Former West Ham chief executive Peter Storrie admits that the
friendly against West Ham will be an emotional evening for him.
A devoted Hammers fan, and now co-owner of Notts. County, he says he knows the pain Harry Redknapp will have gone through this summer after breaking from the club so dear to his heart.
"I was with H last night as I went to see a game," he says, "and I was talking to him about it. "He said it is so hard, and I agreed, but said that over time you get used to it and some other things come up in football.
"You concentrate on them - but when it is a club you love so much it takes a while to recover.
"You never totally get over it, because I love West Ham the same way Harry does, and it's the first result we look for.
"Although you would prefer to be there yourself when they are successful you still want the club to do well.
"I hope they get into Europe and we can be promoted - that would be a wonderful win double.
"Whenever you leave someone you feel bitter in life and that is natural, but things move on and other opportunities come up."
Peter still keeps in touch with the club, however, and he says:
"I talk to Paul Aldridge regularly and Terry Brown every now and then, and I'm in contact with Harry all the time even since he left West Ham.
"Generally speaking I get on very well with everyone there."
Now, though, he is looking forwards and adds:
"As a part owner you are paving your own future, and hopefully, touch wood, we will succeed."
Of tonight's game, he says:
"The crowd could be anything between 6,000 to 12,000 - there has been a lot of publicity and I hear we even got a mention in the test match.
"I have invited the Australian team to come and watch, but who knows when they will finish.
"All we have done is extend an invitation.
"We have spent an awful lot of money on the pitch - £175,000 - and it is the first occasion we have played on it, so I'm looking forward to the game.
As for the change in manager over the summer, he says:
"If Glenn goes and wins the first half a dozen games people will say 'Harry who?'
"All I would say to West Ham fans is 'give him time' and make the judgement over a season.
"But results are the be-all and end-all and there is so much money going around the penalties for getting it wrong are huge."
Peter says he will take huge satisfaction in seeing the youngsters perform tonight, adding:
"For me it is a wonderful thing to see West Ham again because a lot of these players are ones I was involved in bringing to the club through the youth operation.
"I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing them come through; that is why the game is doubly pleasing.
"Tony Carr deserves an enoprmous amount of respect for the work he has done."
A devoted Hammers fan, and now co-owner of Notts. County, he says he knows the pain Harry Redknapp will have gone through this summer after breaking from the club so dear to his heart.
"I was with H last night as I went to see a game," he says, "and I was talking to him about it. "He said it is so hard, and I agreed, but said that over time you get used to it and some other things come up in football.
"You concentrate on them - but when it is a club you love so much it takes a while to recover.
"You never totally get over it, because I love West Ham the same way Harry does, and it's the first result we look for.
"Although you would prefer to be there yourself when they are successful you still want the club to do well.
"I hope they get into Europe and we can be promoted - that would be a wonderful win double.
"Whenever you leave someone you feel bitter in life and that is natural, but things move on and other opportunities come up."
Peter still keeps in touch with the club, however, and he says:
"I talk to Paul Aldridge regularly and Terry Brown every now and then, and I'm in contact with Harry all the time even since he left West Ham.
"Generally speaking I get on very well with everyone there."
Now, though, he is looking forwards and adds:
"As a part owner you are paving your own future, and hopefully, touch wood, we will succeed."
Of tonight's game, he says:
"The crowd could be anything between 6,000 to 12,000 - there has been a lot of publicity and I hear we even got a mention in the test match.
"I have invited the Australian team to come and watch, but who knows when they will finish.
"All we have done is extend an invitation.
"We have spent an awful lot of money on the pitch - £175,000 - and it is the first occasion we have played on it, so I'm looking forward to the game.
As for the change in manager over the summer, he says:
"If Glenn goes and wins the first half a dozen games people will say 'Harry who?'
"All I would say to West Ham fans is 'give him time' and make the judgement over a season.
"But results are the be-all and end-all and there is so much money going around the penalties for getting it wrong are huge."
Peter says he will take huge satisfaction in seeing the youngsters perform tonight, adding:
"For me it is a wonderful thing to see West Ham again because a lot of these players are ones I was involved in bringing to the club through the youth operation.
"I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing them come through; that is why the game is doubly pleasing.
"Tony Carr deserves an enoprmous amount of respect for the work he has done."