The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Hammers hero up for premier challenge
WEST HAM’S Wembley match-winner Ricardo Vaz Te is determined to make the most of his second chance.
The former Hibs player was on the football scrapheap two years ago after being released by Bolton following three injury-hit seasons.
The 25-year-old Portuguese winger had unhappy spells with Panionios in Greece and the Easter Road side before pitching up in Barnsley, where Hammers boss Sam Allardyce plucked him from in January.
That £500,000 punt looks like a bargain after Vaz Te’s dramatic late play-off final winner sank Blackpool 2-1 and earned west Ham the estimated £90 million promotion to the Barclays Premier League brings.
“I feel I have been blessed with a second chance in my career and I’m cherishing it,” said Vaz Te.
“The Premier League is another big step, a challenge. We must go there with the mentality that we are a Premier League side, not fighting for relegation.
“We are going to go there and give it our best.”
The Hammers were pre-season favourites for automatic promotion but missed out on the final day to Reading and Southampton and had to go up the hard way.
Carlton Cole fired them ahead in the first half and Thomas Ince, son of former Hammer Paul, dragged Blackpool level just after the interval.
But Vaz Te struck with three minutes remaining when he tucked away the rebound after Cole’s effort was blocked to ensure West Ham bounced back from last season’s relegation at the first attempt.
Blackpool, with former Rangers and Scotland captain Barry Ferguson and ex-st Johnstone striker Stephen Dobbie in their ranks, were unable to repeat their play-off final victory of two years ago.
The Seasiders lit up the Premier League for the one season they were in the top flight, but their relegation led to the squad being disassembled as other clubs picked off their prized assets.
Key figures such as Charlie Adam, DJ Campbell and David Vaughan left Bloomfield Road.
Scottish intenationalist Matt Gilks hopes that boss Ian Holloway can avoid a fire sale this time round.
“It will be a big call for us to go again next season after this, but it was a big call this season after relegation last year,” said Gilks, who was persuaded to sign a new two-year contract after relegation from the Premier League last summer.
“But we will pick ourselves up, have a really good pre-season and go to it again.
“We have competed against some very big teams this season with big budgets and we have proved that we are decent footballing team.”