Big Sam praises fans

Sam Allardyce has explained that all at West Ham United must pull together following misleading reports in some of today's media.

The West Ham United manager has described the home support at the club's last match with Reading as 'magnificent' and has stressed the need for focus solely on the football for the remainder of the season. Big Sam was speaking ahead of the squad's final training session before the trip to Barnsley.

"In our last home games the West Ham United fans were absolutely magnificent," Big Sam said. "They were fully behind the team and were as good in that game as they have been all season. They showed what West Ham United fans are about - pride and passion with plenty of noise! It was just a shame that the result did not go our way, but the race is far from over.

"We must now pick ourselves up, stick together as a club and take each game at a time, starting with Barnsley on Friday."

In a positive, open and honest pre-match press conference on Wednesday afternoon, the manager spoke at length about West Ham's current form and his belief that with six games to go his side can still achieve automatic promotion.

"We've let our own destiny slip by getting the wrong result at the wrong places. In the last ten games we've won three and drawn two away from home

"It's a fact of life but we're in with a shout and we're determined to get the number one target that is promotion. There are still 18 points to play for and we have to take each game, one at a time."

One small section of the press conference concerned the good news of the return to fitness of Winston Reid, Papa Bouba Diop and Guy Demel, which gave Big Sam a chance to discuss his various options throughout the team. As has been falsely reported in today's press, not once did the manager make reference to West Ham fans during his answer, a summary transcript of which is as follows.

"It was about keeping the back four together. We had Winston Reid in the most consistent form of his life, he ridiculously flies all the way to New Zealand and gets himself out of that position. Danny Collins has filled in brilliantly, but it wasn't something we wanted to do.

"Faye and Reid were striking up this partnership together with James Tomkins sitting in front of them in midfield, because he was a great replacement for Papa in that position. All the questions you get, the opinions, was it is because Tomkins is playing in midfield and he is a centre half and shouldn't be playing there and all that b******* is flying around.

"What happens is that I look at the performance of every player and just say 'You are talking b******* because that is not the case'. Tomkins has done a great job in midfield; as good as Papa Bouba Diop and as good as any of our midfield in that specific role, because he [Tomkins] is a talented, talented player.

"In terms of that his restrictions are far greater at centre-half, you can take fewer chances, but being that one in front, his skills, he can take the chances that little bit more. He has been magnificent and has been able to handle that extremely well and is the reason why he has continued to play there, because he has done so well.

"That is the b******* that is put about, because we had our most productive time of the season, playing with ten men, with James Tomkins playing centre midfield role in a two, beating Millwall 2-1, drawing with Southampton 1-1 and beating Blackpool 4-1."

Further good news was provided by the possible selection options the manager has ahead of Barnsley, with the returning trio of Reid, Demel and Diop providing competition for places. Although Joey O'Brien and Mark Noble could miss the match, the latter's injury is not as bad as first feared and he should be back sooner than first expected.

"We are still waiting for news on Mark Noble as he came off injured on Saturday. Joey O'Brien didn't make the game so we are waiting on him as well. Earlier on in the week we thought George McCartney had broken a metatarsal but it was only bruising so that's good news.

"We played QPR beyond closed doors on Tuesday and we are thankful to QPR for that as it gave Winston Reid, Papa Bouba Diop and Guy Demel a chance to regain some match fitness ahead of the run in.

"They could be available again for the weekend which would be a useful boost to the squad numbers for what is a very important two games in the space of four days. The squad will be used to its full extent with such a short space of time between the games.

"Hopefully on Friday we can continue to do what we have done consistently all season and that's winning away from home."

A win against Barnsley could see the Hammers close the gap to second-placed Reading to one point and while there is a chance to still go up automatically, Big Sam said everyone at the club must remain focused on promotion with the chance that either the Royals or Southampton slip up.

"It's unlikely that ourselves that Reading, Southampton and ourselves will all win the next six as Reading and Southampton still have to play each other! In terms of what we've got to achieve, there's nothing more important than trying to win the next game.

"We need to focus on Barnsley and me picking the best team to try and beat Barnsley on the way they play and the squad they've got. However if we win, it may be necessary to make one or two changes."

The manager also spoke openly about his ongoing positive relationship with the West Ham United Board and how we works well with both of the Joint-Chairman and the Vice-Chairman.

"My relationship with the Board is absolutely fantastic. The level of communication and professionalism we've built up are incredible. I've adjusted to their way and I'm always available to talk and vice versa.

"Our communication and support levels have been excellent from day one and they have been a great help in trying to get this club back into the Premier League by making it easier for me. So I don't have to worry about anything on that front."

Although the season is far from over with the Hammers still in the promotion hunt, Big Sam believes the squad and club as a whole can still be pleased with what they have achieved so far this season.

"I'm pleased with how the players have responded this season and how quickly the club has turned around based on what the staff and the players had to go through ,which was a complete transition in a few months from a decimated, miserable and destitute place when I walked in to somewhere where people liked coming to.

"We needed to get a smile back on people's faces and actually enjoy training and playing football, which every club suffers when they get relegated."