AC exit would bring ‘Allerdici’ era almost to an end

By CandH blogger Allen Cummings

News that Andy Carroll is injured AGAIN and that we’re unlikely to see him again this season, surely means we are finally about to wave goodbye to the big Geordie this summer.

Claret and Hugh Facebook Group member Richard Di Bona recently referred to Carroll as a part of the ‘Allerdici’ legacy that still lingers at the club. He’s absolutely right of course but if AC does depart, then just one player will remain from the days when BFS ruled the roost.

Aaron Cresswell will be the sole survivor from the players Allardyce brought in as part of his ‘revolution’. He was on a mission to reshape the club in his own distinctive style with, it seemed, a determination to banish the image of the ‘academy of football’ that seemed to anger him so much, and re-shape the team into playing HIS way and not the West Ham Way.

During his controversial four year reign between 2011 and 2015 Allardyce’s paid in excess of £3m for nine different players, with Carroll being by far the most expensive outlay at £15.75m.

That figure that still sends shivers down my spine, and probably everyone else’s as well. Allardyce signed Carroll from Liverpool on loan at first, but invested £8.5m of hard cash bringing in Matt Jarvis to supply the ammunition for the player he regarded as the best target man in the country.

The plan failed on two counts. Jarvis never lived up to the form he had shown at former club Wolverhampton Wanderers and Carroll had already embarked on a West Ham career that saw him spending more time on the treatment table than he did on the pitch.

Allardyce’s other notable additions, and I use that word advisedly in some cases, were Enner Valencia at £13.5m, Cheikhou Kouyate £6.75, Diafra Sakho £4.5m, Stewart Downing £5.5m, Modibo Maiga £5.4m and Kevin Nolan £3.06. All have subsequently now departed.

Aaron Cresswell remains of course. The £4.28m invested in him back in July 2014 has been more than repaid – with interest!

Maybe Cress isn’t as quick as he used to be, but he has a wealth of experience, together with a thoroughly professional attitude. And at 29 surely still has a number of decent football years ahead of him. At least he’s one legacy of a highly contentious era that we can be thankful for!