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Post by bluetornados on Jun 7, 2023 16:20:02 GMT
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 7, 2023 16:39:15 GMT
West Ham: fans attacked by Fiorentina supporters before Europa Conference League final..ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/B019/production/_127818054_bbcbreakingnewsgraphic.jpgCzech police have detained several people after West Ham fans were attacked by Fiorentina supporters before the Europa Conference League final in Prague. Three people were injured in a bar in Rytirska Street, with police confirming an officer had also been attacked during the incident. In a tweet, Czech police said they had "restricted the personal freedom of 16 people". The final starts at 20:00 BST. One West Ham fan, who did not want to be named, said "a large group" of Italian fans attacked the Tek-ila Tek-ila bar in the city centre on Wednesday. He added: "About eight Italians walked past, swinging bands and chains. Five minutes later, there was a big group that come down the road and attacked us." The fan said that one of his friends was "quite badly" hurt with a "massive cut" on his head. A 17-year-old witness said West Ham fans had "done nothing wrong" and Fiorentina supporters "were throwing flares and firecrackers." ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/8748/production/_130023643_fans.jpgCzech police detained 16 people after West Ham fans were attacked at the Tek'ila Tek'ila bar in Prague
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 7, 2023 22:58:06 GMT
WEDNESDAY 7th JUNE 2023 - EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE - FINAL - By Simon Stone, BBC Sport at Fortuna Arena Prague.
Fiorentina 1 (Bonaventura 67) West Ham United 2 (Benrahama 62 pen, Bowen 90)
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West Ham finished 14th in the Premier League this season, the lowest position any team has finished in the table in the same season they won a major European trophy.West Ham ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy as Jarrod Bowen scored a last-minute goal to beat Fiorentina and win the Europa Conference League in Prague. The final seemed to be heading for extra time after Said Benrahma's second-half penalty was cancelled out just seven minutes later by a well-taken effort from Giacomo Bonaventura. It was a testy and sometimes bad tempered game - and at one point it got downright ugly as Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi was struck by a plastic bottle thrown from the West Ham section. The match was settled in the most dramatic manner. Bowen timed his run to perfection as Lucas Paqueta slid a superb pass through the Fiorentina defence. The England man ran free, steadied himself, then beat Pietro Terracciano with a calm finish to thrill the Hammers fans - who were far greater in number than the 5,000 tickets they were allotted - and send manager David Moyes running down the touchline to celebrate the first major silverware of his career. It mean captain Declan Rice, in probably his final game for the club, emulated club greats Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds by leading the club to glory. Moore captained West Ham to the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup and Bonds led them to the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980. The victory also seals a place in next season's Europa League and means European football for the third year running for the first time in the club's history. Jubilation for West Hamichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/0B42/production/_130028820_gettyimages-1258514811.jpgSaid Benrahma opened the scoring for West Ham in the 62nd minuteThe manner of victory could not have been any sweeter for West Ham. Whilst Nayef Aguerd took time out to console Morocco team-mates Sofyan Amrabat at the final whistle, the celebrations of the Premier League team were something to behold. From 18-year-old forward Divin Mubama, who played no part, to Moyes himself, finally a trophy-winner after such a long career in management, all joined in joy, leaping around trying to take it all in. There will be an unwanted post-script as Uefa is bound to come down hard on the Hammers for the unwanted first-half scenes that left Biraghi playing with a bandage round his head for the last hour of the contest and forced the club to condemn those responsible. ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/DF04/production/_130029075_gettyimages-1496738141.jpgFiorentina's Biraghi was hit in the head by an object thrown from the West Ham endHowever, that is for another day. The reaction from the pitch and the stands at the final whistle give a lie to anyone who feels this tournament is beneath them and should give hope to Aston Villa, England's entrants next season. At the centre of it all was Rice. There was no thought of his future as he lapped up the adulation of the fans who have followed his journey from rising academy star to full England honours. West Ham wouldn't be deniedichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/9076/production/_130028963_gettyimages-1496755626.jpgWest Ham boss David Moyes won his first major trophy as a manager with Declan RiceSome West Ham fans must have thought they had won it when Benrahma coolly drove home his spot-kick after the video assistant referee intervened to rule Biraghi had handled Bowen's header. But the loss of Kurt Zouma to injury just before Benrahma scored disrupted West Ham's rhythm and after Nicolas Gonzalez had provided the knockback, Bonaventura's excellent control and shot was too good for Alphonse Areola, preferred in goal to first-choice Lukasz Fabianski and maintaining his 100% appearance record in the competition. Areola had been fortunate to escape conceding the opener in the final minute of the opening period when he failed to get down to a Christian Kouame header, which bounced off a post and fell kindly for Luka Jovic. Areola should have kept out Jovic's header, which was straight at him. Instead, he fumbled it over the line. The Frenchman was hugely relieved to see the offside flag raised, a decision confirmed by VAR. Jovic got an accidental boot in the face from Tomas Soucek instead and had to be replaced at the break. The game didn't really develop any momentum as too many players exaggerated non-existent fouls, which made it a tough evening for Spanish referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande, much as it was for Anthony Taylor in the Europa League final seven days earlier. Grande did keep command of the contest, rightly booking Benrahma for diving at one point. In the end though, all this was a footnote. Bowen scored. West Ham got their trophy and Rice got to lift it. Match Stats: Possession 68% - 32% - Shots 17-8 - On Target 4-4 - Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande - Attendance: 17,363 - MOTM: Jarrod Bowen ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/480/cpsprodpb/11AC8/production/_130029327_westham.jpg
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 7, 2023 23:05:37 GMT
Declan Rice: I love playing for West Ham, says captain after Europa Conference League win..By Joe Rindl, BBC Sport.
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Declan Rice is the first West Ham captain to win a European trophy since England's Bobby Moore lifted the Cup Winners' Cup in 1965Declan Rice says he loves playing for West Ham - amid speculation he could have played his last game for the club after helping them end a 43-year wait for a major trophy. Rice captained the Hammers to the Europa Conference League title as they beat Fiorentina 2-1 in a dramatic final. The 24-year-old England midfielder has been heavily linked with a move away from London Stadium. "At the moment there's a lot of speculation going on about my future," Rice told BT Sport after lifting his first major trophy. "There is interest from other clubs but ultimately I still have two years left at West Ham. "I love this club and I love playing for this club." Rice added: "My focus is playing for West Ham at the moment. I'm captain of this club and I can't speak highly enough of this place. Let's just see what happens. Let's wait and see. Who knows?" Before their Europa Conference League semi-final second-leg win at AZ Alkmaar, West Ham manager David Moyes said there was "a good chance" Rice will leave during the close season. Rice has rejected all efforts to get him to sign a contract extension amid interest from virtually all of England's top clubs. The midfielder's contract is set to expire in 2024, although the Hammers have an option to extend that by a further year. "If this is to be Rice's last ever game for West Ham, what a way to go, what a way to bow out," former West Ham midfielder Don Hutchison told BT Sport. 'I'd give anything to help this club win'ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/240/cpsprodpb/105A6/production/_130028966_gettyimages-1496761586.jpgOn Wednesday, Rice became the first West Ham captain to win a European trophy since England's Bobby Moore lifted the Cup Winners' Cup in 1965. In lifting silverware, he has also emulated club great Billy Bonds, who led the Hammers to the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980. "To be even in that conversation [alongside Moore and Bonds] is crazy," added Rice. "I've given my heart playing for this club over the past six years. I'd give anything to help this club win. We've not had it easy. We've been facing relegation. "To win this now, to be in that category, I don't want to say too much. I'll get too excited." Rice came through the youth system at West Ham and has been capped 41 times by England, playing in all five of their matches at the World Cup last November and December. He has made 62 appearances for club and country this season, scoring six times. "This is what it's all about, winning a European trophy," former West Ham defender Scott Minto told BBC Radio 5 Live. "You can talk about Rice, his last game we think, he's going to be lifting that trophy and he joins the long list of legends." Bowen 'someone who just keeps going'ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/4256/production/_130028961_gettyimages-1258515546.jpgJarrod Bowen joined West Ham in a in a £20m-plus deal from Hull City in January 2020West Ham's winner came in the 90th minute, when Jarrod Bowen beat the offside trap and squeezed the ball past goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano and into the net. "I obviously dreamed of scoring but to score the winner in the last minute, it's what you always say you want to do," Bowen told BT Sport after full-time. "To do it in front of these fans, I thought I was going to cry, I'm just so happy. "I think in my position, you make that run 10 times and you might get that ball once. There was time for one more chance. I'm over the moon." Bowen's football journey to a European final started in the fifth tier of English football. After unsuccessful trials at a number of English clubs, he began his career in the National League with Hereford before moving to Hull in 2016 and eventually getting his Premier League chance with West Ham in January 2020. The winger, who has been capped four times by England, has scored 13 goals in 54 appearances for the Hammers this season. "He was turned down by Aston Villa and Cardiff - you are looking at someone who just kept going," former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green told BBC Radio 5 Live. "You go through those moments of being rejected. "His run for the goal tonight was just about keep going. He must have made that run 1,000 times in his career - it is a fantastic moment for him."
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 7, 2023 23:10:37 GMT
West Ham condemn fan behaviour after Fiorentina's Cristiano Biraghi hit by object thrown from crowd..
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Cristiano Biraghi made a clapping gesture to the West Ham fans before he was struck on the headWest Ham condemned the behaviour of "a small number of fans" after Fiorentina's Cristiano Biraghi was hit by an object thrown from the stands at the Europa Conference League final. Biraghi was left bloodied after cups and other items were thrown as he took a corner during the match in Prague. West Ham said "these actions have no place in football". It followed trouble before the game, as 16 people were arrested after an incident at a bar. Czech police said Italian fans attacked West Ham supporters in a bar, leaving three people injured. West Ham said the fans' actions inside the Fortuna Arena "do not in any way represent the values of our football club and the overwhelming majority of our supporters". The club added that fans had "behaved impeccably" in Prague and during their time in European competitions in the last two seasons, and that they would assist police in finding the culprits. "In line with our zero-tolerance approach, anyone identified will have their details passed to the police and will be given an indefinite ban and therefore be unable to enter London Stadium and travel with the club," a statement said. As Biraghi received treatment for his head injury in the first half, a PA announcement urged supporters to stop throwing objects onto the pitch and to "please respect players and the officials". Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano said Biraghi "has big gash in the back of his neck and stitches". ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/1775C/production/_130029069_cristianobiraghi.jpgWest Ham ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy as Jarrod Bowen scored a last-minute goal to beat Fiorentina. Fiorentina fans were 'swinging bands and chains'
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A burnt-out chair and broken glass were seen littered across the ground outside the Tek-ila Tek-ila barEarlier on, Hammers fans were attacked by the Italian side's supporters at the Tek-ila Tek-ila bar in Rytirska Street in the city centre. Three people were injured, with police confirming an officer had also been attacked during the incident. One West Ham fan, who did not want to be named, told PA News his friend was "quite badly" hurt with a "massive cut" on his head. Prague emergency service spokeswoman Jana Postova told AFP two people were treated at the scene and one was transported to hospital with a light head injury, The fan added: "About eight Italians walked past, swinging bands and chains. Five minutes later, there was a big group that come down the road and attacked us." A 17-year-old witness, speaking to PA News, said West Ham fans had "done nothing wrong" and Fiorentina supporters "were throwing flares and firecrackers".
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 7, 2023 23:14:46 GMT
ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/8636/live/d6a50e20-0583-11ee-aa08-4727df20b680.pngIt's all about West Ham in Thursday's back pages after their Europa Conference League triumph. Jarrod Bowen grabs the headlines after his goal in the last minute settled Wednesday's final in dramatic style. In doing so, the former Hereford United and Hull City man has written himself into Hammers folklore according to the Daily Mail. 'These sorts of moments as managers don't come around often'West Ham boss David Moyes, speaking to BT Sport: "This is fantastic. I have had a long career in football and you don't get many moments like this. "These sorts of moments as managers don't come around often. This is a great moment for us." On why West Ham is so special: "It is a brilliant club in the East End of London that does wonderful work in the community. It is a great family club. It is getting better and stronger. This is another step on the road of continued progress. "We have gone unbeaten in Europe, which is incredible. We only lost last year in a semi-final, two incredible years and we get another one now." Best moment of career? "I would have to say so. The moments you get to celebrate with your family and win in the last minute of the game, it doesn't happen often. It can go against you but tonight is a brilliant feeling. "If somebody had said three years ago when I took the job that you'd avoid relegation and finish in Europe and I've said you were mad. "This competition has been great for us, the players have been remarkable." ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/8b69/live/c2ba58e0-057c-11ee-95b6-f55dea21181e.jpgichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/aec9/live/527ce8c0-057e-11ee-a91d-836daaa6e63b.jpgichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/e6a8/live/dce828f0-057c-11ee-95b6-f55dea21181e.jpg
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 7, 2023 23:17:36 GMT
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 8:17:31 GMT
Bowen winner 'a wonderful story'..ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/e6ca/live/a3da99e0-05c6-11ee-9618-b5133902698d.jpgJarrod Bowen's last-minute winner in the Europa Conference League was just rewards for a rollercoaster career in football, says ex-West Ham keeper Robert Green. The 26-year-old etched his name into Hammers history when he raced clear of the Fiorentina defence to slot home the decisive goal and secure West Ham's first major European trophy since the 1965 Cup Winners' Cup. After being turned down by Aston Villa and Cardiff growing up, Green says this was a moment to savour for Bowen. "You're looking at someone who kept going," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "He will have gone through periods of huge self doubt and been rejected, but then he has had to keep going. "Look at the timing of his run. He must have made that run thousands of times and never would he have dreamed he would make one to win a European cup. "It's a wonderful story and there are hundreds like it within the club." Former Irons full-back Scott Minto agreed, saying it vindicated West Ham's decision to pay top dollar for Bowen when he was playing for Hull City in the Championship. "Bowen was putting up numbers for a team that was not up there chasing the Premier League," said Minto. "West Ham were desperate and in a relegation fight so paid the money Hull wanted. "Boy, has he paid them back! He has been superb since he joined the club." ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/9796/live/8cdcc220-05c8-11ee-9618-b5133902698d.jpg
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 8:20:19 GMT
'I truly think we deserve this' - Mark Noble..ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/f12b/live/4b8479f0-0580-11ee-96fb-b331d52500d9.jpgAn emotional Mark Noble said West Ham truly deserved their Europa Conference League triumph after "such pain" the club has been through. Noble retired from professional football last year after 550 first-team appearances for the Hammers, but returned to the club in January as sporting director. Speaking to BT Sport after the game, he said: "I'm lost for words - since 11 I've been at the club. "It is just amazing to see the smile on their faces. We have been through such pain. I am just lost for words. "As I said before the game, it's not just the players or staff who travel - to the whole club it means so much. It is so special. You cannot explain the love and the passion the people have for this football club. "I look up and see so many people I know. I'm extremely lucky to have grown up and played for the team I love. It is so special. "I truly think we deserve this."
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 8:28:34 GMT
West Ham win Europa Conference League: 'Moments the club and David Moyes will never forget'..By Simon Stone, BBC Sport at Fortuna Arena.
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West Ham beat Fiorentina to win the club's first major trophy since 1980There are moments in football that make you forget the bad stuff. They make you forget the idiots who throw things at players, make you forget the players who roll around on the floor as if they had been wounded when, in fact, they have barely been touched. Football creates moments that make you forget. By the side of the pitch at Fortuna Arena, with West Ham's celebrations in full swing after beating Fiorentina 2-1 to win the Europa Conference League, manager David Moyes saw his dad. He went straight over, gave him the firmest of hugs and placed round his neck the winners' medal he had been given by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin. David snr is 87. His son is 60. They both grinned from ear to ear. The joy on their faces was something to behold. A dad with his lad, someone who has proved himself to be successful in the most unforgiving of professions, finally, after 25 years, winning something. "He was the first one I thought I should get it [the medal] round his neck," said Moyes. "I hope he is enjoying it." No-one from West Ham will ever forget 7 June 2023. The club's first trophy in 43 years. Their first European trophy since 1965 and the days of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters. As captain Declan Rice said in the build-up to the game, beating Fiorentina in Prague would make them legends. That is the status they earned with Jarrod Bowen's last-minute goal. The moment that made people forget the bad stuff. Nevertheless, when the euphoria has subsided and the joy is replaced by satisfaction, then will come the tricky bit. How do you move forward from this ? In the first official statement released by the club after the final whistle, chairman David Sullivan referred back to that contentious decision to leave Upton Park, where Thursday's victory parade will leave from, for London Stadium. "When we moved to the new ground, we dreamed of moments like this," he said. "Our task now is to build on this triumph, and the double-winning feats of our Under-18 Academy team, ensuring that every time our men and women start a new season in West Ham United colours, they are competing for more success." Fine words. Far harder to implement. For a start, West Ham are going to lose their captain. It was typical of how Rice has given everything for the club that he should be fully involved in the post-match celebrations. No-one could accuse him of holding back and saving himself for a big-money move in the summer. "I love this club, I love playing for this club," he said afterwards. But West Ham know an exit is coming, even those thousands of fans who chanted 'one more year, Declan Rice' before, during and especially after the victory. ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/6DBC/production/_130029082_gettyimages-1496753117.jpgDavid Moyes won his first trophy in 25 years of managementMoyes' own future has been under intense scrutiny at times this season. On three separate occasions, he appeared to be one defeat from the sack, only to get the result he needed to make it through another week. The Scot made it clear what he wanted in a pre-match interview when he said he had no intention of going anywhere. It would be a particularly harsh call for Sullivan to tell Moyes his services are no longer required, given what he has just delivered. It doesn't seem likely. "When I think of the progress West Ham have made in the last three years, sixth, seventh, a European semi-final and now a European trophy, if I had said that would happen three years ago, you would have said 'he's lost his marbles'," said Moyes. "I am really fortunate at this club. They have been incredibly supportive, when it could have been different." ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/240/cpsprodpb/12D24/production/_130029077_gettyimages-1258516532.jpg
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 8:33:13 GMT
West Ham United - The work that lies ahead..By Simon Stone, BBC Sport at Fortuna Arena.upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c2/West_Ham_United_FC_logo.svg/175px-West_Ham_United_FC_logo.svg.pngYet the squad reshaping exercise Moyes instigated last summer after successive top-seven Premier League finishes did not work. Gianluca Scamacca, the £30.5m Italian striker, didn't deliver on lofty expectations. Maxwel Cornet, who cost £17.5m, hardly played. With Rice likely to leave, it means significant issues need to be addressed in key areas of the squad. That must be tackled before Moyes can start thinking about how to bring through into the first-team environment some of the youngsters who won the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 24 years. All this has to be done at a time where what was the 'top six' has now become seven, with the addition of Newcastle. After their own top-seven finishes, West Ham's 'spot' has been taken by a similar sized club in Aston Villa, with similar ambitions and a coach with a history of winning significant trophies. Brighton and Brentford's progress will be tested but their recruitment policies are solid and there is nothing to suggest significant regression is likely. There is also an ownership issue at West Ham, with Czech businessman Daniel Kretinsky thought to have designs on taking a majority stake in the club. There is uncertainty following the deaths of co-chairman David Gold and his daughter Jacqueline since the turn of the year. There will be a stadium one as well if UK Athletics admits it can no longer afford to have a base at London Stadium. The track and field governing body, which has suffered financial difficulties, has considered a settlement agreement to exit its long-term contract to use the stadium early. Given Jarrod Bowen said "the party tonight will be crazy" in his post-match press conference, talk of the future can wait. As he quite rightly pointed out, "days like this don't come around often, you have to enjoy them". Forty-three years is indeed a long time. With a parade to come and then Pablo Fornals' wedding before the week is out, it may be a while before reality does dawn on this proud, and now elated, east London club. But it will come. And dealing with it may not be straightforward.
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 8:53:41 GMT
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 9:06:58 GMT
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 9:11:18 GMT
'This is my moment to strike'ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/624/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2023/6/8/05cf2d41-8bde-4765-81a2-061df94273cd.jpgLet's hear from the Player of the Match Jarrod Bowen who scored the last-minute winner for West Ham. When asked how he was feeling, he said: "I can't sum up [my emotions]. It is the best feeling I have ever had in my career, the best moment. When I went through I had a lot of time and it was just make sure you put the ball away. The keeper started to rush out of his goal and I thought 'that is my moment to strike' because he couldn't then set himself. "I don't know if I fell over but I looked up and the ball was going in and I was just 'this is not happening'. To score a winner in the last minute to bring trophy to club is the best moment of my career." And on the victory and fans: "I don’t want to use relief as a word but we knew how close we were with the disappointment of Frankfurt [West Ham lost a Europa League semi-final last season]. "I saw the fans, noise they made, numbers that came in. I am proud to do it for my teammates, the coaching staff but I think for the fans as well. You see what it means after the game, I'm a bit stuck for words. Best feeling of my life. I never thought in my wildest dreams as a young boy growing up I would win a European trophy." 'Highest this club has been in a long time'ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/624/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2023/6/8/d7197c95-c029-46c3-a94a-8519c46119c8.jpgBowen was also asked what it was like for Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal to win in their home country, the Czech Republic: "Those boys took about 100 tickets before the game, took our players’ ticket allocation. Everything was set up for us to win it with the two Czech boys coming home, the wait we had for a European trophy. You've got to go through the process for that to happen. "We struggled in the game a lot I thought but if anyone is talking about the game, I am not listening because we won the trophy. Highest this club has been in a long time." And on what it means to his family: "I am a little boy from Leominster who never thought I would be here sat with you now. I'm going to celebrate with my old man, my brother. I haven’t cried yet but my dad and my brother were. It shows how much it means and how far I think I have come."
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 9:16:24 GMT
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 14:19:17 GMT
West Ham to hold Europa Conference League victory parade in East London..ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/240/cpsprodpb/1405D/production/_130031028_gettyimages-1258518626.jpgWest Ham will celebrate their Europa Conference League triumph with an open-top bus parade around East London on Thursday evening. Jarrod Bowen scored a 90th-minute winner to secure a dramatic 2-1 win over Fiorentina in Prague on Wednesday. It is West Ham's first major trophy since 1980 and their first in Europe since 1965. "It will be fantastic to see fans from across London fill the streets," said West Ham chairman David Sullivan. "This trophy belongs to you, and it will be fantastic to all share in the moment. It is time to celebrate." A specially commissioned bus will carry players and staff from the junction of Green Street and Barking Road, adjacent to the Boleyn Pub, to the Old Town Hall in Stratford on West Ham Lane. The parade will start at 19:00 BST and is expected to reach the Old Town Hall at 20:00. The journey resembles that taken by the legendary 1965 squad containing Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, who were met by tens of thousands of supporters to celebrate their Cup Winners' Cup triumph. Sullivan said: "I could not be more proud of this magnificent football club. Proud of how far we have come over the last decade. Proud of the manager, the backroom team, and all the staff, who have done a fantastic job. "And proud of all the players, from our amazing homegrown talent to our brilliant international stars, who have given us a night and a triumph that will live forever. "But most of all, I want to pay tribute to the Hammers fans, the Claret and Blue Army, who have once again shown they are the best in the world."
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bluetornados
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 14:23:33 GMT
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bluetornados
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 14:24:37 GMT
Got the set now..ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/7338/live/c2d1f790-05d4-11ee-aa08-4727df20b680.jpgA proud moment arrived for West Ham left-back Emerson Palmieri on Wednesday night as he became the first player to win all three European trophies. A Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2021, he also has a Europa League medal on his CV from 2019. Winning the Europa Conference League with West Ham rounds off a remarkable few years for the Italy defender, who won Euro 2020 with his country at Wembley as well. After beating Fiorentina, Emerson marked the achievement by writing on Twitter: "Uefa Conference League CHAMPIONS 🏆⚒️ West Ham are massive, everywhere we go!!!"
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bluetornados
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 14:26:06 GMT
'What a night!' Your reaction to West Ham's glory..ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/3b86/live/f6f7c430-05e0-11ee-aa08-4727df20b680.pngDavid Moyes' West Ham side are European Conference League champions, with Wednesday's victory over Fiorentina bringing their long wait for a major trophy to an end. We asked what you made of the performance and what winning the trophy means to you and here are some of your thoughts: Kevin: Absolutely brilliant. I have followed West Ham for 58 years and this is the best moment in all that time. Please stay, Declan. Claire: As a West Ham fan, watching David Moyes putting the winner's medal around his dad's neck finished me off. West Ham have always prided themselves on being a family club and the first thing our manager did was celebrate with his dad. The pride on his dad's face - a man who's supported his son for all of his 87 years - absolutely priceless. Simon: Fortune is always hiding when you’re a West Ham fan, but our first trophy win since I was a teenager in such a dramatic fashion makes it all worthwhile. William: I have supported West Ham for the best part of 60 years. To see them win a European trophy for the first time since 1965 is so, so special. What a night! Dan: I'm a 42-year-old West Ham fan, having never won anything despite being close. I watched the final with my eight-year-old lad! It meant everything- I know it’s only football but over land and sea, West Ham are massive! My boy now thinks we’ll win things often - he also thinks England do well in tournaments as that’s his experience. I won’t tell him yet! Helen: Being a West Ham supporter since 1966, we certainly have had more downs than ups. I remember the 1975 and 1980 FA Cup finals, then the 1981 League Cup final, which I went to with my boyfriend, a Red Man, and watched the 2006 cup final in a Liverpool pub. Yesterday, I watched the match on my phone while on holiday. Well done, lads. Great!
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Post by bluetornados on Jun 8, 2023 14:28:58 GMT
'A wonderful feeling' - Trevor Brooking reflects on victory in Europe..ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640x360/p01h0pcq.jpgWest Ham legend Trevor Brooking says, "you could not have written it in a script" as he toasted his club's dramatic Europa Conference League victory. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Brooking reflected on a "lovely evening" for the Hammers. "I am so chuffed because it has been a tough year," he said. "They signed three big names last summer for £120m in Nayef Aguerd, Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca and before the World Cup, they had seen nothing. "We were in the bottom five and everyone was worried. Then, after David Gold died and his daughter Jacqueline a couple of months later, everything seemed to be going wrong. "Everyone was looking to this final wondering if we could round off a tough 12 months. "So to win it in the last couple of months, with an Englishman scoring the goal... if you had read it in a book, you would have said it was a bit far-fetched. "It is a wonderful feeling."
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