West Ham paid tribute to Bobby Moore yesterday by retiring the No.6 shirt.
Sunday People
02:59, 10 Feb 2013Updated 04:35, 10 Feb 2013
West Ham paid tribute to Bobby Moore yesterday by retiring the No.6 shirt.
Never again will a Hammer step out in the legend's famous shirt after it was handed over to his second wife, Stephanie, during half-time on the 50th anniversary since his debut for the club.
It is the second time in a week that the Upton Park board have shelved one of their squad numbers, having paid off Freddie Ljungberg.
The difference being that any Hammers fan would have crawled over broken glass to just get close enough to shake Moore's hand whereas Ljungberg is more likely to get a kiss - Glasgow style.
His No.7 shirt cost the club about £5million, which is money Alan Curbishley could do with to fund a dabble into the transfer market before the season kicks off next week.
Curbishley's side have been stripped this summer to cut back on the wage bill, with few new names coming in to strengthen a team that needs quality.
A 10th-place finish was the end to a yo-yo year last season, but to push on to the next level and try to challenge for a European place looks a long way off.
During the Bobby Moore Cup yesterday at Upton Park against Villarreal there was signs of flowing football, but it quickly reverted to the scrapping seen last season.
Carlton Cole had the 20,000-odd fans expecting a great game with a well-taken goal in the first minute from a Matthew Etherington cross.
There were other chances for Curbishley's side, but they came mostly from a lucky break rather than a moment of brilliance.
Again Curbishley has been made a favourite to be sacked first, but he said he was ready to beat the bookies' curse: "The bookmakers put together their predictions and I can't do anything about that.
"There is always a manager put in the position by the betting firms and it's mine at the minute. It soon goes away and then it will be on someone else.
"I have the backing of the club and the board and, although I'm a bit miffed, nothing surprises me in football."
A friendly can never tell you everything with all the substitutions, but having only a week longer to prepare for the season must concern some Hammers fans.
Curbishley is worried, but about the amount of injuries starting to creep back into his side after last season's treatment-table nightmare.
Craig Bellamy was sidelined last week as was Anton Ferdinand, with George McCartney and Jonathan Spector already out, leaving West Ham short in defence.
That has forced Curbishley to bring in Ben Thatcher on trial, but he is looking to add a couple of names permanently, and said: "I don't want to be saying it again but we have got a couple of niggles and I'd like to bring a couple of players in.
"I was looking to the summer to have some of the long-term injuries back, but now we have new players sidelined. I think I need to add because at the back we are short."
The opener at home to Wigan on Saturday is a big start as it could set an early pattern.
Curbishley admitted: "It's always important to get off to a good start.
When I talk about starts I talk about eight games because then you can see where you are."
Villarreal were the better side and deserved their goal from Santi Cazorla before half-time. The Spanish international finished in style before the game descended into handbags at 10 paces.
Lee Bowyer was in the thick of most altercations, with the only real positive in the second half being the introduction of Freddie Sears. The boy looks sharp and ready to shine.