Big match build-up on West Ham TV

West Ham TV has all the big-match build-up ahead of Tuesday's npower Championship visit of Ipswich Town.

Manager Sam Allardyce, former Hammers and Tractor Boys midfielder Stuart Slater and Newham Recorder correspondent Dave Evans all give their views ahead of what promises to be a special night under the lights at the Boleyn Ground.

You can also watch all the recent first-team games along with the best of the development squad and Under-18s action. There are bonus features aplenty, not least exclusive footage of the 2011/12 squad photo shoot.

Evans, who has covered West Ham United home and away for nearly a decade, is optimistic that Big Sam and his players can extend their unbeaten league run to eight matches.

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"Things have gone well, certainly a lot better than last year, but then they couldn't have gone worse," he told West Ham TV.

"I think Sam has brought in a lot of good players - experienced Premier League players - and it makes a difference.

"They are winning some away games as well, which is a revelation for me because I haven't seen it for two or three seasons. It's been very enjoyable so far."

Evans has been particularly impressed by the impact made by the new manager and the signings he has made since his arrival in east London.

"I think Sam certainly knows what he's doing. He is tried and trusted and works to a system and brings in players who he knows - people like Kevin Nolan who he had at Bolton and Newcastle and he has built his team around him.

"He will sort it out this year and I expect them to go up."

While journalist Evans is optimistic ahead of Tuesday's game, Slater is expecting a competitive fixture between his two old clubs.

"Sam has been a breath of fresh air. He knows what he wants and he has brought in a lot of new players, and the ones he has brought in have been good," said the Suffolk-born former winger.

"Ipswich and West Ham are two of my clubs from when I was growing up. I used to watch Ipswich in the 70s and 80s because they were more local to me than West Ham - the likes of Frans Thijssen and Arnold Muhren who were great, great players.

"Playing for both teams was a dream come true, so I'm really looking forward to this game.

"The Ipswich owner has put a lot of money in, like our owners have here, and the expectation is that they will be a lot higher than where they are at the moment.

"Paul Jewell is a good manager, but he'll be under a lot of pressure to get that team into the Play-Offs. Likewise, Big Sam, but I think those two have seen it, done it and could bring both teams through.

"It'll be an entertaining game."

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