Goddard Returns

Former Hammers striker Paul Goddard has returned to Upton Park…as First Team Coach alongside new manager Glenn Roeder.

Goddard, the club's record £800,000 signing when he joined us as a player from QPR 20 years ago, was confirmed as Glenn's No.2 this morning.

Paul rejoins us from Ipswich Town, where he gained a good reputation as coach to their successful under-19s.

He completes the manager's backroom reshuffle, which sees the retention of Roger Cross as coach and Reserve team manager and Tony Carr as Youth Academy Director, while John McCarthy has been appointed fitness coach.

Goddard, 41, scored 71 goals in 213 League and Cup appearances for John Lyall's Hammers before, frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities due to the prolific Tony Cottee/Frank McAvennie strike partnership, he left to join Newcastle United (where Glenn Roeder was also a player at the time) in October 1986.

And Paul scored in a claret and blue shirt again last Sunday…the goal for West Ham veterans' against Arsenal that sealed Hammers' victory in the final of the Southern Masters six-a-side tournament!

MD Paul Aldridge expressed his satisfaction with the appointment, saying: "We are very pleased that Paul has decided to join the club. He is an excellent young coach with a very good reputation within the game and I am sure he will complement Glenn very well."