If Sam Allardyce, a manager for two decades, describes this West Ham season as one of the toughest he has encountered, then who am I to argue with him?
Big Sam places great store by good starts, on the basis that you can afford a dip or two in results later on.
Unhappily for him, it didn’t happen that way for the Hammers this time – and things got dramatically worse when big Andy Carroll, expected back after a month of the season, broke down in training with a recurrence of a foot injury more commonly associated with ballerinas.
Things got worse by mid-winter, so much so that West Ham faced an FA Cup third round trip to Nottingham Forest with no central defenders – all injured.
A 5-0 defeat there, followed by a 6-0 Capital One Cup semi-final, first leg mauling by rampant Manchester City, meant that calls for Allardyce’s head were deafening.
West Ham season review
Yet, whilst other Premier League managers were being axed all around them, the club’s co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold, stood commendably firm.
Their faith was ultimately vindicated, big Sam’s side went on to record 14 clean sheets, beat Tottenham three times and ensure their survival.
