This is beyond our wildest dreams

Sometimes words are not enough – this is one of those times!

Instead you have to trust your emotions…your heart rather than your head and it’s a real joy to be able to do that as we watch West Ham fly and fly.

I had a call from a very good Manchester City pal this morning whom I’ve known for many years. Like us, City have been there and suffered down the years and he knows precisely how us Hammers are feeling.

His first words were: “What a team you’ve got…how good is that Payet? I’m really chuffed for you lot. You truly deserve this season and this doesn’t look like a flash in the pan.”

It’s not…we know it’s not don’t we? Has there ever been an Irons team as good as this one? Ok too early to say but my God it is a very very special side, elevated by Payet who, as Slav so rightly says, makes everybody in the team play better.

I can remember Alan Devonshire at his best. I’m struggling to believe that the great man was any better than Dimi on what we have seen from him so far but we’ll need to give it more time.

Last night was extraordinary with most agreeing that we struggled when AC came off – yes this is the same AC that many – including me – said couldn’t fit into a Slaven Bilic team!!!!

Yet the difference is that his injury almost coincides with a Diafra Sakho return to action and the best form we’ve seen from Enner Valencia. Payet of course is simply different level.

We also have Winston Reid and Manu Lanzini to return. Can life get any better? I honestly think this is beyond anything I can recall in my long Hammers-supporting career.

Slaven has to take the plaudits. It’s clear that he has the dressing room  in the palm of his hand and to have brought us to this point in just five and a half months is a phenomenal achievement.

Had it happened by this time next year there would have been nothing but celebrations but in five and half months with a new set of players?

I’ve never known anything like it in the many, many years I’ve been involved in this game and I want to say right here a very, very personal: “Thank you Slav…you are proving yourself a giant to us as a man and a manager.”

The football is fantastic and the press conferences, where he has shown total honesty, has been more refreshing than anything I can recall. Great man.

I believe he could become our greatest ever manager. At the very least I hope and pray he is here for a long long time.

There’s a temptation to make a comparison with his predecessor but I won’t do it or say anything other than: This is what West Ham United is all about. I thought we had lost it forever and we all owe everything to the new boss.

And I will say this too – thank you David Sullivan and David Gold  for taking this club from a near knackers yard case to where we are today.

Last summer has set us up for a long time to come – it’s going to be a fantastic farewell year to our ‘old lady.’ I for one feel as happy today as I have been at any stage of my relationship with this great club.