Earlier this week I caught up Grand Slam US Open Wheelchair Tennis Champion Andy Lapthorne.The 23-year-old West Ham fan defeated American world No1 David Wagner 7-5 6-2 at Flushing Meadows, New York. His recent success adds to his three Australian Open quad doubles and one French Open quad doubles together with a London 2012 Paralympic Games silver medal.
Why did you become a West Ham fan?
My dad has been a West Ham since he was a boy, my dad’s half of the family are all from Dagenham and my dad lives in Hainault so from a young age I was told I had no choice so it was always going to be West Ham and I love it.
How often do you watch West Ham?
Obviously I am out of the country a lot of the time but if I am in the country I go to every game home and away. I just missed the game against Hull as I only just got back from New York. I have a season ticket in the Sir Trevor Brooking lower.
What do you think of our nine summer signings?
This has probably been the most successful transfer window we have ever had, there were a lot of players last season that weren’t up to scratch and were just a stop gap. We have signed players like Enner Valencia and Alex Song which can really improve the team. I think Aaron Cresswell has a massive future in the game and they can all push us on and we can finish a steady top half this season which would be nice and comfortable. Hopefully by the time we get to the Olympic Stadium we can keep building on this squad but I definitely think there are brighter days ahead for us now.
Where do you think West Ham can finish this season?
If you offered any West Ham fan ninth or eighth they would bite your hand off, we just need to take our chances like the Hull game but we need to push on and win those kind of games if we want to finish eighth or ninth. I think we can definitely finish in the top ten after the money we have spent but we have just got to take our chances. If we use the tactics we used at Hull we will win a lot more games than we lose.
What is your view of Sam Allardyce?
When you travel to all these away games and we don’t even have a shot on goal it can be very frustrating. You do shout at the manager and say we need a change. It is not personal against Sam Allardyce though, people just want to see us attack and get their money’s worth. If we can carry on playing like we did at Hull then I don’t think the manager really makes a difference. If we get entertaining football he can stay but if it goes back to being seeing us all stand behind the ball and no-one has a shot on goal then it would very difficult seeing him staying at the club long term. Hopefully we will have a solid season and things look like they are going to turn round so who knows? He could be there leading us into the Olympic Stadium.
What is your view of the impending move to the Olympic Stadium?
I have fond memories there from being there in London 2012 while coming out into that massive Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony so it’s always going to be a special place for me. It is so impressive; it is a stadium that can move us on to the next level to try to fight for those European places. I think it could jump us above Everton and compete with clubs like Spurs and Liverpool. I just hope they sort it out so it fit for football and everyone can go there and enjoy the games. The running track is quite big but I know the chairman are doing all they can to make sure that it is fit for football so we just have to trust them and hope it will be good to watch the games.
Will Mark Noble keep his place with Alex Song’s arrival?
I absolutely love Mark Noble, he is a West Ham legend but I just think he hasn’t had his greatest start to this season I have ever seen, when Song came on at Hull he looked so calm and composed on the ball, he didn’t miss a pass and looked really composed. Personally, I would move Kouyate to centre back for Tomkins and would have Song next to Noble but I don’t think Sam will do that. If he is going to drop any holding midfielder it will be Noble, so unless Noble picks up some form in the next few weeks Song will put him under a lot of pressure but hopefully Nobes can find his form in a long season.
What are you doing at half time on Saturday?
I am doing an interview on the pitch at Half time and will show the US open trophy off to all the fans. I had a lot of support on twitter from West Ham fans and I really appreciate it so it will be nice to go down to the game and show the people who have supported me the trophy and just say thank you.
What is your prediction for West Ham v Liverpool?
I actually think we are going to win, my dad not so confident but I think we have some momentum now and Liverpool are going to be under a bit of pressure from what Manchester United did last weekend. I think we will nick it 1-0, I think it will be our first clean sheet of the season and we nick the winner late on.
My thanks to Andy and good luck for half time solo pitch invasion on Saturday
You can hear my full interview with Andy Lapthorne on the West Ham podcast Moore Than Just A Podcast HERE