More departee's from Upton Park: this time long-serving coach and ex-keeper Ludek Miklosko followed later by stab victim Calum Davenport who has reportedly accepted a pay-off to get him off the books.

Rumours of Ludo's exit are doing the rounds, with talk of the Czech disagreeing with the new owners about aspects of the club since Gold and Sullivan moved in. It must also be said though that there are further stories circulating that Miklosko has a serious back injury and has passed on the coaching reigns to Kevin Hitchcock. With neither party electing to comment, the real reason may not become known for some time.

Miklosko was a good servant of West Ham arriving during Lou Macari's brief tenure in 1990, playing 374 games for the Hammers. He was named 'Hammer of the Year' in 1991 during a blinding season where the giant Czech seemed to stop everything that came his way in what proved to be a promotion season. Ludek received 40 caps for Czechoslovakia and 2 caps for the Czech Republic in an excellent career, retiring in 2001 through injury before turning to coaching.

As a last hurrah, I feel it only right if we all join in the song. Sing up now:
''My name is Ludo Miklosko / I come from near Moscow / And I'm playing in goal for West Ham (West Ham) / When I walk down the street / Everybody I meet / Says oi big boy! whats your name?"
Repeat ad finitum

With regards to Davenport, with the defender facing a court charge following a stabbing incident that was thought to have put an end to his career, the pay-off rumoured to be in the region of £250,000, has probably saved the club many thousands in salary.

In fairness, Davenport had a good loan spell with the Hammers during Alan Pardew's spell as boss in the Championship and West Ham's initial decision to buy him from Spurs didn't look quite the poor decision it later became and, fully fit, it's likely Davenport may have got a chance in the centre of defence this season. Still, pity we can't claim back the £3m we paid Spurs for his services though.