Sunday will be an emotional game with so many players departing the club: The danger is – with presentations of the Hammer of The Year award and a ‘special celebration’ of Aaron Cresswell’s career before the Nottingham Forest kick off is that there will be an ‘end of term’ feeling with still two games left to play. Some would suggest that the Hammers departed for their summer holidays weeks ago in any case.
Forest will be on their A game as they still need the points to try and stay in the hunt for a Champions League spot: Chelsea won against Manchester United last night to keep above Forest but the Tricky Trees will want to stay in contention for their last fixture against the Blues next weekend.
The presentation for Cresswell is well merited – an eleven year career at one club is very rare indeed these days. As Cresswell said himself, “Never in a million years did I think I’d be at this fantastic club for eleven years,” speaking via the West Ham web site.
One of the Hammers’ natural leaders and their current vice captain, Cresswell will be missed in the dressing room and on the pitch. There have been times this season that leadership has been in short supply and his departure comes at a time when the club is undergoing huge change. However, his words provide reassurance that there is a plan afoot for him to provide further service to the Hammers:
“I really don’t know the right words to end on, but I think the one that stands out is ‘grateful’. To have been on this journey for eleven years, I’d like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to everyone who has helped me get this far, and helped me along the way. I am so grateful and appreciative. But I’m not closing the book. I’ll never walk away. Once you’re in the West Ham family, you’re in for life, and I’m sure I’ll be back.”
Cannot come too soon. Coaching, consultancy or in an ambassadorial role, Aaron Cresswell has been an exemplary professional. We wish him well.
Aaron Cresswell – You’ll Never Walk Away. Love it!
“envariably” Looked it up in my Oxford Dictionary and it’s not in there. Could you please enlighten me?
… asking WivenhoeHammer?
Typo-Invariably
Thanks WivenhoeHammer! So you reckon there really is never any reward for loyalty, or at least rarely. Yes, you could be right. However Mark Noble would beg to differ.
Wishing Aaron all the best he has been the absolutely perfect player on and off the pitch. Hopefully the club will give him a job he deserves. He would be ideal helping the academy players settle in the first team.
If all the players listed as going to leave, even though he is old I think Cress can still do a job for us as a squad player.
Hope he eventually goes into coaching and if he he turns out to be good, could maybe come back and manage us…………. Is next season too soon 😄
Unfortunately time stands still for no man and age eventually catches up with us all and I am sure Aaron appreciates that.
Always been a fan of his style of play – a good old fashioned ‘English’ no nonsense 110% heart on sleeve player.
Certainly deserves a position in the club set-up somewhere but alas we all know envariably there is no reward for loyalty.
Thank you Aaron for all your service 🍻