Steve: I'm Staying

Steve Lomas says he is not concerned by the deadline day story linking him with a loan move to Nottingham Forest - and insists he is more bothered about getting back to full fitness.

One report, swiftly denied by Alan Pardew, claimed that Steve was a target for Forest, along with Tomas Repka - and that the Hammers were going to sign Mathieu Louis-Jean, the Forest full back.

But Steve, who made a comeback in the reserves win over Fulham midweek, says:

"I don't know anything about it but I haven't spoken to Alan about it - those sorts of things don't bother me."

There was a possibility of Steve going on loan as part of his rehabilitation some weeks ago, but a calf injury followed by illness hampered his progress further.

"If I had had been fit and training in the last three or four weeks, instead of it being stop-start for me, and I wasn't getting a look-in, then maybe I would have pushed for it - but I haven't trained much so it would have been a bit unfair going anywhere."

As for the possibility of him being involved at the weekend against Gillingham, he adds:

"It is probably a bit too soon; I haven't trained properly or played properly for three weeks.

"I had food poisoning over the weekend so I wasn't feeling the greatest but to get through it was okay and hopefully I will get through a reserve game next week as well."

He hasn't had the best of luck in the last 15 months, but he says:

"What can you do? You just keep plugging on."

As for that final run-in, starting with the visit of the Gills on Saturday, he concludes:

"At the end of the day we know we have got to be on right good form in the last eight games because if you are not you are not going to be in the play-offs - it is as simple as that.

"That is where we have got to be and hopefully we can get third or fourth to get the home advantage, which would be nice.

"I think it is very important to bounce back straight away and you obviously have to look at Gillingham at home as a win."