Lampard Endears Himself To Hammers

Last updated : 29 March 2002 By Mike Reich
Lampard: Mutual disliking
Frank Lampard Junior struggled with accusations of nepotism from the moment he made his first team debut for the Hammers. And to be fair, they were unjust. Or at least for his first couple of years.

Like many players in small Premiership squads, he got complacent of his place on the teamsheet, and let his game slip a bit. He never had to fight for his place, and it was partly due to there being no one really suitable to replace him. The other reason, which shouldn't go unnoticed, was the fact that his Uncle and Dad were the two bosses at the Boleyn.

During his last season at Upton Park, many fans were wanting to see the back of him, mainly due to his apparent lack of effort and fitness. The one thing that Hammers fans appreciate more than anything else is effort. Sebastien Schemmel is hardly the most skillful player on the pitch at West Ham, but he applies himself every match 100%, and the fans love it.

When Frank Lampard's new team Chelsea beat West Ham in the FA Cup earlier this season, with a gut-wrenching last minute goal, you could see the look of ecstasy on his face. Contrast that look with the lack of goal celebration when Rio Ferdinand put one past Shaka Hislop on his return to Upton Park.

Of that match, Frank says: "I'll be honest with you. That was the sweetest moment of my career. In a funny way, I sort of enjoyed it. I knew it was going to come so it didn't really bother me. Getting booed didn't upset me. The only thing is that you've given the club a fair few years of service and they got a good few quid for me in the end, so maybe you'd expect a bit of respect.

"But I suppose I have come to Chelsea, their massive rivals, so maybe I can understand that. To be honest, I don't care. I don't have much thought for West Ham now."

He even makes the claim that his Dad - one of the finest players ever to play at West Ham, and a fan of the club for around 40 years, has made the switch to the Blue scum. Personally I take the following with a pinch of salt, because, as we all know, if you're a true Hammer, you bleed claret'n'blue.

"Even dad said the same about that cup night at Upton Park. He's been in football for 30 years and he said that's his favourite game. People were coming up to him before the match, saying 'who are you supporting today?' And he was like 'are you crazy? I'm supporting Chelsea'. All my mates have switched too, even my nan, who was West Ham for years."