Evening Gents,

As ever, I am running out of time to write meaningful articles.  All too common a theme these days, I am aware.

However, I have just placed a bet which I didn’t want to let pass without putting it out to the masses – as after tonight, it may not come around again.

I have just backed West Ham in three different ways – and I suggest you do the same.

Ante post selections such have these have definitely been my forte over the years, yielding significantly higher returns than the week by week bets (although the return can’t compete with reality TV gravy train!)

West Ham can still be had for the Championship at 9/4 (3.25) at the moment – not a bad price at all given that they sit 2nd in the table and only two point off the lead.

The are down at St Mary’s tonight to face the hottest team in the land, Southampton.  Adkins’ men have been in imperious form so far this season and as such are now well fancied to go back-to-back and return to the Premier League.  Although I respect their achievements (and style of football), I can’t help but feel the world is a little too high on the Red & Whites at the moment.  It has all come a little too easy for me to buy into it.

This is, after all, a side that lost one shy of 25% of their games last season – in League One.

Even this Upson/Parker-less West Ham squad, when managed by Sam Allardyce, would stay up in the Premier League in my opinion.  I look at them very similarly to the Newcastle side of two years ago – but with an even better manager.

Hell, with Kevin Nolan and John Carew in this division, I don’t think it even matters who the other nine players are to be honest.

Then when you consider they have Carlton Cole, Rob Green, David Bentley, Mark Noble and Matt Taylor, i’m really surprised that the rest of the league aren’t calling the FA about fair play.

Under Allardyce, this team would be absolutely fine in the Premier League.

I have been waiting all season to make this bet at some point…. It has been a classic trade off of trying to fully assess the situation and ensuring that the rewards are in fact appropriate for the risk – without allowing the price to tank completely.

They went off at the start of the season at 4/1, which would have been a lovely price in hindsight – however, I wasn’t prepared to put my roubles on the line until I knew how the loss of Scott Parker would impact them.  Given their strength in the midfield areas in particular (and Big Sam’s disdain for using midfield in the first place…) maybe I have been a little tardy on this one.  But it is always better to err on the side of caution in the game.

But, with 40 minutes until kick off on the South Coast, now is definitely the time.

With games against fellow promotion hopefuls Brighton and Leicester to follow, we can’t risk waiting any longer.  If they were to get six points from those three games I would think that we will not see the Hammers this side of 3.0 again all season – particularly given a host of bookies already have them as low as 2.75 as things stand.

Paddy or Billy is the man you need to find for this one….

As for the other element of the positions below, I suggest you take them… but you will just have to trust me for now!

I have things to do and people to see.

Cheers

BOTW: 3pts on West Ham to win the Championship at 3.25

1.5 pts on West Ham to win @ Southampton @ 3.50

3pts on a West Ham to win the Championship & Huddersfield to win League 1 double @ 11.4