-Hammer yesterday, very well in with whu.
If we don't get a buyer by 1st Dec then we are going into administraion fact.
He told me we are £89 mill in debt and we will lose 10 points just like southampton, this is not a rumour its a West Ham through and through man saying this.
I'm gutted. if the American who has the 6 west ham syndicate people involved and he backs out, we are finished.
Every bit of money the icelandics put in was loans and guess what? The holding company Straumer are also going into liquidation, so wouldn't it be in there interests to sell even for £50 mill then get something, rather than take West Ham into liquidation with them.
Please, please let us have a proper takeover before its too late.
Not too different to what I said earlier mate! Only, I have been told 7th Dec and not Administration! But a meeting of creditors to discuss the next step which does however include the possibilty of administration!
Where did you see this mate?
I have been told by a very reliable source something very similar, and now it seems there is this!
Makes you think!
I believe it appeared on the Hammers letters section of The Newham Recorder’s website, Matt. A little before your letter taking that guy from Birmingham to task about our attitude to Frank Lampard Jnr. I trust that was you, Matt Ryan of Kent?
Go on there and have a look.
Lol yeah that was me! I don't normally frequent that site but had to reply to him! lol! Ahhhhh Newham Recorder, of course! Will go and take a look!
Cheers mate!
Ahhh I see him now! To be honest though he just sounds like he met some Millwall fan in a pub who looked a bit like Tony Cottee who told him we are in trouble!
He seems like a right intelligent guy! lol
I stand by my uncle though!
Even if we were £89m in debt, which I doubt, why would we go in to administration if we are able to service that debt from our turnover? Has there ever been any verifiable evidence that West Ham Utd FC are not financially self-sustaining and able to service it’s debt?
There has been a lot of erroneous, loose talk about financial meltdowns, but to date it has always been shown to be without foundation. Amidst all that speculation, did the PL not seek assurances from West Ham about their financial stability? Did the PL not accept the assurances given them?
The PL do not want to see one of their clubs go into administration and there would be a lot of activity from that quarter if there was any possibility that it could occur. If they started seeking further assurances then I might be a bit more worried!
Finally, hard headed financial considerations dictate that C&B Holdings will not let West Ham go into administration. That would mean them losing control of a major asset which Staumur are obviously looking to exploit to eventually pay off creditors.
Even in the unlikely event of Staumur’s creditors pulled the plug on them, would it necessarily mean that West Ham would go into administration? Surely we would be firewalled from that?
If you recall, the Football League put Southampton into administration because its holding company’s interests were not sufficiently diversified from the football club. In short, it was an extension of Southampton FC and not a separate entity!
Finance is not my forte, but this is the way that it seems to me.
Firewalled? Not at all mate! ManU and Liverpool would be firewalled! We would be sent to the bloody wolves!
You are right that C&B would do all they could to prevent us going into administration, it would be disasterous for them! But sometimes, when all other fires are burnt, there's no option!
I personally don't think we will go into administration but I do seriously believe there will be a "meeting" on 7th to discuss our future! I also believe that we will be sold before Xmas!
firewalled means protected by incorporation as a seperate legal entity held apart from a parent or other company within the same group of companies so as to protect said company from any financial misfortune befalling either a parent or sister company. West Ham are firewalled from anythin that would happen with Straumur.
Funnily enough ManU and Liverpool are not as the clubs themselves carry the debt, little over £1.1B between them at my last count!
Yes I know what Firewalled means! It was sarcasm! I have 2 thirds of a legal degree! Jeez!
As a matter of interest, what happened to the other third Matt? Are you currently studying for it or doing it part-time?
Also as another matter of interest, why would you need to be sarcastic about my comment on the club being firewalled?
Thanks for your informative post, Celtic, but your arguments and point of view would be helped further by choosing not to talk down to people.
Let me put this as simply as possible while doing me best to avoid using the type of language I want to.
WE ARE NOT GOING INTO ADMINISTRATION! NOT ON THE 1ST OF DECEMBER OR ANY OTHER DATE!
Everyone get that?
Ok let me tell you why
Firstly Straumur is not being liquidated anyone who thinks it is is a moron! No punches pulled on this one boys so if your easily offended I would avert your eyes.
Why would Straumur be liquidated? It it happened its creditors would recover less than 10% of their money AT BEST! If they approve the rationalisation plan they will AT WORST recover 51% of their money. You dont have to be me to know that 51% is a lot more than 10%.
Ok lets say that the mugs spouting this drivel are right, why december 1st? Before we can even be considered for administration we would have to be seriously behind with our obligations, most notably to pay the players! Are we? No we are not!
If we had not paid them for Oct dont you tihnk you would have heard about it by now? Maybe we owe money to other clubs for players we bought? Nope, no again we havnt sodding bought anyone! So unless we have ignored the invoice from the company who supply Deano's pies we should be ok.
Still with me? Ok try and keep up here.
2 weeks ago CB Holdings SUCCESSFULLY renegotiated the clubs loan facilty which was £30M by the way (thats a lot less than £100M or £89M or any other poxy figure some muppet made up). Now why would the bank renegotiate the loan with a club that is about to go under? They would have seen the books before agreeing to anything. The also appointed Rothschild and Standard Banks to look at bringing in new investors to the club. Part of this deal was based on CB Holdings themselves putting in money once Straumure was out of its temporary nationalisation.
Straumur see WestHam as a high profile trophy asset and intend not to slowly run it into the ground but rather to push its profile and make it a global brand. Hence the trip to China to glad hand a bunch of rich industrious little fellows. The see WestHam as a way to entice investors to put money into Straumur by offering them a small but glamours stake in a famous London Premier League club.
How you doing? Lot to take in, go grab a Coke and come back if you need to!
You back? Sitting comfortably? Good then I will continue!
Here is the crux of the whole matter, even if, even if our debts were £89M, so sodding what! We have a turn over of around £80M, we own our ground and the selling of one player could make up the difference! We can survive on our turn over, we have not actual need for infrastructural (big word google it if you have to) investment, our stadium is modern, our training ground is good our medical set up is good and our Academy is second to none.
In the last 12months our running costs have dropped sharply, heat, light, transport, catering supplies, wages have all come down but our turnover have actually increased slightly so not only are we a viable going concern but we are actually an attractive business (apart from a rather complicated ownership structure which will be streamlined in good faith.)
Now if anyone has anything other than, my mate said, I sat next to a fella on the bus, my aunts cat played left full for The Hammers in 73 then let me hear it,
Bring it right here to this site and I will happily rip their arguments to shreds because I have all I can bloody take of the doom merchants, so either back it up or shut up! As for all the so called fans who carry these stories all you are doing is undermining the club. Why would the media bother their arses tearing the club down when our own fans will do it for them.
Now any questions?
NO?
Good
Here endeth the lesson!
Firstly do NOT insult my family, secondly, you know squat about behind the scenes!
Celtic Hammer, I tend to agree with you on the substantive points you make, I think I also made a few of them in my previous post. It is clear that you are annoyed about the speculation and, again, it also tends to wind me up, but there is no point in responding by abusing people. You just undermine your own arguments by doing that.
You and Matt are not going to agree on this, so best to just let events prove who is right and who is wrong. They always do with time!
I am sure that a lot of what you wrote, Celtic, is justified but that was the most patronising post you've ever written. It must be great to feel that clever.
Celtic, Thanks for putting your views as far as we know it regarding the clubs
position. I realise that the post is some disillusioned fan trying to undermine the clubs financial situation etc.
one can only read into these stories as much as you want to & if it gets up other peoples noses so be it.
I always accept your view as level headed and fair & apologise if this latest post/rubbish has upset you
Until Straumur have their moratorium on December 11 and Rothschild/Standard bank have looked into further investment for the club we will continue to trade as we have and hope that new investment will be in place in time for the January TW
All the best mate. !Lol!!
hey matt sorry for not answering, lol, yes been to a couple of games, 1st against cardiff, last game was against chelsea in 2007, lost 4-1 @ home, lol, ye so if I ask anything about west ham, plz dont mind m8, lol, still learning about west ham, neway tc m8…
Stilll think I will wait til december Celtic and take it from a reliable source! You know about as much about the behind the scenes of West Ham as any of us! You can ONLY post what you THINK! So why slate everyone elses views?
Your posts are getting so insulting!
Matt everything I post I can back up, everything I use to make a decision or arrive at a conclusions is available for anyone else to go out and find for themselves.
If all these people so close to the club are so concerned for it then why is everything whisper, whisper, nudge, nudge, wink, wink,
Why not have the balls to come out and say who is doing what to run the club into the ground?
If they are so sure they have no fear for any liable or slander actions.
So where are they and why is everything second or third hand!
Every previous incarnation of the demise of the club I have argued against and guess what? I am batting a thousand.
oh 4rgt, thanks for not taking the mick, lol, feel embarassed, lol, laters matt..
To in depth for me, I gave up months ago trying to understand it all,I think our current owners are in a bit of a panic about our position,I think we will see the club sold very shortley.
It is interesting to see how these posts take on a life of their own. When reading the original theme of Scunthorpe and West Ham's youngsters I thought of Ian Botham, who turned out for the Scunnie Irons in the eighties, one of England's most exciting cricketeers.
As for the spat that develops every time West Ham's financial situation is raised I can only hope that the posters will be sensitive enough to realise that they are not the only ones to write for or read this blog. I have to admit that I am very much ignorant of West Ham's financial predicament, and so I read these posts with a mixture of interest, curiosity, and scepticism. Personally, rightly or wrongly, I am find it far more interesting to know whose relative turned out for the Irons in 1973–by the way, was it Bertie Lutton?!–but then I am sure I am guilty of far too much nostalgia.
With all respect, RH, I'm not sure that Bertie Lutton would have his ear close to the ground at UP anymore!!
FWIW – For all his faults, CH is normally on the money (pun intended) when we discuss the financial situation of our club, so I'll go with his take on this, especially as the figures don't add up to suggest otherwise.
I'll stick to team selection & formation.
Celtic, Matt, SJ and whover else. Please accept my apologies if I have upset anyone with the latest post from probably a disillusioned fan. I am a WH fan through & through. My grandfather was a supporter when they were still the Thames Ironworks & went to the White horse FA cup final at Wembley.
However these stories about financial crisis & administration etc have NO foundation. As Celtic has said if we were in such a position the PL would taking more of a role, as they are at Portsmouth with Transfer embargos etc. I realise that we have not got anything like that on our plate at present (thankfully) & with CB refinancing the loans so as to put investment into the club with Rothschild/Standard bank looking into new investment for the club I know that the future looks bright & will come sooner rather than later.
The main concern is on the pitch and hopefully we are able to put a few points on the table over the next few games to push us up the league from our current false position.
Until the next post. Watch this Space!Lol!
Fishy, you haven't upset me at all mate! The reason, I had a go was at the content of someone's post!
No probs here mate!
Yep, Devo, I doubt it too that Bertie would have the inside track at Upton Park. Given that he only made something like 13 appearances, and hardly the type of player that trips off one's lips when citing Hammers' players of the past, I mentioned him with my tongue very firmly in my cheek.
Time will tell on the financial front, and let's hope for the best. However, I think many of the parties involved in this discussion are basing some of their arguments on speculation, and are also very aggressive and patronising in presenting their opinions; and so, consequently, I feel, at times, the debate has degenerated into a playground squabble, which is a pity.
yep couple of games, last was against chelsea