Tag: Rob Green

The Barking boy who became a Hammers play-off final hero

IT WAS A DREAM come true for Bobby Zamora to play for West Ham, the team he supported as a boy.

Born in Barking on 16 January 1981, he explained: “They were my local team and having been spotted by the club playing for my Sunday side, Senrab, I signed schoolboy forms and we’d be given tickets to watch the team on a Saturday afternoon at the Boleyn.”

Zamora’s favourite player was Tony Cottee and the side at that time included the likes of George Parris and Julian Dicks. “It was always a great atmosphere down there, singing ‘Bubbles’, and I count myself honoured and privileged to have played for the club that I grew up supporting,” he said.

Fellow Senrab players John Terry, Paul Konchesky, Ledley King and JLloyd Samuel were all snapped up by the Hammers at the same time but when the club decided to merge two centres of excellence they found themselves playing fewer games which prompted them all to leave.

Zamora joined Terry at Chelsea but suffered Osgood-Schlatter disease (which causes pain and swelling below the knee joint)and had to stop playing for six months. He described in the Undr The Cosh podcast how Norwich kept in touch with him to see how the injury was progressing so, when he was fit again he joined them and spent a season in Norfolk.

“They had a lot of London lads in their side but it was like playing in the Land of the Giants,” he explained in a matchday programme article. “They were all 15 going on 18, much bigger physically and taller than me, and I was released for being too small.”

His friend Luke Williams was also released but the pair of them were offered a trial by Bristol Rovers and, after only playing half a match, both were offered apprenticeships.

As described in my previous post, it was from Rovers that Zamora joined Brighton, while Williams played non-league before moving into coaching, which included a spell as development coach at Brighton.

When Spurs decided to swap Zamora for Jermain Defoe, a move to the Boleyn was a bit of a no-brainer for the former fan, although Premier League Leeds United were also keen to take him.

“The pull of West Ham was too great and although it was a drop into the Championship, the squad they had under Alan Pardew was more than good enough to go up,” he said.

Zamora got off to a good start with the Hammers, scoring on his debut and again on his home debut. That first goal came after he had gone on as a sub in a 2-1 win at Bradford City on 7 February 2004. He followed it up with the only goal of the game in a home win over Cardiff on 28 February.

Three more goals followed before the end of the 2003-04 campaign, but the season ended in disappointment when the Hammers lost in the Championship play-off final at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, against Crystal Palace the day before Brighton’s famous League One play-off win against Bristol City in the same stadium.

Zamora had a first half effort saved at point blank range by Palace keeper Nico Vaesen and a second half ‘goal’ ruled out for offside before being subbed off on 68 minutes as Palace won promotion courtesy of a Neil Shipperley goal.

All was put right a year later, though, when at the same ground Zamora was the Hammers hero. It was his turn to score the only goal of the game, against Preston North End, getting on the end of a Matthew Etherington cross to slot home from six yards in the 57th minute.

Play-off final scorer

Across the season, Zamora made 20 starts and 19 sub appearances, scoring 13 goals. His first double for the club came in a 3-2 League Cup second round win over Notts County at Upton Park on 21 September 2004.

Competition for forward places was fierce with Marlon Harewood, Teddy Sheringham and Sergei Rebrov also pushing for a place up front.

As well as scoring in that play-off final, Zamora had emphasised his claim to a starting berth by scoring in the 2-2 semi-final first leg home draw with Ipswich then twice in a 2-0 win at Portman Road in the second leg.

Pete Ellis on claretandhugh.info reckoned Zamora “played a key role for the Hammers at a pivotal point in our recent history” and he added: “The promotion season in 2005, where he and Etherington played like men possessed in the play-offs, still fills me with great pride.”

Back in the Premiership, Zamora scored 10 goals in 20 starts and 22 appearances off the bench and Ellis remembered “some great displays showing his ability to hold the ball up and have the craft and guile to bag a few tasty goals in the process.

Zamora marked by former Brighton teammate Guy Butters who scored Albion’s goal in a 1-0 win for the Seagulls at the Boleyn Ground

“A proper character around the club, I enjoyed watching Bobby play and thought he never really got the plaudits that his talents and performances deserved.”

Amongst memorable goals in 2005-06 were a stunning solo effort in a 2-1 win at Birmingham and a goal in a 3-2 win at Highbury. Unfortunately, he’s also remembered for having his penalty saved by Pepe Reina in the FA Cup Final shoot-out with Liverpool.

The 2006-07 season saw Zamora make 30 starts and seven sub appearances, scoring 11 goals and named runner-up to Carlos Tevez in the Hammer of the Year contest.

A terrific start to the season saw him score five goals in his first four matches, including two against Charlton in a 3-1 opening day win.

A four-month barren spell came as the Irons struggled but he scored crucial goals against Blackburn, Everton, Middlesbrough and Arsenal (the last time West Ham played at Highbury).

Fans remember too his goal the following season – a chip over Jens Lehmann – that sealed a vital win for the Hammers at Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium, with a heroic performance from ‘keeper Rob Green keeping out the Gunners at the other end.

The arrival of Craig Bellamy and return from injury of Dean Ashton added competition for Zamora, who missed seven months of the 2007-08 season with tendinitis.

His last Hammers goal was in a 2-1 win at the Boleyn against Derby on 19 April 2008, and his last game for the club was in a 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa the following month. He had scored a total of 40 goals in 152 appearances for West Ham.

Even though he had missed a lot of games, and only scored once in 12 starts plus two off the bench across the whole season, he had no inkling he wouldn’t be offered a new contract.

“I went in at the start of the next season expecting to be talking about a new contract and they told me they’d agreed a deal to sell me to Fulham,” he told the Fulham website in a 2019 interview.

“It was obvious I wasn’t wanted and I made my way down to Motspur Park,” he said.

Zamora and team-mate John Paintsil moved to Fulham for a joint fee of £6.3m (Zamora was valued at £4.8m).

• I’ll explore how Zamora got on at Fulham ahead of Brighton’s game with them in March. His form with the Cottagers hit sufficient heights as to earn him two England caps.

Oh brother: Seagulls spell revives van La Parra

ON-LOAN Dutchman Rajiv van La Parra scored twice in six games for Brighton, spurring parent club Wolverhampton Wanderers to recall him.

Georginio Wijnaldum’s half-brother was only on the winning side once during his time with the Seagulls, but Wolves boss Kenny Jackett was happy to give him another chance at Molyneux after he’d mysteriously been frozen out.

But the thaw didn’t last long. While Albion had moved on by signing Anthony Knockaert on a three-year deal from Standard Liege, van La Parra was soon on the move again, this time to Huddersfield.

It was in November 2015 that Chris Hughton seized on an opportunity to shake up Albion’s attacking options in the last few hours of the loan transfer window by offering the unsettled van La Parra a chance to replicate the form he’d shown the previous season for Wolves.

“Rajiv will give us pace and creativity in the forward areas, and supplements our existing wide options,” Hughton said. “He is something different to the players we already have here, and I am delighted to have him on board.

“With Sam Baldock currently injured and Kazenga LuaLua having missed the amount of games he has, we have been very keen to bring in offensive options.

“In Rajiv we have a player who regularly featured in Wolves’ promotion chase last season.”

Albion were top of the table at the time and, having watched from the bench as Albion saw off Birmingham 2-1 at the Amex, van La Parra went on in the 27th minute of the away game at Derby County after Solly March was clattered by a challenge that ultimately ruled him out for the rest of the season.

The substitute certainly made a positive impact, edging Albion 2-1 ahead with a goal in the 75th minute before Chris Martin equalised for County with a last-ditch penalty after Gordon Greer was harshly adjudged to have fouled Johnny Russell.

Van La Parra was also on target at Loftus Road on 15 December when he beat former England goalkeeper Rob Green with a 30-yard shot in the 55th minute to put Albion 2-0 up. QPR hit back with two Charlie Austin goals to share the points.

It emerged when he signed that van La Parra had been a Brighton target for some while, with the Wolverhampton Express and Star reporting he’d spoken to the club about a possible permanent move before that August’s transfer deadline day.

Leeds United were also keen, and he might later have ended up at rock bottom Bolton Wanderers, but he stayed on at Molyneux, where he found James Henry and Nathan Byrne ahead of him in the pecking order.

Ironically, his one and only league goal for Wolves was scored against the Seagulls at the Amex in a 1-1 draw the previous season.

The winger admitted in an interview with Andy Naylor for The Argus that he was baffled why he’d fallen out of favour at the Black Country club.

“It’s a mystery,” he said. “I didn’t understand what happened but sometimes these things happen in football.

“The manager maybe wanted to try some different players but I cannot explain what happened. It’s unreal. I played last season and I then went onto the bench not playing as many games.

“I’m the type of person who goes to the manager and asked for an explanation why I wasn’t playing. He (Jackett) couldn’t really give a reason but he motivated me by saying that I was close to the team and training well.

“That was keeping me positive about the manager and his opinion of me. At the end of the day, they were just words and not actions and I can just focus on playing now.”

His arrival at the Amex was somewhat overshadowed by the signing at the same time of striker James Wilson on loan from Manchester United but he discovered a couple of familiar faces in the Albion dressing room: Elvis Manu – a fellow product of Feyenoord – and Danny Holla.

“It’s nice to have them,” he said. “They can help me. I know Manu very well because we played at Feyenoord. He was in a younger team than me. I’ve played against Danny a few times and we’ve had a number of conversations.”

Although van La Parra made a mark with the Seagulls, it was apparent in December that a permanent move to the south coast looked unlikely. Wolves boss Jackett had noted his form and said: “He’s been keen to get the opportunity and so far at Brighton he’s taken it. He’s still a Wolves player and we’ll assess the situation. He’s got a couple of goals and assists which is very good.”

Van La Parra hoped an impressive performance in his last game on loan might persuade Hughton to view him as a long term prospect but Albion went down 1-0 at home to Ipswich Town, their fifth winless game on the trot, and he returned to Molineux.

Born in Rotterdam on 4 June 1991, of parents from Suriname, he was named by his mum after Rajiv Gandhi, the son of Indira Gandhi, the former Indian prime minister who was assassinated in 1984.

Van La Parra went through the youth ranks at Dutch giants Feyenoord between 1999 and 2008 and earned selection for the national side’s under 17s and under 19s.

It was only while playing in Dutch youth football that former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, then playing for Sparta Rotterdam, met his half-brother van la Parra.

“I knew I had another brother, but I never saw him until that moment,” Gini explained. “I never saw pictures because at that time you didn’t have the internet or social media. There was no Instagram or Facebook or anything.

“I went to play a game, but I found my brother.”

Wijnaldum eventually moved to Feyenoord, and van La Parra said: “When he came to play for Feyenoord, we saw each other more often and we were closer.”

In 2008, van La Parra had moved to French Ligue 1 club Caen where he thought he stood a better chance of first team football. He was there for three years and, although he managed 16 outings in their first team, he mainly played for the B side.

At the end of his contract, he returned to the Netherlands and joined Eredivisie outfit SC Heerenveen where in three years he scored 16 goals in 94 appearances and got to play Europa League football. In the 2012-13 season, he also played six times for the Dutch under 21s, when he got the chance to play alongside Wijnaldum.

“I played on the wing and Gini in midfield. He didn’t give me the ball. He always passed to the other side,” joked van La Parra. 

In the summer of 2014, the winger moved to then Championship side Wolves and quickly established himself as a regular.

La Parra’s form for Brighton only revived his Wolves career temporarily, Jackett recalling him to their side in an FA Cup tie against West Ham and a 3-2 win over Fulham, in which he provided an assist and combined well with Michal Zyro.

Jackett said: “I felt that we’ve lost some pace along our front line and Rajiv has that and it’s a reason for bringing him back in to the group.

“He did well at Brighton, and I knew that against Fulham, tactically, I could play either system – 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 – with Rajiv on the pitch and be able to switch from one to the other. That was the advantage.

“He showed how much he wanted to play for Wolves. And the crowd responded to him, and if he keeps showing that work rate and desire, everyone will follow up on him.”

However, two months later he joined fellow Championship side Huddersfield on loan until the end of the season, and the move was made permanent that summer. He was a regular in the Town side that won promotion to the Premier League in 2017.

He made 38 appearances during the 2017-18 season amongst the elite, but incurred Sean Dyche’s wrath when he went to ground rather too easily in the penalty area during a Premier League game against Burnley. The referee didn’t buy it and the player was booked and subsequently fined by his own manager, David Wagner. “It’s unacceptable in my book. I can’t abide it,” said Dyche.

The following season, van La Parra struggled for game time and went on loan to Middlesbrough.

He eventually left the Terriers in 2020 having made a total of 102 appearances and signed for Serbian club Red Star Belgrade. He only played 11 games for them and then moved to Spanish second division club Logroñés for the 2020-21 season but, after only four appearances for them, he was released from his contract in January.

He then switched to Germany and signed for Bundesliga second division club Würzburger Kickers but, after they were relegated, he was on the move again.

Next stop was in Greece, for Apollon Smyrnis, but footballleagueworld.co.uk reported in November 2021: “It’s been a tough start for the player, who is featuring regularly, as he has failed to score or register an assist as his new side are third from bottom.”

Admirable Crichton on standby for the Seagulls at 39

JOURNEYMAN goalkeeper Paul Crichton played 540 games in a 22-year career and, even at the age of 39, found himself on the Brighton subs bench ready to be called on in an emergency.

As things turned out, the former Burnley custodian’s time with the Seagulls remained in a coaching capacity, helping to develop youngster John Sullivan and improve no.1 Michel Kuipers.

However, he was registered as a player and when either Kuipers or Sullivan were unavailable, Crichton answered the call as stand-by ‘keeper, as well as making an appearance as a sub in a pre-season friendly.

Much of Crichton’s career was as a back-up no.1 but he stepped up as a coach, working with the likes of Rob Green and Fraser Forster, and obtained a UEFA A licence in outfield and goalkeeper coaching.

Crichton arrived at Withdean in July 2007 after previous goalkeeping coach John Keeley moved along the coast to take up a similar role with Portsmouth.

Manager Dean Wilkins told the club website: “Paul has impressive coaching qualifications and we have already seen him in action on the training ground.

“He also has a huge amount of experience from over 20 years playing professional football.”

No. 1 Kuipers certainly appreciated the influence the coach had on his game. He told an Albion matchday programme: “Paul approaches things from a different angle. He has given me extra information and a different opinion on how I can get the best out of myself.

“His input has improved me as a goalkeeper and my performances on the pitch have improved. We’ve worked on me playing more as a kind of sweeper, letting the defence sit a little higher up the pitch. It helps the defenders out as they don’t have to worry as much about the space behind them and allows them to go tighter on the strikers and gives them a better opportunity to win the ball or defend against strikers.”

Kuipers said he also felt more confident leaving his goal to claim crosses, and with his kicking. “It’s an aspect I feel has improved,” he said. “Paul and I have practised it on an almost daily basis in training, and the more I am doing it, the better I am getting at it.”

Sullivan was also grateful for Crichton’s input, telling the matchday programme: “Paul’s brought some great new ideas into the club – he’sa very, very good coach. Paul is not long retired so he’s well aware of how the modern game has changed so much for ‘keepers.”

Crichton remained in post until February 2009 when the lure of returning to Norwich City, one of his former clubs, four and a half years after leaving the club as a player, was too great and he went back to East Anglia, even though he had started to put down roots in Sussex.

“We’d just started to get settled in Eastbourne,” he told pinkun.com. “The manager, Micky Adams, and the backroom staff have been fantastic and I’m sad to leave. But I had three great years here, ending in the Championship winning season.

“I didn’t play many games, but I just wanted to return – it’s a great place.”

Adams told the Argus: “I am very disappointed to lose Paul. He was a hard-working and highly-valued member of the backroom staff and he has done a fantastic job with all the goalkeepers at the club.

“I have no doubt he is going to be one of the top goalkeeping coaches in years to come but, after he expressed a desire to go back to Norwich for both footballing and family reasons, it was not right for us to stand in his way.”

Crichton had been understudy to the aforementioned Green during his time as a player at Carrow Road, and boss Bryan Gunn (a former City goalkeeper himself) told the pinkun.com: “We want someone to continue to develop not only the first team goalkeepers but those in the academy and I know he’s looking forward to putting a development programme in place, which is important as we’ve had a good record in this position in recent years.”

Crichton had first moved to City on a two-year contract in June 2001, signed for £150,000 by former Burnley coach Nigel Worthington, who’d taken charge of the Canaries.

At Turf Moor, Crichton had been one of Stan Ternent’s first signings after he took over as manager from Chris Waddle in 1998. He made his debut on 8 August 1998 in a 2-1 win at home to Bristol Rovers and was a regular in their third-tier side, helping them to promotion in 2000.

Clarets fans have mixed opinions of his attributes, if a 2019 discussion on uptheclarets.com is anything to go by. For example, ‘jdrobbo’ said: “Used to be a big fan of his. Thought his kicking was excellent for a keeper at that level. Occasionally left stranded off his line. A key player in our 2000 promotion side, but not good enough for the next level up.”

‘ClaretTony’ reckoned: “A master of a goalkeeper at not being where he should be. Never known a goalkeeper out of position so much.”

Although ‘Lord Beamish’ said: “A key part of the last Burnley team to play in the third tier. He’ll always be fondly remembered by this Claret fan.”

Born in Pontefract, Yorkshire, on 3 October 1968, Crichton began his career with Nottingham Forest, turning professional in 1986. But with Hans Segers and Steve Sutton ahead of him, he didn’t break into the first team at the City Ground and went out on loan to six different league clubs to get games, making his debut across the Trent at Notts County.

Eventually he moved on permanently, in 1988, initially spending two years with Peterborough United, then three years with Doncaster Rovers.

Alan Buckley signed him on a free transfer for Grimsby Town, where he played the most games (133) for any of the clubs he represented. Mariners Memories on Facebook, noted: “Crichton was a good shot stopper…..he was made the Supporters Player of the Season in 1994”.

In September 1996, he followed Buckley to West Bromwich Albion for £250,000.

It was during his time at West Brom that he had two loan spells with Burnley in 1998 before joining them permanently for £100,000 in November that year.

His playing career following his departure from Carrow Road took him to eight different clubs, Gillingham and Cambridge United among them, together with some non-league outfits. During a brief and controversial spell at York City, when he was alleged to have clashed with supporters, he coached a young David Stockdale. He moved to the Albion from King’s Lynn.

His subsequent return to Carrow Road was briefer than expected when Paul Lambert took over from Gunn and brought in his own goalkeeping coach.

In March 2010, Crichton became goalkeeping coach at Northampton Town but, in the summer of 2010, he linked up with Danny Wilson at Sheffield United, where he was also registered as a player to provide emergency cover. He spent two seasons at Bramall Lane before becoming part of Simon Grayson’s management team at Huddersfield Town.

After two years with the Terriers, he switched to Blackpool and spent just over a year working as goalkeeper coach and interim assistant manager alongside Jose Riga.

Next up was a brief spell in London, at QPR, where he was appointed by former Albion full-back Chris Ramsey to succeed Kevin Hitchcock.

After leaving the Hoops in early 2016, his next port of call was Swindon Town, to work under Luke Williams, Brighton’s former under-21s manager, but he left after only a couple of months to move to America.

He had several short spells coaching with different clubs in Florida before becoming assistant head coach at The Miami FC in January 2020, when head coach was Kenny Dalglish’s son, Paul.

He became goalkeeper and interim assistant coach for North American professional women’s team the Washington Spirit during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, helping lead goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury to the 2021 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award and guiding the club to the 2021 NWSL Championship.

Then in April 2023 he switched in a similar role to Florida based women’s team Orlando Pride.