Christian Dailly 2001-2008
Scottish International Dailly was signed by West Ham in 2001, and was ever present in the side that finished 7th in the 2001-2202 season. Dailly remained in the side through relegation and the two years spent in the Championship scoring the winning goal in the play-off semi-final against Ipswich in 2004. Dailly’s influence waned through his later years with the club but the fans always appreciated his hard work and honesty.
Dailly left the club in 2007 and moved to Southampton on loan then moved to Rangers in January 2008. Dailly was part of the Rangers side that reached the UEFA Cup Final in 2008 and played his final game for the club in the Scottish Cup final of 2009. From Rangers he moved onto Charlton where he played for two seasons winning Player of the Year in his first season.
His final move was to Southend via a short lived spell with Portsmouth, Dailly finally hung up his boots in 2012 after playing for over 22 years both North and South of the border as well as representing Scotland 67 times.
Christian was involved in one of the more comical events in Scottish football where he could be clearly heard referring to the Germans as f*****g cheats while then manager Berti Vogts was being interviewed live on TV. The incident led to Vogts presenting Dailly with a Bayern Munich shirt inscribed with the message from that f*****g Michael Ballack..
Dailly’s daughter is a promising middle distance runner and Dailly now works as an Athletics coach for Chelmsford Athletics Club.
Anton Ferdinand 2003-2008
Ferdinand was a product of West Ham’s academy and was given his debut by Glenn Roeder in 2003. He quickly established himself in the side and was a pivotal figure in the team that won promotion in 2005. Ferdinand remained a fixture in the team until his rather surprising sale to Sunderland in August 2008. Then Sunderland manager Roy Keane had high hopes for Ferdinand stating that he viewed him as a future England international. Despite a promising start with the Black Cats Ferdinand fell out favour and was not helped by Keane leaving his post being replaced by Steve Bruce, he found his chances to play regularly severely limited.
Ferdinand moved on to QPR in August 2011 and became embroiled in the infamous incident with John Terry which led to Terry being charged with racially abusing Ferdinand fine £220,000 and banned for four games and set in motion the chain events that led to Terry losing the England captaincy and Fabio Cappello leaving his post as England Manager. Ferdinand did not really settle at QPR and was firstly loaned to Turkish side Bursaspor , then finally released in August 2013 after the club was relegated from the Premier League.
Ferdinand moved to Turkish club Antalyaspor but only stayed a season before signing with Championship club Reading who he signed for in 2014 before leaving them and joining Southend where he is currently plying his trade.
Ferdinand was a very good defender and had all the attributes to play at the top level, I believe had he stayed at West Ham he would have a had very different career and would have got closer to fulfilling the potential he undoubtedly possesses.
Jimmy Walker 2004-2009
Walker was signed from Walsall on a Bosman in 2004, with two months of signing for the club Walker immediately endeared himself to the fan by saving a Frank Lampard penalty at Stamford Bridge in the League Cup. Walker became known as a real character around the club and although his first team appearances were restricted by his injury in the Play-Off final of 2005 and the signings of Roy Carroll, Shaka Hislop and Rob Green, Walker is still fondly remembered by both players and fans alike.
Jimmy spent some time on loan at Colchester in 2008 and was finally released in 2009, he went to be signed by Tottenham as a 3rd choice goalkeeper in 2009 he was released without playing a game in 2010.
Walker returned to his first club Walsall in October 2010 he went on to break Walsall’s all time appearance record in 2012, Walker left Walsall in 2013 having played 533 games for the club over two spells.
Jimmy is now goalkeeping coach with Lincoln City.