Hot Toddy

Svetoslav Todorov says he is glad he has seen the 'real' West Ham before the season was out.

Toddy, who made his first start for the Hammers at the weekend to set up two of the three goals - and win man of the match awards in some newspapers - has not witnessed, or been part of, the Hammers in full flow since his arrival for a bargain £500,000 from Litechs Loveks this winter.

But the win over Southampton, and the second half performance, raised the roof, and the Bulgarian international says: "It was a great atmosphere, the fans were great, and the result was great!"

His two back heel assists (do you get double points in fantasy football for that?) made up for his miss against Manchester City the previous Saturday,
and he adds: "I was quite disappointed at Manchester because I missed some opportunities, but at least I could help West Ham win on Saturday."

Had he scored in that match - and he had what Harry described as a perfectly good goal disallowed when Ian Pearce was alleged to have pushed the keeper - Manchester City would already have been down by the time they went to Ipswich on Monday evening.

As it is, former Hammers midfielder Matt Holland helped consign them to the drop with his equalising goal before Ipswich went on to win.

It means that Middlesbrough no longer need the point they would otherwise have possibly required on the last day to stay up at City's expense.

And that means, ironically, that Todorov could well drop to the subs' bench that he has occupied for much of the second part of the season, in order to make way for Jermain Defoe's Premiership debut.

Harry has said that he will give the young striker a run if, as is now the case, nothing rests on the game.

But the striker has no complaints, and says: "It depends what Harry Redknapp wants, but I would like to play more regularly. I am settling in here without any problems, and it is a great club."

He knows the Hammers have under achieved this campaign, and adds: "The new season will bring new hopes; everybody wants West Ham to be in a higher place than we are at the moment."