Under the direction of West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola and first-team coaches Steve Clarke and Kevin Keen, Carlton Cole emerged as one of the most-feared strikers in the Barclays Premier League.

Cole's form in claret and blue during 2008/09 earned the powerful, speedy striker a new five-year contract at the Boleyn Ground as well as a full England debut. A return of 12 goals in all competitions was also a career-high for the Croydon-born player, who has become an influential figure for the Hammers.

Cole began his career at Chelsea, where he played under then-youth team manager Clarke before lining up alongside Zola in the Blues' first-team. Despite his undoubted potential, which led to manager Claudio Ranieri labelling him a 'lion', Cole failed to establish himself at Stamford Bridge.

After just 31 appearances for Chelsea - including 25 as a substitute - Cole joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a month's loan in November 2002, scoring one goal in seven appearances for the Molineux club.

Having become a regular member of England's Under-21 squad, where he lined up alongside future West Ham team-mate Dean Ashton, Cole spent the 2003/04 season on loan at Charlton Athletic. Again, however, he struggled to turn his promise into goals, netting just five times in 22 games.

Cole returned to Chelsea in the summer of 2004, only to find his chances limited by the arrival of Didier Drogba. As such, it was no surprise when Jose Mourinho allowed him to join Aston Villa on another season-long loan deal. The 2004/05 campaign saw him score three goals in 30 games for the Villans.

The 2005/06 season proved even more frustrating for Cole, who made just nine substitute appearances for Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League. However, he did score on his only start of the campaign, a 2-1 FA Cup third-round win over Huddersfield Town.

Cole decided to make for pastures new and did so by signing a four-year contract with West Ham on 5 July 2006. The striker marked his competitive debut for the club by scoring with virtually his first touch as a substitute in the 3-1 opening day win over former club Charlton at the Boleyn Ground. However, a further 20 appearances brought just two more goals during the 2006/07 season.

Into 2007/08 and Cole began to repay the faith shown in him by the Hammers, scoring six goals and making an important contribution in the absence of the injured Ashton. Cole also ended the Barlcays Premier League season with nine assists, illustrating his influential role in the side.

It was the 2008/09 season, however, that saw Cole finally come of age. The big hitman netted a dozen goals in all competitions, as well as picking up a further four assists.

Cole's form earned him a new five-year contract, which he signed in November 2008, before England head coach Fabio Capello handed him a senior international debut in the friendly defeat in Spain in February 2009.

Despite suffering a groin injury on his second England appearance - a friendly against Slovakia at Wembley the following month - Cole returned to score on the final-day win over Middlesbrough at the Boleyn Ground and was named in England's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra in June 2009.

Off the pitch, Cole is the club's ambassador to the Kick It Out anti-racism campaign and has also worked closely with Richard House children's hospice, a cause close to everyone at West Ham.