LEICESTER CITY v WEST HAM UNITED
npower CHAMPIONSHIP
MONDAY 23 APRIL 2012
KICK-OFF: 7:45PM
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• West Ham United travel to Leicester City for their final away game of the season looking to extend their new club record of 12 away wins in a season. Southampton's defeat to Middlesbrough on Saturday evening means Sam Allardyce's side are still in with a shout of automatic promotion, but realistically must win in the east Midlands to stand any chance of securing second spot.
• Leicester City host the Hammers having seen their faint hopes of clinching a play-off spot disappear following a goalless draw with Burnley on Tuesday evening.
• West Ham sit in third place in the npower Championship and have not lost away from home since the end of January.
• The Foxes are comfortably in mid-table in tenth place and have not been beaten at the King Power Stadium since the middle of January.
• The Hammers have not recorded a victory at Leicester since January 2000 when they won courtesy of two goals from Paulo Wanchope and one from Paulo Di Canio giving them a 3-1 victory.
• The fixture earlier in the season between the two sides was an exciting affair as the Hammers ran out 3-2 winners. Two goals from Sam Baldock and one from Julien Faubert saw off the Foxes' challenge.
Team News
West Ham United
• Julien Faubert and Gary O'Neil are both pushing for returns to the Hammers' starting XI. Faubert came off the bench with against Bristol City following a short lay-off with a hamstring injury.
• It remains to be seen whether full-backs George McCartney and Joey O'Brien will be recover from injury in time for Monday evening. Should they not make the squad, Matt Taylor, Danny Collins or Guy Demel are likely to be replacements at left and right back.
• Big Sam will make late calls on strikers Carlton Cole [knee] and Nick Maynard [ankle]. The latter was injured in the 1-1 draw at Bristol City is still being assessed ahead of his possible involvement. Should the duo not make it, it is likely John Carew or Sam Baldock will be asked to step in.
Leicester City
• The home side have a near fully-fit squad to choose from.
• Nigel Pearson's main concern will be who to leave out with Sean St. Ledger, Andy King, Paul Gallagher and Steve Howard all pushing for starting berths.
Last Time Out
Tuesday 17 April 2012
npower Championship
Bristol City 1-1 West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Reid, Tomkins, Demel (Faubert 74), Collins (Carew 63), Nolan, Taylor, Noble, Lansbury, Maynard (Collison 74), Vaz Te
Subs not used: Henderson, Diop
Goal: Tomkins (25)
Tuesday 17 April 2012
npower Championship
Leicester City 0-0 Burnley
Leicester City: Schemichel, Peltier, Konchesky, Bamba, Morgan, Dyer (Gallagher 72), Drinkwater, Wellens, Beckford (Schlupp 72), Marshall, Nugent
Subs not used: St Ledger, King, Howard
Last Six Meetings
(Championship unless stated)
29 October 2011 West Ham United 3-2 Leicester City
18 March 2005 West Ham United 2-2 Leicester City
7 August 2004 Leicester City 0-0 West Ham United
12 January 2002 West Ham United 1-0 Leicester City (Premier League)
22 December 2001 Leicester City 1-1 West Ham United (Premier League)
23 December 2000 Leicester City 2-1 West Ham United (Premier League)
Overall record v Leicester City (all competitions) W 49 D 29 L 42
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
Leicester City
2010/11 Championship 10th
2009/10 Championship 5th
2008/09 League One 1st
2007/08 Championship 22nd
2006/07 Championship 19th
2005/06 Championship 16th
2004/05 Championship 15th
2003/04 Premier League 18th
2002/03 Division One, 2nd (promoted to Premier League)
2001/02 Premier League 20th (relegated to Division One)
Referee
• Monday evening's referee will be Mr Eddie Ilderton.
• Ilderton was born 16 March 1970 on Tyneside and has been a professional referee since 1991.
• Ilderton has never taken charge of a West Ham United game but has refereed one Leicester City game this season. He was the man in black for the Foxes 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Millwall.
• Mr Ilderton has taken charge of 15 Championship games this season, issuing 31 yellow cards, two red cards and awarding six penalties.
• Ilderton will be assisted by Nick Hobbis and Ian Rathbone and the fourth official will be David Coote.
Us and Them
• The following players have worn the colours of both West Ham United and Leicester City during their careers - Syd Bishop, David Connolly, Tony Cottee, Brian Deane, Les Ferdinand, George Hebden, Andrew Impey, Dai Jones, David Kelly, Paul Konchesky, Colin Mackleworth, William Oakes, John Pantsil and Norman Proctor.
• Barking-born Paul Konchesky played 70 times for West Ham United between August 2005 and March 2007, scoring twice. The left-back netted one of those goals in the 2006 FA Cup final defeat by Liverpool in May 2006.
• Ghana international right-back John Pantsil made 24 appearances for West Ham United between August 2006 and May 2008.
• The largest crowd to witness a West Ham United versus Leicester City fixture was the 39,000 who turned out to watch the Hammers defeat the Foxes 3-2 in Division Two on 10 April 1936.
• West Ham United's largest away victory at Leicester was 6-0 way back in a Division Two match on 15 February 1923. The Hammers goals came from a hat-trick for William Moore and a goal each for Jack Tresadern, Dick Richards and Jimmy Ruffell.
• Leicester City's largest home win over the Hammers was 5-0 in a Division One fixture on 15 September 1928. Goals came from Barry Leonard, Arthur Lochhead, Ernie Hine and two for Arthur Chandler.
• Fifteen players have made their West Ham United debuts against Leicester City - William Waugh (January 1922), Wally St Pier (October 1929), Frederick Gamble (April 1931), Jack Weare, Charlie Walker (both September 1936), Ken Wright (September 1946), Eric Parsons (January 1947), Bob Wyllie, Eddie Lewis (both November 1956), Alan Sealey (April 1961), Roger Hugo (March 1964), Ian Bishop, Trevor Morley (both December 1989), Sergei Rebrov and Teddy Sheringham (both August 2004).
• Sam Allardyce has an unbeaten record against Leicester City as a manager. In five matches at Bolton Wanderers, Big Sam guided the Trotters to two victories and three draws against the Foxes.
• Kevin Nolan netted twice in Bolton Wanderers' 5-0 Premier League victory at Leicester City in August 2001. Nolan also scored in the reverse fixture, a 2-2 draw at the Reebok Stadium in December 2001.
Up Next
• West Ham United's final game of the season is at home to Hull City on Saturday 28 April with kick-off set for 12:30pm. There are still tickets remaining for the Hammers' final Championship match and information on how you can secure your seat - and gain priority for the Play-Off semi-final - can be found by clicking here. Leicester City's final match is away at Leeds United on Saturday with kick off scheduled for the same time.
General Information
• Monday evening's game with Leicester City has been made All-Ticket meaning there will no tickets available on the door. West Ham United advises fans not to travel to Leicester unless in possession of a match ticket. The weather for Monday is set for a chilly evening with light rain showers. The temperature will be 5C.