West Ham United first team stars Enner Valencia and Nene thrilled hundreds of supporters at Tuesday’s Store signing event in Basildon.
Hammers fans young and old turned out in force to meet the duo, who spent a couple of hours signing autographs and posing for pictures with supporters at the Club’s store in the Eastgate Shopping Centre.
The event was one of several the Club are putting on over the Easter Holidays, allowing supporters to get close to their heroes following on from Monday’s signing session at the Stadium Store and next Tuesday’s Open Training.
Nene, who only joined the Club recently following a spell in Qatar, was delighted to put so many smiles on faces.
He said: “It was so great to see this many fans. It’s my first time doing this since I joined West Ham and I’m happy to make them happy with photos and signatures.
“I knew we had big numbers of fans and I hope to return their support on the field.
“There’ll be over 3,000 fans cheering us on at Leicester on Saturday. That’s awesome support and we hope we can go there and get the three points.”
Among the many fans who spent hours queuing to meet their heroes was 17-year-old Ben from Billericay, who was especially pleased to meet Valencia.
“We went to the Romford signing event in December too and it’s always great to meet the players.
“I’d say Enner has been my Hammer of the Year this season. I’ve always liked him, from when I used to watch him when he played for Pachuca. I think he’s done well.”
Those sentiments were echoed by 16-year-old Chelmsford-based fan Alan
“It’s nice to get the signatures and I’m been impressed with both Enner and Nene on the pitch. They’re good finds and Enner especially will be a good one for the future.
“I’m going to Leicester on Saturday and I think we’ll win 3-1!”
The opportunities to meet first team players keep on coming over Easter, with Open Training set for the Boleyn Ground at 10am on Tuesday, before a Fans’ Forum for Season Ticket Holders and Members the same evening.
We’ve got a shirt signed by Enner Valencia and Nene to give away to one lucky fan. All you have to do is make sure you register with a My West Ham account – giving you access to free West Ham TV video content and much more – by 5pm on Thursday 2 April. One registered fan will be drawn at random to win the shirt. Good luck!