Wayne, who joined from the Geordies on Wednesday, admits:
"I was surprised, because when I go on the training pitch with Newcastle there are about 40-odd pros and when we came out at Chadwell Heath I said to Rob Lee 'I know there are three to come back - but is this all of us?'.
"He just started laughing and said 'yes, this is the squad' - but they are good players and I am looking forward to playing with them."
Left back Wayne joined Newcastle from Sheffield United two years ago so he knows all about trying to win promotion to the top flight.
"We were chasing the Premiership and got into the playoff final twice in three years - and it was a case of being unlucky," he recalls.
"If we had gone up I know what a boost it would have been with the money and the players you can bring in, so I know on that score what it would be like.
"It was a massive disappointment for West Ham to go down - and a shock - because they have been in the Premiership so long.
"But when you do come down the money situation means you have to sell your best players, which is what West Ham have had to do - going back two steps to take the steps forward.
"Bar Chelsea the transfer market in terms of money just isn't there at the moment, so it is going to be very hard for any club trying to get into the Premiership from the first division - but especially one that has come down.
"You have to make drastic changes and cutbacks and that is obviously what West Ham have done."
Wayne didn't have far to go from his 'digs' to look at the stadium - in fact, as he is staying at the hotel in the ground, he only had to look out of the window!
"I have gone out to look at the pitch and it is a nice big one; I have not been here before to play and the new stand is fantastic," he says, surveying his new surroundings.
"I am looking forward to Saturday, and, if selected, playing.
"I have only been here to watch a game against QPR I think but that was ages ago and I don't remember much about it.
"But when I pulled into the car park it looked like a fantastic stadium - the room is fine and so were the directions the lads gave me!"
Wayne had offers to go elsewhere and reveals:
"I have had interest from other clubs and I have been wanting to get away - but to the right club that plays football.
"Obviously West Ham do that under Trevor Brooking, but I am not sure if there is going to be a new manager coming in or what.
"He wanted me to come down here and do a job and hopefully I can do that; it is a long way from Newcastle but I think you will find when you want to play football you don't mind travelling - and I can always go back to Newcastle whenever.
"I want to play again and to do that here will be good - when I knew West Ham were interested I never thought twice.
"It is good to get away from Newcastle because I wasn't in the setup - and West Ham was the biggest club of those that were interested."
Wayne consulted former Hammer Lee Bowyer about the move, and adds:
"Lee Bowyer has just gone to Newcastle and I had a word with him about what it was like - and he said it was a top place and to get myself down here to play football.
"That didn't decide me as such, because I was always going to come, but it was confirmation from Bow who said it was fantastic.
"Bow is doing okay and I think the fans have taken to him which is good so we will have to wait and see."
And somewhat less media attention joining Newcastle than when he came to Upton Park from Leeds...
"I am not sure what that was all about," he admits, "but at Newcastle he has been out of position in right midfield and he will be the first to say that he doesn't really like it, that he prefers to be in the centre.
"I am sure he will get his chance soon - it is a case for him of biding his time until he does."
As for why he has not been playing regularly of late, he says:
"When I first went there I was playing then, I don't know, something happened and Olivier Bernard took Robbie Elliot's place.
"Me and Robbie have just been biding our time, and playing when we can in behind closed doors sort of games to stay match fit until something came up like West Ham to take you on loan.
"Fortunately I have got away from Newcastle in respect of the fact that I am going to play.
"The gaffer has got his players that he wants to play and you find that he will play them - he has played Hughesy [Aaron Hughes] and Griff [Andy Griffin] at left back and is happy with what he has got, which is why I have been allowed to come here."
Indeed, Trevor Brooking was weighing up the option of bringing Robbie Elliot to the club on loan, and the player himself publicly stated he would love the chance of the move.
"I didn't know that," says Wayne, "but the funny thing is me and Robbie are really good friends and we just laugh and joke about each other and say maybe we will get out chance soon.
"Robbie is a good player, and I might have won this 'mini-war', but I am sure there will be good clubs looking to take him."
Would he like to stay longer - on a permanent contract, perhaps?
"I don't really want to look into that or delve to far; it is a case of signing a month's loan and I want to do as well as I can for West Ham and not let them down," he says.
"If I stay for a little bit longer that would be brilliant and of course I wouldn't say no - and if it becomes permanent, then even better.
"But, like I say, I am not looking at that - first and foremost is to get the result on Saturday and then take each game as it arrives.
"I think that is the way to do it because if you look too far forward you can get carried away with yourself so I will look at it that way and see if something sorts itself out."
The move has been necessitated, of course, by the long term layoff of Rufus Brevett and Wayne adds:
"I know Rufus is a really good player and when he comes back it will be a massive boost for West Ham.
"It is a shame he is out but when he comes back that will be it and it will be like having a new player."
Looking forward to Saturday's game between two 'managerless' clubs, he says:
"Obviously with everything that is surrounding it it should be a good game and I am expecting a big crowd.
"Reading will be no pushover because they are a solid side who work for each other and they are all good runners who don't let each other down.
"I am sure it will be a big test and a big opening game for me but I think that is why West Ham will attract players that they do because everyone wants to beat West Ham.
"I am sure every team, whether it be Crewe, Gillingham, or Cardiff will all want to try and beat West Ham because we are one of the bigger teams in the league.
"Every game is going to be a test, I am sure, but this will be a bigger test because of what is surrounding the club."
But he insists that it won't affect the game and adds:
"It is unusual but you ask any player and that doesn't bother them; they just want to play and win for the club and manager they are playing for at the time, whether it be caretaker or not.
"I am sure when the whistle goes at 3 o'clock on Saturday you will find players are not worried about who is manager or who is going to be manager - it is just about getting three points."
Wayne is no stranger to being on loan, either - he returned to his old club last season for a short spell.
"I was on loan for a couple of months on loan at Sheffield United last season and played in the semi-final of the Worthington cup against Liverpool," he recalls.
"That was my first game on loan so it was a big one but I managed okay and we won 2-1; I took it in my stride and enjoyed it and I gained a lot from being back there on loan.
"Neil Mellor scored the first goal that day but we came back to win 2-1; he is a nice kid and it seems a good set of lads.
"I know the first division pretty well, what sort of players there are, and what you can and can't do - so hopefully I will slip back into things again and not look out of place."
Wayne is delighted to have met caretaker manager Trevor Brooking, and he adds:
"Trevor asked me how my match fitness was and generally how I am - and he introduced himself and me to the lads. "He said he wants me to play and enjoy my football."
As for the club he has left behind - for now, at least - he admits:
"At the moment I think they are a bit shellshocked because they are out of the Champions' League but they have got good players even though they haven't had the best start to the season.
"They have old heads like Gary Speed and Shay Given so I am sure they will turn it round and come good.
"The whole city was shocked though, especially in the couple of days after.
"But if you can't make the Champions' League the next best thing is to go in the UEFA cup and I know the players are up for that.
"When they lost to Birmingham a couple of weeks ago meant they couldn't wait for this weekend because it was a big upset to lose that; they have got Everton this weekend and have got the players to do it, which I am sure they will."