Tony Carr's Under-18 squad cannot wait for Wednesday's FA Youth Cup fifth-round tie with Newcastle United to start, the Academy Director has revealed.
West Ham United's youngsters have won through to the last 16 with victories over Plymouth Argyle and Queens Park Rangers, and Carr said everyone at Little Heath is desperate to down the Magpies at the Boleyn Ground.
The cup run has coincided with an impressive upturn in form and results for the U18s, who recovered from winning just one of their opening eight matches to shoot up the FA Premier Academy League Group A table.
Carr's youngsters go into the tie fifth in the standings after Saturday's visit of Charlton Athletic was postponed, while Newcastle sit fourth in Group D after their home game with Leeds United was also called-off.
"The cup run has been a real bonus for us this season, and we are all keen for it to continue," confirmed Carr. "It will be a great experience for the boys to play at the stadium again and I am hoping we all rise to the occasion."
West Ham will host either Hull City or Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals, should they overcome Newcastle, but Carr is taking nothing for granted.
"We have seen a recording of their fourth-round victory over Reading, who I have also spoken to, so we have some idea of how they'll play and what we'll be up against.
"We will try to take the game to them and try to win it, obviously, but it will not be easy and we will not be taking them lightly.
"Newcastle are a big club in a hotbed of football in the north east. They can bring in players from a massive catchment area and will be strong.
"I saw that two of their players came from the Wallsend Boys Club, which is the same club that produced Michael Carrick, so they come from good stock."
West Ham will be without midfielder Nicky Barrett, who has an ankle injury, but left-back Jordan Brown is fit to start after recovering from a dead leg.
Newcastle, who have beaten Doncaster Rovers and Reading to reach the fifth round, could be without Slovenian youngster Haris Vuckic, who has been out since October with a knee injury.
Kick-off on Wednesday evening is at 7pm. Admission is £3 for adults and £1 for children, with access through the West Stand turnstiles.
For those that cannot make it to the Boleyn Ground, whufc.com will have live text commentary from 6.45pm.