Shaka Hislop has spoken about his sadness at the premature death of
Les Sealey on Sunday - and has vowed to honour his memory.
"Les was really close to me both personally and professionally; he was very instrumental in bringing me to West Ham," says Shaka.
"He is the type of person who touched everyone he got into contact with.
"Now all I can do is try to repay his memory. I only spoke to him towards the end of last week when we realised that David would be out and I would be playing.
"He told me to go out there and do the business and be the keeper he had come to know over the last few years."
Shaka has vowed to do what Les would most have wanted from him, to put in some match winning performances of which he would have been proud.
"Now that he has passed I will try to respect his last wishes and be the goalkeeper that he helped the most," says Shaka.
"We worked very closely over the past three years and it is a real big shock.
"He was a good task master and put us through our paces, but had a great sense of humour as well and made it enjoyable."
Speaking of his shock at hearing the news of Les' death, he says:
"In all honesty I didn't believe it, I thought it was a wind up.
"When it hit home I almost went into shock, it was the last thing I expected to hear on a Sunday afternoon, that this man, so full of life, had passed away."
His thoughts, he says, are with his sons, and Shaka adds:
"I have worked with Joe and George for two years now, and my heart goes out to them.
"Once they are back I will try to do my bit for them.
"I owe Les a lot and the best way to repay that is to be the type of friend that I'm sure he would expect me to be."
He says the mood at Chadwell Heath on Monday was sombre, and adds:
"Everybody was in shock at the training ground; anyone who knew Les for any period of time just couldn't believe it.
"He brought a personality to the place; people who met him once remembered him for all time because he stays with you.
"He is very infectious in that way, and the news is sad for his family, for goalkeepers, for people connected with West Ham, but also for any genuine football fans.
"Once you have come into contact with him the memory will live on."
"Les was really close to me both personally and professionally; he was very instrumental in bringing me to West Ham," says Shaka.
"He is the type of person who touched everyone he got into contact with.
"Now all I can do is try to repay his memory. I only spoke to him towards the end of last week when we realised that David would be out and I would be playing.
"He told me to go out there and do the business and be the keeper he had come to know over the last few years."
Shaka has vowed to do what Les would most have wanted from him, to put in some match winning performances of which he would have been proud.
"Now that he has passed I will try to respect his last wishes and be the goalkeeper that he helped the most," says Shaka.
"We worked very closely over the past three years and it is a real big shock.
"He was a good task master and put us through our paces, but had a great sense of humour as well and made it enjoyable."
Speaking of his shock at hearing the news of Les' death, he says:
"In all honesty I didn't believe it, I thought it was a wind up.
"When it hit home I almost went into shock, it was the last thing I expected to hear on a Sunday afternoon, that this man, so full of life, had passed away."
His thoughts, he says, are with his sons, and Shaka adds:
"I have worked with Joe and George for two years now, and my heart goes out to them.
"Once they are back I will try to do my bit for them.
"I owe Les a lot and the best way to repay that is to be the type of friend that I'm sure he would expect me to be."
He says the mood at Chadwell Heath on Monday was sombre, and adds:
"Everybody was in shock at the training ground; anyone who knew Les for any period of time just couldn't believe it.
"He brought a personality to the place; people who met him once remembered him for all time because he stays with you.
"He is very infectious in that way, and the news is sad for his family, for goalkeepers, for people connected with West Ham, but also for any genuine football fans.
"Once you have come into contact with him the memory will live on."