West Ham United’s 2006 finalist Matty Etherington looks forward to our upcoming FA Cup fourth round encounter against Derby County with Steve Blowers…
The Hammers undoubtedly have the talent to make themselves proud in their FA Cup fourth-round tie at Pride Park on Monday night.
But according to two-time finalist Matty Etherington, there can be no room for complacency if David Moyes’ men are to overcome in-form Derby County and reach the last 16 of this season’s competition.
“Last Saturday’s victory over Everton was a really big win and, hopefully, the team can now start putting the past few weeks behind them and kick-on,” insists the former wide-man, who made 195 appearances down West Ham way after signing from Tottenham Hotspur in summer 2003.
“The Hammers are a strong side but they certainly cannot afford to take anything for granted because it’s always difficult playing in front of a full house at Pride Park, where the fans will make a lot of noise and create a big FA Cup atmosphere.
“I was up there last season with Peterborough United and the whole place was absolutely rocking. Yes, West Ham have definitely got all the talent but it still won’t be an easy evening for them and they’ll need to be at their best.
“When I look at their squad, David Moyes brought in so much attacking quality during the summer and those forward players have certainly got the ability to get the goals that can only start moving things forward for the Club, once more.
“I listen to David and he speaks so well and, although I think it’s taken him longer than he would’ve liked to get his team to gel, there have been a few reasons for that but signings such as Lucas Paquetá and Nayef Aguerd can only make West Ham United better in the long-run.
“And as for those who were already at the Club, you have to remember that even top players have little dips in form from time-to-time,” contends Matty. “It’s about the entire season and not just a few games. As a former wide player, I can understand what someone like, say, Jarrod Bowen has been through recently but everyone knows that, time and time again, he’s come good for West Ham ever since he stepped up into the Premier League.
“Hopefully, that match-winning double which he netted against Everton last weekend will now drive him on because Jarrod’s always been able to chip in with goals and he’s been key to helping the Club to move forward over these last couple of seasons or so.
“Elsewhere, Declan Rice is an outstanding footballer, whose name must be one of the first on the team-sheet for both David and Gareth Southgate? When I first saw him play as a teenager, I thought: ‘Wow!’ But he’s just got better and better and when I look at him today, he really is the complete international midfielder – Declan reads the game, breaks up play and gets the ball forward, while importantly he’s a humble lad with his feet firmly on the ground, too.
“Derby may be a League One side these days but in Paul Warne they’ve got a manager who always gets the best out of his own players and he also knows how to make things tough for their opponents regardless of what division they’re in.
“He’s enjoyed success at that level and, remember, they’ve won their last six matches on the spin and have only been beaten once in 19 games – a penalty shoot-out in the Carabao Cup against Liverpool at Anfield.
“And as we see every single year, the FA Cup is never straightforward for any club - once teams begin to get past the third and fourth rounds everyone starts getting the same idea, sensing they’ve got chances of reaching Wembley,” observes the 41-year-old, who came within just five agonising minutes or so from lifting the famous old trophy, when the Hammers ironically met Liverpool in the 2006 final. “The further you go the more difficult it becomes, especially in the later stages of the competition.”
Indeed, with West Ham leading the Merseysiders 3-2, Matty was replaced by 85th-minute substitute Teddy Sheringham for the closing moments of an epic encounter at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, where Steven Gerrard then broke Hammers hearts with a late, late-leveller that forced extra-time and a subsequent penalty shoot-out that was cruelly won by the Reds.
“We’d worked really hard to get to that final,” he grimaces, recalling victories over Norwich City (2-1), Blackburn Rovers (4-2), Bolton Wanderers (0-0/2-1) ahead of a last-eight win at Manchester City (2-1) and a semi-final success against Middlesbrough (1-0)
“I scored my one and only FA Cup goal for West Ham in that win over Rovers and we then had two really tough meetings with Bolton, beating them in a replay after a goalless draw at the Reebok Stadium. Kevin Nolan was playing for Wanderers, who were a good side and we eventually won in extra-time at Upton Park.
“The semi-final at Villa Park was another great occasion for us and, on a day when the West Ham fans were absolutely unbelievable, Marlon Harewood’s winner proved to be the difference between the two teams.
“When it came to the final itself, I was really lucky to play because I’d injured my ankle during a training session at the Boleyn Ground,” reveals Etherington. “Thankfully, the medical team worked on me 24/7 to get me fit in time to face Liverpool.
“We’d reached the Championship Play-Off finals at Cardiff in each of the previous two seasons and that experience definitely helped us coming into the game because nerves can get the better of you on occasions like that.
“Without a shred of doubt, we all turned up both as individuals and, collectively, as a team but sadly we came up against Steven Gerrard, who was on the top of his form that day.
“When I swapped places with Teddy at 3-2 - and with only those last few minutes remaining - I really thought we’d done it but Gerrard’s equaliser was absolutely unbelievable. Even today, people still look upon that match as one of the greatest-ever finals and, as you get older, despite all the disappointment you begin to appreciate just how brilliant it was to have been involved in a game like that.
“Everyone to a man put in a full shift in Cardiff that afternoon and we forced a very good Liverpool team to dig really deep, too. In the end, though, luck sadly conspired against us.
“I was fortunate enough to play in two FA Cup finals,” acknowledges Matty who was also in the Stoke City side that fell at the final hurdle against Manchester City five years later. “It was just unfortunate that I lost both of them.”
As his thoughts again turn to Monday night’s County clash, Etherington casts his mind back to November 2007, when he rammed home one of the 18 goals that he netted during his five-and-a-half seasons in Claret & Blue during a fabulous 5-0 triumph at Pride Park.
“We had good players out there and we played really well that day,” says Matty recalling a wonderful win over the Rams – the Hammers best on their travels for 45 years and a result that still remains the Club’s record Premier League away victory. “Lee Bowyer put us ahead and, from that moment on, I always felt that we were comfortable. Then, I played a one-two with ‘Bow’ in the area and scored with a low 12-yarder. I always remember my goals because I didn’t score bundles during my career!
“After that, Eddie Lewis couldn’t stop Jonathan Spector’s shot from crossing the line and then Carlton Cole – who did really well for us that day – set-up another goal for Bow, before Nolberto Solano showed everyone his technical ability to score our fifth with a brilliant 20-yard free-kick.
“Their ‘keeper Stephen Bywater had been West Ham’s goalie when I’d first joined the Club and he was great lad, who was quite a character, too, but it proved to be a bad afternoon for both him and Derby County,” confirms Matty, who has just recently ended a brief three-match stint as manager of League Two outfit, Crawley Town.
“Nothing is ever plain-sailing in football whether you’re playing, coaching or managing but although I wasn’t there long, I still know that I made the right decision to leave,” he concludes. “I’ve got my Pro Licence and totally believe in myself and what I do. Now, I’m just waiting for my next opportunity whether that’s as a first-team manager or coach or in an academy role somewhere. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens but, don’t worry, after that experience at Crawley I’ll definitely bounce back.”
