After a season away from the big time, West Ham United are back in the Premier League. There is no doubt they are one of the biggest clubs in English football and that a transfer to Upton Park is one of the most attractive for a footballer this side of the top 4.
However, years of mismanagement since that season they made the FA Cup Final, meant that the Hammers slowly deteriorated and found themselves so often teetering on the brink of relegation. That threat finally became reality last year after a dismal 2010-11 season. The dull and depressing-looking Avram Grant was given his marching orders and in came Sam Allardyce, requested to rebuild the club's spine and take it back to the Premier League where they belonged.
For much of last season, West Ham looked like they would go back to the Premier League easily. But wobbles late in the season meant they lost out to Reading and Southampton and had to endure a gruelling playoff series to determine if they would make a quick return to the Premier League which they navigated successfully albeit just.
Blackpool proved their worth in a one-off do-or-die game like they did when they last made the Premier League and played the more attractive football but just couldn't quite put their chances away. For traditional Hammers fans, Blackpool were the real Academy of Football.
Alas, it's goals that get you through and West Ham worked hard to get their winner, exploiting Blackpool's deficiencies at the back. Yes it wasn't pretty but will they be complaining once they get their 90 million pound paycheck next season? I doubt it.
In fact, West Ham fans can stand to learn a lot from Newcastle fans who like them, also crave sexy, attractive football. When Alan Pardew came in, that was placed on the backburner quite controversially but it was evident that Pardew was trying to build the foundations for a very good team: a strong midfield and defence. Once Newcastle established that, they started to get better and play some good football as they almost made the Champions League. Are Toon fans complaining anymore? Only those crazy ones like that crazy Cleveland Indians fan in Major League.
West Ham appear to have now got the foundations for a team that should be mid-table at least in the Premier League. All Whites defender Winston Reid has now gotten used to the pace of the English team. Now, Reid has the chance to redeem himself and prove he is a Premier League player after a shocking debut two years ago. He has got the talented James Tomkins to back him up. However, Big Sam will probably still go for another centre-back this summer - hopefully not Roger Johnson or Scott Dann please.
The midfield is also rather good too with Kevin Nolan likely to captain the team into the Premier League alongside long-time Hammer, Mark Noble. The Hammers do appear to have a good strike force in Carlton Cole, Nicky Maynard who is hoping to mimic the exploits of Grant Holt and Danny Graham, Ricardo vaz Te, the former Bolton trainee will be out to show his talents in the Premier League after fighting his way back from injury.
So Hammers to replicate the efforts of Norwich and Swansea last season - I think we may see a repeat of last season where all promoted sides stay up. Which will make it yet another interesting Premier League season from positions 10 downwards.
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