Bristol City match preview

• West Ham United are supporting the 2011 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. On Tuesday, representatives from the Royal British Legion will present a wreath which will be taken to next Saturday's npower Championship fixture at Hull City, where a minute's silence will be held to remember the members of the armed forces who have died on duty. Also on Saturday, the Hammers will be wearing special shirts embroidered with a poppy motif which will be auctioned at a later date.

• The Hammers know a victory over the Robins could put them top of the table if leaders Southampton lose at home to Peterborough United.

• Sam Allardyce's side are looking for a third consecutive home league victory for the first time since beating Hull City, Fulham and Stoke City in December 2008/January 2009. A win on Tuesday would also be West Ham United's fifth home success in six league matches.

• A win on Tuesday would be West Ham United's ninth league success of the season, equalling the total number achieved last term.

• West Ham United have not lost any of their previous eight meetings with Bristol City in all competitions - a run dating back more than 33 years.

• Both of West Ham United's home defeats have come by way of goals in the 89th minute or later. Kenny Miller netted for Cardiff City on the opening weekend of the season, while Lee Bowyer scored for Ipswich Town last time out. Ross McCormack also secured a point for Leeds United with a last-minute strike on 21 August.

• Bristol City will be managed for the third time by new boss Derek McInnes, who was appointed following his departure from Scottish Premier League side St Johnstone on 19 October. The 40-year-old has recorded one victory and one defeat so far.

• Bristol City go into the weekend bottom of the npower Championship table, but the Robins did pick up just their second league victory of the season on Saturday courtesy of a 2-1 win at Barnsley.

• Bristol City have won just four of the 28 matches they have contested against West Ham United and have won just once previously at the Boleyn Ground - a 2-1 Division Two victory on 11 February 1978.

• Both of Bristol City's league victories this season have come away from home, with Saturday's win at Oakwell being preceded by a 2-1 success at Leicester City on 17 August.

• The Robins have kept just one clean sheet in their 14 league matches played so far (0-0 v Portsmouth on 20 August) and have the worst goal difference in the division (-15).

Team news

West Ham United

• Carlton Cole (knee) is back in contention after missing West Ham United's previous four matches.

• Robert Hall has been recalled from his loan spell at Oxford United and could be involved in the matchday squad on Tuesday.

• Matt Taylor (calf) is hoping to be back after the international break. Henri Lansbury is definitely out for several weeks with a knee injury.

• Guy Demel is still being treated for a hamstring injury that has delayed his debut.

• Gary O'Neil (ankle) is out with long-term ankle injury.

• Pablo Barrera and Jordan Spence are on season-long loans at Real Zaragoza and Bristol City respectively. Ahmed Abdulla and Cristian Montano (Swindon Town), Herita Ilunga (Doncaster Rovers), Olly Lee (Dagenham & Redbridge), Callum McNaughton (AFC Wimbledon), Frank Nouble (Gillingham), and Dominic Vose (Braintree) are all out on temporary loans.

Bristol City

• New Bristol City manager Derek McInnes is likely to be without veteran centre-back Louis Carey (knee) and defender Jamie McAllister (ankle).

Last time out

Saturday 29 October 2011
npower Championship
West Ham United 3-2 Leicester City
West Ham United: Green, O'Brien, Reid, Faye (Tomkins 59), McCartney, Faubert, Nolan, Collison, Noble, Carew (Piquionne 31), Baldock (Sears 86)
Subs not used: Boffin, Diop
Goals: Baldock 21, 71, Faubert 22

Saturday 29 October 2011
npower Championship
Barnsley 1-2 Bristol City
Bristol City: James, Fontaine, Nyatanga, McGivern, Elliott, Kilkenny, Skuse, Cisse (Wilson 80), Woolford (Bolasie 66), Adomah, Maynard (Pitman 89)
Subs not used: Gerken, Stead
Goals: Adomah 14, Maynard 89

Last six meetings

27 January 1993 West Ham United 2-0 Bristol City (Division One)
15 September 1992 Bristol City 1-5 West Ham United (Division One)
20 March 1991 West Ham United 1-0 Bristol City (Division Two)
13 October 1990 Bristol City 1-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
9 October 1984 West Ham United 6-1 Bristol City (League Cup second round second leg)
25 September 1984 Bristol City 2-2 West Ham United (League Cup second round first leg)

Overall record v Bristol City (all competitions) W 16 D 8 L 4

Ten-year records

West Ham United

2010/11 Premier League 20th (relegated to Championship)
2009/10 Premier League 17th
2008/09 Premier League 9th
2007/08 Premier League 10th
2006/07 Premier League 15th
2005/06 Premier League 9th
2004/05 Championship 6th (promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th
2002/03 Premier League 18th (relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th

Bristol City

2010/11 Championship 15th
2009/10 Championship 10th
2008/09 Championship 10th
2007/08 Championship 4th
2006/07 League One 2nd (promoted to Championship)
2005/06 League One 9th
2004/05 League One 7th
2003/04 Second Division 3rd
2002/03 Second Division 3rd
2001/02 Second Division 7th

Referee

• Tuesday's referee will be Mark Haywood.

• Haywood became a referee in 1993 after taking up the challenge of a work colleague who was already a match official, joining the National List of assistant referees nine years later.

• He was promoted to the National List of referees in 2006 and has taken charge of matches in all three divisions of the Football League over the past five seasons.

• Haywood has yet to take charge of a West Ham United fixture in his career, but he has previously been appointed to referee five Leicester City matches, the most recent being the Foxes' goalless Championship draw at Cardiff City in September 2011.

• In 13 fixtures this season prior to the weekend, including five in the npower Championship, Haywood had shown 38 yellow cards and awarded two penalties.

• Haywood will be assisted by Stephen Artis and Philip Knight, while the fourth official will be Gary Jerden.

Us and them

• The following players have worn the colours of both West Ham United and Bristol City during their careers - Albert Carnelly, Fred Corbett, Joe Durrell, Bobby Gould, Fred Harrison, William Ingham, David James, Jack Landells, Hugh Montieth, Nicky Morgan, Leroy Rosenior and Jordan Spence.

• Jordan Spence has enjoyed two loan spells at Bristol City. The first saw the England Under-21 defender make eleven Championship appearances between March and May 2011. The second saw the 21-year-old re-join the Robins on a season-long loan in August 2011. Spence is ineligible for this fixture.

• David James made 102 appearances for West Ham United between July 2001 and January 2004. The 41-year-old former England goalkeeper has played 58 times for Bristol City since joining the Robins from Portsmouth in August 2010.

• The first-ever meeting between West Ham United - then known as Thames Ironworks FC - and Bristol City took place on 2 December 1899. The Robins ran out 2-0 Southern League First Division winners in front of 3,000 supporters at their old St John's Lane ground.

• West Ham United are unbeaten in their previous eight meetings with Bristol City, recording five victories and three draws in that span. The Robins' most-recent win over the Hammers took place at the Boleyn Ground on 11 February 1978, when Jimmy Mann and Joe Royle scored in a 2-1 victory, with Bryan 'Pop' Robson netting the hosts' consolation.

• Sam Allardyce is unbeaten in two previous matches against Bristol City as a manager. He was in charge of the Blackpool side that drew 1-1 at Ashton Gate on 12 August 1995 and won 3-0 at Bloomfield Road on 20 January 1996.

• The largest crowd to witness a West Ham United versus Bristol City fixture is the 32,526 who turned out for the Hammers' 3-2 FA Cup third-round victory on 4 January 1969. Martin Peters scored twice, with Geoff Hurst adding the other goal.

• West Ham United's largest home victory over Bristol City was the 6-1 League Cup second-round second-leg victory achieved on 9 October 1984 - completing an 8-3 aggregate success for the Hammers. Then a Division One club, West Ham overcame their Division Three opponents thanks to two goals apiece from Tony Cottee and Paul Goddard and one each from Steve Whitton and Steve Walford. Alan Walsh netted the visitors' consolation.

• Bristol City's biggest-ever win at the Boleyn Ground came in the shape of the 2-1 victory they achieved in Division One on 11 February 1978. That success represents the Robins' only Football League victory here in nine attempts - the other eight ending in West ham wins.

• Three players have made their West Ham United debuts against Bristol City - Fred Corbett (September 1900), Richard Pudan (January 1901) and Malcolm Pyke (April 1957).

Up next

• West Ham United will travel to the KC Stadium on Saturday 5 November to take on Hull City at 3pm, while Bristol City will welcome Burnley to Ashton Gate at the same kick-off time.

General information

• Fans can pay on the day, with all Under-16s tickets priced at just a fiver and all Academy members' tickets half-price. For the latest ticket information, click here. To order online, visit www.whufcboxoffice.com

• Tuesday's weather forecast is for sunny intervals, but by kick-off time, darkness will have fallen and the temperature will have dropped from a daytime high of 16C (61F).