Although I resisted a great deal, I couldnt help thinking back to the Play-Off Final. Bulgaria had it all to play for; and if they lost, they were out of the Championships.
However, did the team turn up? NO is the answer, and I couldnt help sitting there and wondering why! I mean, is there nothing better than representing your country in a major championship?!
The links between West Ham and that unspeakable day in Cardiff are endless.
Pardew though still manages to look on the bright side of footballing matters saying today that:
"We've come out the other side of it [our traumatic season] - and we will be better for it, especially the younger players."
In all fairness, I do have to agree with him. OK, we did need that money, and for quite a few years to come, we are not going to be the team that we once was, or once could have been.
That aside however, what we have now is a young team who, after perhaps one or two seasons plaing Rotherham, has the potential to be an exciting footballing side - which is what every West Ham fan wants from a day out at Upton Park.