West Ham United supporters will soon be able to relive all the ups and downs of our roller-coaster 2006-07 campaign thanks to the release of The Greatest Escape - our official end of season DVD, now available for pre-order.
It was a season that no Hammers fan will ever forget. Crammed with incident; tragedy, nobility, infamy and heroism in equal measures, all taking part in the environs of E13.
A team who had lost the FA Cup Final by the vagaries of the spot
kick lottery made their way back from Cardiff in May 2006 in
anticipation of a European adventure and another season in the top
half of the top flight, where they belonged. The script that was
being written for them had more sub-plots than a Greek tragedy.
Robert Green, arguably England's number one goalkeeper, was
bought from Norwich City to join his ex-colleague, Dean Ashton at
the club. Then, on the eve of his England debut, Ashton broke his
ankle, an injury that would sideline him for the entire season.
Jonathan Spector and George McCartney were brought in to strengthen
the squad after Anton Ferdinand suffered a pre-season injury that,
too, threatened his season.
Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, two of Argentina's World
Cup stars from the 2006 World Cup Tournament, decided that West Ham
United was a club whose future they wanted to be a part of. The
future looked rosy.
And then, when it was least expected, the looming presence of
defeat began to cast a gruesome shadow over Upton Park. Now came a
disappointing exit from the UEFA Cup and a series of indifferent
performances that had the Boleyn Ground faithful staring up at the
floodlit sky in disbelief.
Into this breach of despair, stepped an Icelandic businessman,
Eggert Magnusson, a lifetime football fan and believer in the Club,
a man who did not appreciate or understand the concept of failure.
Changes were immediately made at Upton Park. New international
defenders Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson were brought in to
strengthen a defence beleaguered by an injury list that stretched
out further than the spiralling list of Upton Park defeats.
A new manager, Alan Curbishley, was appointed to turn things
round, but the two new defenders were almost immediately sidelined.
The club went on a three match run of defeats, and then a further
six defeats on the trot, including a 4-0 bashing at Alan
Curbishley's former club and fellow strugglers, Charlton
Athletic.
Enter the cavalry. Rising from his mediocre early season form,
Carlos Tevez slammed in a wonder-goal free-kick against North
London nemesis Spurs. Six further goals were to follow, as Hammers
ended the season with an inconceivable seven wins out of their last
nine games.
The climax of a final day win at the home of Sir Alex
Ferguson's Premiership Champions proved what no media
clairvoyant had dared to predict…
This year's DVD will allow you to enjoy an experience, the like
of which you may never see again in your lifetime - as West Ham
United stage the Greatest Escape ever seen in footballing history!
The Greatest Escape will be available to pre-order in our online store now...