Alan Devonshire's ready to deal a Hammer blow at Epsom Derby
Alan Devonshire knew all about defying the odds as a footballer. On Saturday his equine namesake gets his chance in the Derby.
Devonshire, with his distinctive moustache, was the non-league player with Southall who rose to play for West Ham and win eight England caps in the early 1980s.
Epsom outsider: Devonshire
The Mark Tompkins-trained outsider, who carries the claret and blue silks of West Ham fan Russell Trew, could be backed at the insulting odds of 500-1 yesterday but will not lack for support from the Epsom terraces.
Alongside his namesake in Trew's Queen's Stand box will be Upton Park legends, Phil Parkes, Tony Gale and Tony Cottee, plus celebrity fan Ray Winstone.
Trew said: "Alan's more excited than I am. My dad Ron took me to Upton Park when I was six and I've been going since the late 1960s.
"My two favourite players were Alan and Billy Bonds. I asked him if he would give me permission to name a horse after him and I think he has had as much fun out of it as I have."
Devonshire has his top hat and tails booked and he said: "He is going to be a big outsider but was only beaten a couple of lengths by Aidan O'Brien's horse (Alessandro Volta) in the Lingfield trial. He needed the run and did blow heavily afterwards."
Devonshire is now manager of Hampton & Richmond, who only just missed out on promotion to the Blue Square Premiership.
He added: "I don't get recognised so much now. My hair has gone and so has my moustache and I've put on a few pounds."
