West Ham United Football Club News

• Nickname:Hammers
• Founded:1895
• Manager:Sam Allardyce

• Ground:Upton Park
• Capacity:35,595

Cole pens Hammers deal

25 Nov 2008 - 08:23:15

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West Ham United have handed striker Carlton Cole a new five-year contract.

The 25-year-old hitman joined the Hammers from Chelsea in July 2006 and, following a steady start to life at Upton Park, has hit the ground running this season and is their current four-goal top-scorer.

The former England Under-21 international is benefiting from the long-term injury absence of Dean Ashton with an extended run as the club's first-choice striker.

"I am very pleased to sign. It is nice that I can just focus on playing good football for the club," he told the club's official website.

"I know now I am here for quite a while so it is time to knuckle down.

"The manager has 100 per cent faith in me and I have got 100 per cent faith in him and our team as well.

"It is good that I have got this opportunity to show West Ham supporters and prove to myself that I can be a big part of the prospects to come."

Hammers chief executive officer Scott Duxbury added: "He is a major part of (manager) Gianfranco Zola's plans and he deserves this new deal for his continued good form and dedication to the cause.

"This news underlines that as a club we are thinking only of moving forward and are on a sound financial footing.

"We have a clear football project and have invested heavily in the medical and technical departments.

"That is paying dividends and securing key players on long-term contracts is a major part of this project."