30 Comments

Reece Oxford Watch

OxfordThe youngest ever player to wear the Hammers first team shirt looked everything we’ve been told about him.

He was conned into a rash tackle early on and earned himself a yellow in the process. Good lesson – he’ll learn from that!

For the remainder of his time on the pitch he defied his 16 years with an imperious performance which always saw him in time and space.

Reece tended to play the simple ball but already shows that he has a great awareness of time and space. Anyone who was watching inside the ground or on a stream could see this kid is going to be very big.

He also found the time to stride forward in the second half and fire a fine shot inches wide as he grew more and more into the game.

It’s very easy indeed to see why the board were determined to give him a massive deal to keep him out of the clutches of Arsenal, Chelsea and the two Manchester sides.

The lad looked a terrific player in the making and there were moments when I thought I was watching the the young Rio.

Tomorrow morning the new kid on the block will take a reality check on his surroundings as he makes his way back to school!

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

30 comments on “Reece Oxford Watch

  1. If you’re reading this Reece, don’t be like Rio. Rio was good.. You can be far greater! You can become a legend at this club.

    And not a soon forgotten man scum player.

  2. Haha,Rio aint forgotten by me mate.He would be welcomed back to the club with open arms by a large % of fans.We took the cash for him from leeds.He was decent money at the time.He never spat his dummy to leave,it was just business.

  3. Easy eriko, rio is one of us..

  4. Have to agree with Billy,I’ve never seen a kid with so much confidence,watching him do that spin on the ball to wrong foot an attacker put your heart in your mouth but what a joy. Just a shame for us we were a selling club then.

  5. When ‘Arry once said Rio was a rolls royce of a defender when he was with us he wasnt joking.He went through the gears so smoothly,like he was walking on air.Sounds weird but thats how it looked sometimes.He will always be an Iron in my eyes 😉

  6. There’s pride in having a player of Rios talent and quality coming through our academy and dominating the game for so many years. He didn’t ask to leave either, as far as I remeber the board forced the sale through against Harrys will. I know you all know, guess I’m just clearing up.

    we will always remember him but I doubt the man utd fans will, any more than they will remember any other first team players from the same era.

    only meant and firmly believe that he actually can be even better, and no doubt he will overshadow Rio as a club legend if he fulfills his potential here and stays. Rio should still be respected, and will be. Amongst us.

    Have some scum friends (a lot of them in norway), they always moaned about him.

    Last post was badly written, i apologise.

    • That’s a lot clearer Eriko thanks and good work with the hatred of manure lol

  7. Mancs moan about everything Eriko,its all that rain in Manchester,it makes them gloomy people,lol

  8. Well it sure as hell is a lot of rain where I come from too, not to mention the snow. And the whole town is divided into a of manure, liverpool, chelski and (god forbid) spuds fans. All because of money, merits and a ****pile of lousy norwegian players hyped up as world class in our media some 10-20 years ago.

    I actually started as manure fan at 10, but it ****ed me off that every other kid at school started following them when they won the league in ’92/93. So I switched to west ham in ’93 when learning about our club, after spotting our logo on Steve Harris’s bass guitar.

    Then I got bullied at school by all the manure fans, (for over a year), after west ham nicked a point from them in the last match of 94/95 season denying them the title. I was the only hammer in town that I know. Got me proud, made me tough, made me hammer for life!

  9. Fecking great story Eriko thanks for sharing it. From what I can gather we’ve got Ludo to thank for our tough Viking,Thor’s Hammer lol

  10. Oxford looked very composed tonight, read the game well and almost Carrick like in the amount of time he appeared to have on the ball. Very impressive and I hope he can keep his feet on the ground because he definitely has a great future if he can.

  11. Thank you Lt. Peace Pipe 😉
    Ohh yeah Ludo, and everyone else!! Matt Holmes, Michael Hughes, and of course my fav Ian Bishop! Remember that match like it was yesterday, the way the whole team put their heart on their sleeve till the end. Great example of the west ham way to me!!

  12. eriko you sound like Kurt Douglas in the Vikings,
    Remembering who the opposition was last night Reece looked good but did give away a couple of passes that against better teams could have cost us but Rio had a habit of doing that and like him Reece went and got the ball back,
    All the youngsters did well but I was impressed how easy Burke slipped into right back,
    I don’t like O,Brien but I have to give him credit for last night,he never looked once to go side ways or back WELL DONE JOEY

  13. Haha, I might.. but sure don’t look like him bubs! 😉

    Yeah Joey might prove to be a good squad player this season, I reckon they all deserve a new chance under Slav at least. Thinking about how Sam has managed to castrate certain players is disturbing.. I even have hopes about Jarvis after last night!!

  14. Despite thinking he’s the special one (sleep with one eye ole Xavi) I think unless good bids come in or he gets knocks on his door then everyone will get their chance to prove themselves.
    Btw Eriko having Bish as your favourite lets the tough guy image doe a bit but I liked him too lol

  15. Lol,that must have hurt saying well done to JOB bubs,lol,but he was ok lastnight.He is what he is,a squad player who has his uses sometimes.Maybe i can talk about his distribution,forward movements,tracking back,release of the ball but i think i will save that for the experts on wetpants,lol

  16. Reece did fine lastnight,no point in picking too many faults in a 16yr old kid making his debut.Its all just a learning curve for him.Was strange being at a game so early in the year,but was fun.Im very busy today.I was wondering if any of you could give me a breakdown on every players performance,movement,distribution,pass completion,positives,negatives.As you know i never go to dribblelegs because it brings me out in a rash so i need a C&H stats fest.Not from you though Sam P45,you have the stats disease,you have come over here to contaminate us.It aint going to happen nappy boy,we are inoculated,lol 😀

    • The best I can do is give you the stats on the statisticians. They’re all excellent and should all be instantly employed as football managers,talent scouts,lawyers,politicians or financial whizz kids lol

  17. The problem with them Rads is its the only way they can explain football on paper,
    Here we all have favourite players all for different reasons,
    I played as a defender most of my playing time,and was not blessed with the speed and skill to play up front,so I like watching players with skill,
    But I also appreciate a good defender and prefer defenders that can tackle and head than be wing backs,( old school )
    Sorry no stats to go with this only its 110% true

  18. Haha,thanks lads,now i can go back to work feeling more informed.Have a beer for me bubs,very cold thanks,no room temperature sh*t 😀

  19. QuickD can I have Lady Brady,s job,but I don’t want to work with that dwarf on the apprentice,

    • Haha DG can replace the sugar lump. You can replace HRH Brady make a change someone who doesn’t look at everything in football as business,I’m convinced we’d still be lumbered with the lumbering hippo if it was down to her. Your diary in the Scum would be better too lol

  20. Rads you can manage a pint of Liffey room temperature?

  21. Nah bubs,i could just go a nice feeezing cold Kronie or Stella atm.Unfortunately it is going to have to wait till later.Dont fancy being steaming atm.I gotta chainsaw in my paws,lol:D

  22. I prefer Beck’s or Corona. lol

  23. Amstel or San Mig is the most popular here but used to drink Stella back home,
    Dont mind a good Cider or Bitter
    In fact not that fussy
    Drink a lot of Wine here as well
    I know I have a problem ( I can’t afford it )
    That’s why I need that job QuickD

  24. Really thirsty now for some reason lol
    I like a nice pint of Smithwicks or McArdles hard to get over here though otherwise a nice cold Peroni. We’ve turned into the beer stats police lol

  25. Agree with Bubs, JoB was quality yesterday and the right hand side missed him when he went off, going back to young Reece I was impressed with his ability to kill any balls that came in from a height ( none of that chesting it down allowing the opposition to snatch it stuff), this boy is good, I was in the East end stand right near the halfway line and had a pretty good view of everything and have to say the kids on the park put in a proper mans performance, the futures bright

Comments are closed.