Sam Allardyce was the West Ham United manager for four years, winning promotion from the Championship and establishing the Hammers in the Premier League.
Frederic Piquionne celebrates scoring for West Ham
West Ham appointed ‘Big Sam’ as manager back in June 2011, following the clubs relegation from the Premier League. Allardyce had most recently been manager of Blackburn Rovers, and many were surprised to see the former Bolton boss drop down to the Championship.
The Hammers were widely considered to have the best squad in the second tier, and although Big Sam delivered promotion, it was via the play-off’s, with many supporters vocal in their frustrations at the style of play adopted by their new boss.
Allardyce went on to spend four years at West Ham, and more recently, a 67 day spell as England manager which was brought to an abrupt end which left Big Sam disgraced. Replaced by Slaven Bilic at the Boleyn Ground, who has brought in the likes of Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet, we take a look at Big Sam’s first starting XI as West Ham manager, which the Hammers lost 1-0 to Cardiff City.
Former West Ham manager Sam Allardyce and current West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
Rob Green
A loyal servant to West Ham, Rob Green spent 6 years at Upton Park, between 2006 and 2012. In that time he played just shy of 250 games for the club, winning the clubs Player of the Year award in 2007/08.
The 2011/12 season was Green’s last with the Hammers, winning promotion to the Premier League before departing for QPR. Now aged 36, Green is currently at Leeds United.
Herita Ilunga
Herita Ilunga played more games for West Ham in the single season that he was on-loan at the club than in the three seasons in which he was fully contracted to the Hammers. The former Congo international left West Ham for Doncaster Rovers in 2012, and he now plays US Creteil in the French third tier.
Winston Reid
One of only two players to start Sam Allardyce’s first game in charge that is still at West Ham, Winston Reid is now in his seventh season at the club. The 2012/13 Hammer of the Year is still a regular, now at the London Stadium, and also captains New Zealand.
James Tomkins
James Tomkins in action against his former club West Ham
From a current star to a recently departed one, many West Ham fans were disappointed to see academy graduate James Tomkins leave for Crystal Palace in the summer, and even more so following Slaven Bilic’s sides defensive woes at the start of the season.
Tomkins spent 8 years in West Ham’s first team, playing just shy of 250 games. He was exceptional in the 2011/12 promotion season under Sam Allardyce, making the PFA Team of the Season.
Joey O’Brien
Right-back Joey O’Brien was the epitome of a squad player during his 5 years at West Ham, which only ended in the summer just gone. After 7 injury plagued years at Bolton, Sam Allardyce brought O’Brien to West Ham in 2011, and the former Republic of Ireland international went on to make 105 appearances for the Hammers. Aged 30, O’Brien is currently a free agent.
Kevin Nolan
A man who followed Sam Allardyce from club-to-club as religiously as Junior Lewis followed Peter Taylor, uncapped Englishman Kevin Nolan did an effective job during his 4 years at West Ham. A huge earner in the Championship at the time, Nolan joined Big Sam and West Ham after scoring 12 goals in 32 Premier League games at Newcastle.
He matched that tally in the Championship with West Ham, and managed 18 in 3 seasons in the Premier League with the Hammers, before his eventual release. Following his departure, Nolan had a brief spell as player-manager at Leyton Orient which proved unsuccessful, and he is currently unattached.
Scott Parker
Scott Parker during his days as a key man at West Ham
A West Ham favourite, Scott Parker’s outing against Cardiff City was one of only four that he made in the 2011/12 season before departing for Tottenham. Parker joined the Hammers in 2007 for £7 million, going on to make 129 appearances and win the clubs player of the year award three times before joining Spurs for £5.5 million. Parker now plays for Fulham in the Championship.
Matthew Taylor
Another man who joined West Ham from Bolton during Big Sam’s first summer in charge, Matthew Taylor was solid if not spectacular during his 3 years at Upton Park. The 34-year-old former Luton man who used to play as a left-sided midfielder now plays as a holding midfielder for Northampton Town in League One.
Mark Noble
The second and last current West Ham player that started in the Hammers injury-time defeat to Cardiff City on the opening day of the 2011/12 season, Mark Noble has been at West Ham since 2004, and had his West Ham testimonial in December 2015.
The former Hull City loanee has played more Premier League games for West Ham than any other player, and has amassed a total of 380 appearances for the Hammers in all competitions, winning the Hammer of the Year award twice.
Freddie Sears
Freddie Sears alongside Craig Bellamy and Jack Collison
From an academy graduate who really established himself at West Ham to one who never managed to do so, there was a lot of promise surrounding Freddie Sears, but he never managed to put it into practice at the Boleyn Ground. In 58 games for the club, he scored just 3 goals. Sears now plays for Ipswich Town, where he has scored 15 goals in 48 games.
Frederic Piquionne
A semi-regular scorer in France and even less prolific in England, Frederic Piquionne is a striker who won’t live long in the memory for most West Ham fans. The former Monaco man spent 3 years at Upton Park, scoring 8 goals in 54 league games.
Capped at full international level by both France and Martinique, Piquionne is currently playing in the Indian Super League for Mumbai City, in a strike partnership alongside Diego Forlan.
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