When West Ham United’s Loans and Pathways Manager Carlton Cole made the short trip to Braintree Town to check on Mason Terry’s progress, this is not how he envisaged his afternoon going.
The Hammers youngster has been a massive success at the fifth-tier outfit.
Terry even scored a goal when Braintree met Truro City in the National League Cup, popping up in the penalty area to head home a last-gasp equaliser. In his role as West Ham United’s Loans and Pathways Manager, Carlton Cole played a key role in sending Terry out to Essex last summer while Mads Hermansen arrived to take over number one duties.
How do you feel about Mads Hermansen NOW? 🇩🇰 🧤
Has he won you over? Or are there still doubts?
But when he made the journey to Cressing Road over the weekend, Mason Terry starting for the 33rd time when Braintree hosted Wealdstone, Cole would head home wishing he’d brought a pair of headphones and a packed lunch.
Carlton Cole says Mason Terry is ‘doing really well’ away from West Ham United
Cole has been delighted with Terry’s progress, on the back of keeping 17 clean sheets during a spell at Hornchurch in 2024/25. He’s got a further ten this season. Without his heroics, a Braintree side sitting third bottom would surely have been relegated already.
“I stand behind the goal [at Cressing Road],” Cole says on the Dressing Room Podcast. “I’m looking at Mason Terry, we put him on loan from West Ham there. He’s doing really well. He scored a goal as well over there! He’s had [ten] clean sheets, seven Man of the Match performances.
“I get there, he’s there doing the warm-up, and I’m standing there behind the goal, because it’s all standing. There are seats over there, but the rest around the stadium is all standing. To see the goalie, you’ve got to go and watch from behind. So, I’m behind him.
“And he’s come over, he’s buzzing.”
Wealdstone thrash Braintree as Cole goes home hungry
Unfortunately for Cole, the presence of a former England international centre-forward in the Braintree midst did not go unnoticed by an enthusiastic, selfie-taking home support.
“I’m there, everyone’s buzzing, and I start taking pictures. I’m taking too many pictures now, I think, because I’m trying to work! Anyway, the game starts. They go 1-0 up and I’m thinking, ‘Cool.’ But I feel a bit hungry now because I can smell the burger stand,” Cole smiles.
“So I’m thinking, ‘Can I just slip off to go and get a burger, do what I’m supposed to do, and try and sample the food as well? Get a tea, get a beer or whatever?’ But I couldn’t, because I had some guy talking to me the whole time!
“I didn’t want to be rude, so I was giving him a bit back, and we were talking about Spurs – so it was kind of captivating!
OK, this might actually be happening… 🤯
Image this; West Ham stay up at Spurs' expense!
“But I’m watching the team and I’m thinking, ‘Oh, the opposite team… they’ve got the Brazil kit on.’ They’re playing Wealdstone. Yellow tops, blue shorts, and white socks. Some of their football, I must say, it was like watching Brazil!
“They won 4-1 in the end. [Braintree] lost 4-1! Mason’s team lost 4-1, yeah.
“And I’m thinking, ‘Do you know what? It’s unlucky.’ So, I’ve had no food, no drink, they’ve lost 4-1, and I’ve had my ears chewed off!”
Tom Wooster and Finlay Herrick make progress with the Hammers
Still only 21, the Canvey-born Terry is just one of a handful of exciting young shot-stoppers battling for position at West Ham.
Finlay Herrick was on the bench for the FA Cup triumph over Brentford on Monday. Former Manchester United kid Tom Wooster could be seen denying Jarrod Bowen with a fine save at Rush Green a few weeks back.
Krzystian Hegyi’s future is also in the balance, having joined Hungarian outfit MTK Budapest on loan in the winter.
West Ham signed ex-Arsenal youngster Jack Tomlin recently, too, following up the addition of one-time Newcastle prospect Reece Byrne.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
