Anniversary

Tony Stokes
Date of birth: 7 January 1987
Club: West Ham United

Popular squad member Tony Stokes is a homegrown Hammer who has made a significant contribution this season to the reserve-team's success. Captain of Alex Dyer's side, he has helped the second string climb to third place at the turn of the year and provides a consistent presence for the mixture of youngsters coming through and the more established names pushing for first-team calls.
The versatile Stokes, who can play in midfield or attack, has made one appearance for the senior side - a League Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday back in September 2005 - but was included on the club's pre-season tour of North America. In recent years, he has had three loan spells away from the Boleyn Ground - at Rushden and Diamonds, Brighton and Hove Albion and Stevenage Borough.

Classic match

Norwich City 1-2 West Ham United
FA Cup third round
7 January 2006

Hayden Mullins and Bobby Zamora were on target on what proved the starting point of a memorable FA Cup campaign. Mullins opened the scoring with a shot that went in off the post to beat Robert Green in the sixth minute before Zamora headed the second just before the hour. Norwich pulled one back through Paul McVeigh's penalty but it was to prove just a consolation in front of 23,968 fans.

Although Mullins got the ball rolling in the cup, he would miss out on the final against Liverpool the following May because of suspension. That Cardiff showpiece saw West Ham United race into a two-goal lead before being pegged back to 2-2. Paul Konchesky put the Hammers in front only for Steven Gerrard's last-gasp equaliser that led to extra time and the heartbreak of defeat on penalties.