Breaking: West Ham Favourite’s Time in East London Comes to an End

Michail Antonio’s career as a West Ham player has officially come to an end today, with the club releasing a statement confirming his departure.

Mikey has been an outstanding servant to the Hammers, becoming the club’s all-time top Premier League goalscorer after joining from Nottingham Forest as a winger during the Upton Park days.

I’ll leave the eulogies to the official club statement below, but suffice to say—Antonio has had an excellent career. He’s one of the increasingly rare players to rise from non-league football—starting at Tooting & Mitcham—before making the step up to the professional game.

He was also a far better footballer than many gave him credit for. I’ve lost count of how many times successive West Ham managers tried—and failed—to replace him with high-priced strikers.

Antonio also holds the unique distinction of being the last West Ham player to have played at Upton Park, though James Ward-Prowse did appear there for Southampton in the Boleyn Ground’s final season.

Having been fortunate enough to meet and interview him on a few occasions, I can tell you Antonio is a down-to-earth, top bloke—a true credit to West Ham.

It would also be wrong of me no to reference him scoring the first ever goal at Spurs new stadium. I was lucky enough to be there that day when we beat Tottenham in their first game. It’s perhaps a bit puerile but at the time we were calling it ‘The Toilet Bowl’ and Antonio provided a most amusing squatting celebration after scoring. Happy days.

There’s been talk of him returning as a coach, but I wouldn’t bet against him playing again. He has exceptional physical ability and, clearly, the mental strength to bounce back from adversity—evidenced by his incredible recovery from the horrific road accident in December.

Good luck, Mikey—and thank you for everything.

Club Statement:

West Ham United can confirm that, following the expiry of his contract at the end of last season, Michail Antonio will not be signing a new deal as a first-team player with the Club.

The 35-year-old striker, who joined the Hammers in September 2015 from Nottingham Forest, made 323 appearances over a ten-year period, scoring 83 goals, and becoming the Club’s leading Premier League goalscorer in the process. He also played a key role in ending West Ham United’s 43-year wait for a major trophy, with victory in the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final in Prague.

He was named Hammer of the Year runner-up at the end of his debut season with the Club—when he scored in the Farewell Boleyn victory against Manchester United in May 2016—and then went one better a year later, becoming Hammer of the Year in our first season at London Stadium.

The remarkable courage and determination he showed to overcome injuries sustained in a December 2024 road traffic accident saw him return to competitive action on the international stage in June, appearing as a substitute for Jamaica in a CONCACAF Gold Cup tie against Guatemala. More recently, he gained further playing time in a Hammers shirt when he played 45 minutes and scored twice for our Under-21 development team in a friendly against Boreham Wood.

Michail will always be a much-loved and respected member of the West Ham United family. As has been the case since December, the Club will continue to support and assist him in his ongoing rehabilitation, offering him access to training, facilities and medical care if needed.

Dialogue continues over his future involvement with the Club in an alternative capacity—including one that would enable others to benefit from his experience and leadership qualities—and he will forever hold a special place in our 130-year history.

Everyone at West Ham United would like to sincerely thank Michail for his outstanding, dedicated service in a Claret and Blue shirt over the last ten years. Further recognition of his magnificent contribution will appear across Club channels in the coming days and weeks.