Craig Dawson is rubbing salt into a gaping West Ham wound as Wolves players and fans rave about their new cult hero following a crucial win over Spurs.
West Ham fans were absolutely gutted to see Dawson leave in January as the club sanctioned a move to relegation rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers for just £3.3m.
It had been coming for a while of course. Dawson’s much-publicised desire to move to a club further north for family reasons resulted in a sad goodbye in the winter window after he saw a move to Wolves fall through on deadline day in the summer.
The Hammers faithful love an underdog story. And they don’t come much better than Dawson’s.
When he arrived from relegated Watford on loan as a fifth-choice centre-back West Ham fans were baffled while Hornets supporters celebrated his departure.
A few months later injuries saw Dawson get his big West Ham chance and my did he take it.
The committed and brilliant man’s man defender became a Hammers cult hero over the next two and a half years.
His most memorable performance is perhaps that famous night in Lyon when West Ham secured a 3-0 away win – Dawson scoring and producing an unforgettable series of crunching challenges in one sequence – which cemented a place in the Europa League semi-finals and his place in Hammers folklore.
It was only last April but it feels like a lifetime ago for struggling West Ham.
Of course it was inevitable Dawson would excel and help Wolves pull away from the relegation scrap while the Hammers – beaten 4-0 at Brighton on Saturday – continue to toil.
The biggest complaint West Ham fans had about David Moyes’ decision to allow Dawson to leave is the fact he did not sign a replacement given the club are fighting for their very Premier League survival.
What’s done is done and there’s no turning back now.
Craig Dawson rubs salt into a gaping West Ham wound as Wolves players and fans rave about their new cult hero
But Dawson rubs salt into a gaping West Ham wound as Wolves players and fans rave about their new cult hero.
The big defender put in another brilliant performance for Julen Lopetegui’s side as they beat West Ham’s bitter rivals Spurs 1-0 to pull four points clear of West Ham.
Shackling the likes of Harry Kane, the 32-year-old’s ears are ringing with praise from his Wolves teammates and supporters who have already fallen in love with Ballon Dawson.
Meanwhile West Ham fans suffered Keystone Cops defending in their damaging defeat at the Amex.
Social media was awash with praise from Wolves fans for Dawson, the same way it was when he was bossing the backline for West Ham.
Our man at Molineux News, Tom Proctor, hailed Dawson’s display in the win over Spurs and lifted the lid on just how much he is already appreciated by his new teammates.
“Wolves beat Tottenham Hotspur yesterday – and it was another top performance at the back from Craig Dawson…” Molineux News man Proctor says.
“One man who was solid as ever was Dawson.
“The January signing from West Ham United was just always in the right place, making a whopping eight clearances. And he was also superb in possession, completing 39/42 (93%) passes (Sofascore).
“Winger Pedro Neto took to social media to respond to Dawson with an opinion that many Wolves fans will share.
“He said simply ‘What a player’. Dawson has been an absolutely superb signing for Wolves.”
It’s hard to hear and stomach for West Ham fans. But it will border on unforgivable if Dawson helps keeps Wolves up at our expense.
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