WEST HAM UNITED v NEWCASTLE UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER 2010
KICK-OFF: 5.30PM
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Introduction
• West Ham United welcome Newcastle United with both at the wrong end of the table. The last-placed Hammers are on a positive run and have six points from eight matches, with the Magpies four places and two points better off. Avram Grant and Chris Hughton will remind their sides that each is a just a win from the security of mid-table.
• West Ham United are seeking to extend their unbeaten run to six matches in all competitions when they welcome Newcastle. The Hammers drew 1-1 at Stoke City before winning 2-1 at Sunderland in the Carling Cup third round. Two home games followed with Tottenham Hotspur beaten 1-0 before a 1-1 draw against Fulham and, most recently, a 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers last Saturday.
• Newcastle have an excellent away record this season in all competitions, losing only at Manchester United and Manchester City. They have most notably won 1-0 at Everton in the top-flight and 4-3 at Chelsea in the League Cup.
• Scott Parker and Kieron Dyer could both be facing their former club.
• Chris Hughton is a former West Ham United defender and was actually in charge the last time the teams met at the Boleyn Ground. He was the caretaker manager on 20 September 2008, when the Hammers won 3-1 - a day when Herita Ilunga made his home debut. Hughton made 40 appearances for the Hammers between 1990 and 1992.
• That last Boleyn Ground meeting just over two years ago saw David Di Michele score twice and Matthew Etherington add a third, before Michael Owen's consolation.
• Fans yet to buy their tickets can pay on the day - should any seats remain unsold. The Ticket Office will be open to callers from 9am until the 5.30pm kick-off. Season ticket holders are able to take advantage of a superb promotion, with the club giving them an exclusive chance to buy up to three additional tickets for friends and family at the reduced rate of £15 each.
• Nine greats from West Ham United's 1960s heyday will be present. John Bond, Dennis Burnett, Ken Brown, Eddie Bovington, Peter Brabrook, Brian Dear. Alan Dickie, Martin Peters and Alan Stephenson will join fans in the Legends Restaurant in the West Stand.
• West Ham's biggest home win against Newcastle was an 8-1 success on 21 April 1986, when Alvin Martin memorably scored a hat-trick against three different goalkeepers. Newcastle's best showing in east London was a 5-3 win on 20 February 1960.
Team news
West Ham United
• Ahead of his weekly team news update at the Friday media conference, manager Avram Grant has just three outfield players on the confirmed injured list. Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh), Zavon Hines (knee) and Jack Collison (knee). The latter two are entering the final stages of their rehabilitation and are hoping to return around the turn of the year, Hitzlsperger has a February comeback date having had surgery on his torn muscle.
• Robert Green, Scott Parker and Mark Noble will all hope to maintain their ever-present records this season in the Barclays Premier League. Green is on a run of 134 consecutive league starts for the club.
• Matthew Upson had played in every league game until the Wolves game last Saturday, when he missed out with a neck spasm. He has been in full training this week, along with every other defender in Avram Grant's squad.
Newcastle United
• Newcastle have had a largely settled squad, with Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Mike Williamson, Joey Barton and James Perch having all started every one of the club's eight top-flight matches, while Jonas Gutierrez, Andy Carroll and Wayne Routledge have appeared in all of the fixtures as well.
• Newcastle are without thigh-injury victim Sol Campbell, while goalkeeper Steve Harper faces another month out with a shoulder problem. Tim Krul will continue to deputise.
• Club captain Kevin Nolan should return after being rested with an ankle complaint against Wigan, while 23-year-old right-back Danny Simpson may also be back from his ankle injury.
• Summer loan signing Hatem Ben Arfa, the Olympique Marseille playmaker, is a long-term injury casualty after the broken leg he suffered at the start of the month. Another new recruit out is Dan Gosling (knee).
• Another notable absentee will be Colin Calderwood, with Hughton's assistant manager having departed to take the top job at Hibernian.
Last time out
West Ham United
• West Ham United kept up their unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw away to Wolves after the international break. Mark Noble's second-half penalty cancelled out Matt Jarvis's effort before the interval.
16 October 2010
Barclays Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 West Ham United
West Ham: Green, Gabbidon, Jacobsen, Ben Haim, Da Costa, Parker, Noble, Dyer (Cole 77) , Boa Morte, Piquionne, Obinna
Subs not used: Stech, Behrami, Ilunga, Faubert, Tomkins, McCarthy
Goal: Noble (53 pen)
Newcastle United
• Newcastle United showed great resilience to recover a two-goal deficit last time out after a quickfire double from Charles 'Zogbia midway through the first half. Shola Ameobi and Fabricio Coloccini were on target.
16 October 2010
Barclays Premier League
Newcastle United 2-2 Wigan Athletic
Newcastle United: Krul, Williamson, Perch (Ranger 88) , Enrique, Coloccini, Barton, Gutierrez, Tiote, Guthrie (Routledge 66), Carroll, Lovenkrands (Ameobi 61)
Subs not used: Taylor, Kadar, Soderberg, Smith
Goals: Ameobi 72, Coloccini 90
Last meeting
The Hammers earned a creditable 2-2 draw at St. James Park on 10 January 2009 in the last meeting between the clubs. Former Magpies striker Craig Bellamy (29) cancelled out Michael Owen's goal (19) before Carlton Cole put the Hammers in front ten minutes after the break. The home side earned a point when Andy Carroll struck with 12 minutes to play.
Newcastle United: Given, Taylor, Coloccini, Bassong, Enrique, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Geremi ('Zogbia 62), Duff, Owen, Carroll
Subs not used: Harper,Xisco,Kadar,Edgar,Lua Lua,
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Noble (Mullins 86), Collison (Boa Morte 76), Cole, Bellamy (Di Michele 81)
Subs not used: Stech, Faubert, Tristan, Tomkins,
Head to head (last six meetings, league unless stated)
10 January 2009 - Newcastle United 2-2 West Ham United
20 September 2008 - West Ham United 3-1 Newcastle United
26 April 2008 - West Ham United 2-2 Newcastle United
23 September 2007 - Newcastle United 3-1 West Ham United
20 January 2007 - Newcastle United 2-2 West Ham United
17 February 2006 - West Ham United 0-2 Newcastle United
Overall record v Newcastle United (all competitions): W 37, D 35, L 47
Ten-year league records
West Ham United
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted to Premier League via play-offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2000/01 Premier League 15th (42 points)
Newcastle United
2009/10 Championship 1st (102 points - promoted to Premier League)
2008/09 Premier League 18th (34 points - relegated to Championship)
2007/08 Premier League 12th (43 points)
2006/07 Premier League 13th (43 points)
2005/06 Premier League 7th (58 points)
2004/05 Premier League 14th (44 points)
2003/04 Premier League 5th (56 points)
2002/03 Premier League 3rd (69 points)
2001/02 Premier League 4th (71 points)
2000/01 Premier League 11th (51 points)
Background
West Ham United
• West Ham are bidding for a third game unbeaten at home after a 1-0 win against Spurs and a 1-1 draw with Fulham.
• Scott Parker and Frederic Piquionne are West Ham's top scorers this season with three goals apiece - both have scored twice in the Barclays Premier League and once in the Carling Cup.
• Danny Gabbidon's yellow card against Fulham on 2 October was the quickest caution given to a top-flight player this season. It came after just one minute and 25 seconds.
• No Barclays Premier League player has made more key defensive blocks than Matthew Upson this season with the skipper having nine to his name in seven matches.
• It is nine matches since the Hammers scored more than once in a Barclays Premier League contest - the longest run in the top-flight.
Newcastle United
• Andy Carroll is Newcastle's leading scorer in the Barclays Premier League, with four goals. Shola Ameobi also has four goals this season, but only one has come in the top flight.
• Newcastle have caught their opponents offside more than any other Premier League team this season, with 38 instances.
Referee
• Chris Foy took charge of the 3-1 defeat by Chelsea at the Boleyn Ground on 11 September this season. He has yet to officiate in a Newcastle match this campaign. He has issued 18 yellow cards in six matches, but no reds.
• The 47-year-old official took charge of five West Ham matches last season - the opening-day 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, the 3-1 loss at Manchester City, the 2-2 home draw with Arsenal, when he appeared as a late replacement for Steve Bennett, the 5-3 home win over Burnley and the 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.
• Foy, who was born in St Helens, Merseyside, has been a Barclays Premier League referee since 2001, having originally made the Select Group list of assistant referees in 1995.
• In 2007, Foy officiated the FA Trophy final at Wembley, before returning to the Home of Football a year later to act as fourth official for Portsmouth's FA Cup final victory over Cardiff City.
Old boys
• Scott Parker is a former Newcastle captain, who spent two years at the north-east club after joining from Chelsea in July 2005 prior to his £7m move to West Ham in June 2007. He played 55 league games, scoring four goals.
• Kieron Dyer spent eight years at Newcastle between July 1999 and August 2007, before his £6m switch to the Hammers. He played 190 times for the club in the Barclays Premier League, scoring 23 times.
• Others who have played for both clubs include Lee Bowyer, Franz Carr, John Dowsey, Dave Gardner, Paul Goddard, Shaka Hislop, James Jackson, Vic Keeble, Matthew Kingsley, Paul Kitson, Robert Lee, Joe Loughlin, Stuart Pearce, Wayne Quinn, Bryan 'Pop' Robson, George Robson, Keith Robson, Harold Smith, Nolberto Solano, Hal Tate, David Terrier.
Next up
• Avram Grant's side face Stoke City at home in the Carling Cup fourth round on Wednesday 27 October. Ticket prices have been slashed by the club, with season ticket holders able to secure their seat for just £15 for adults and £5 for children. Non-season ticket holders can buy their seat for £20 for adults and £10 for children.
• Newcastle are in Carling Cup action on the same night, with their last-16 opponents Arsenal travelling to the north-east.
Travel information
• For directions for the Boleyn Ground, click here
General information
• For ticket information click here.