Luis Boa Morte was pleased to see West Ham United steer safely clear of relegation at the end of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season.
However, the former Hammers and Portugal international forward admitted to having mixed emotions as another of his old clubs, Fulham, were relegated to the Championship.
Concentrating on West Ham, Boa Morte was an interested observer as Sam Allardyce guided his squad out of the bottom three to the safe waters of mid-table come the season's end.
"They did well to turn things around so I am pleased for them that they managed to stay in the Premier League," said the 36-year-old, who pulled on his boots again recently for the F30 Legends Tournament at Brisbane Road.
"People were saying that they were going to go down, but they didn't so that's one more London team that has stayed up when another of my old London clubs, Fulham, went down.
"West Ham did well to get themselves up to 13th in the end."
Boa Morte, who also represented Arsenal, Southampton and Chesterfield during his playing days, said West Ham remaining in the Premier League will become increasingly important as the Club plans to move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016.
"They know what they are looking for and what they are trying to do in moving to the Olympic Stadium, so it will be in their best interests to be in the Premier League rather than the Championship.
"They managed to do that last season, so fair play to them."
While the Olympic Stadium is West Ham's future, Boa Morte retains fond memories of his time at the Boleyn Ground - most notably the 'Great Escape' that he helped the Club to pull off following his arrival in January 2007.
In all, Boa Morte made 109 appearances in Claret and Blue, scoring twice, but it was his early months at the Club that he remembers most clearly.
"My favourite memory of Upton Park was the first six months I was at the Club, when we had a very tough run but we kept ourselves in the Premier League."