Jordan Spence has been loaned to nPower Championship side Bristol City.
The Hammers reserve-team captain will spend a month at Ashton Gate. It is his first loan spell this season, having played eleven games in the 2009/10 campaign at Scunthorpe United. His Hammers debut came as a late substitute on the final day of last season against Manchester City.
Still only 20, Spence has yet to build on that senior experience, although he continues to lead the reserve side - most recently in the 3-2 home win against Arsenal on Tuesday night. Spence is an England youth international, having captained the Young Lions at every age group up to the Under-20s.
Bristol City are 17th in the 24-team Championship, and moved for Spence after captain Louis Carey was ruled out for six weeks following a head injury suffered in last Saturday's 2-0 win against Scunthorpe. Spence's debut could come this Saturday at home to Coventry City.
He becomes the third young Hammer out on loan, with Frank Nouble at Barnsley and Matthew Fry with Charlton Athletic.