Scott's Rally Cry

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Scott Minto is hoping that the Hammers can put the Chesterfield performance behind them - and emulate the form which saw them beat Chelsea in the league last Saturday.

"I have to say that Birmingham is very important, more so than midweek even. We want to get to mid-table at least as soon as possible," he says.

"We've really got to get back into that group and even if we win on Saturday we won't be happy to be in the position we are.

"I can't put a finger on why we are where we are but we have got fantastic team spirit as we showed when we came back twice to beat Chelsea.

"Against Manchester City in the last home game the fans showed they were very appreciative of what we were trying to do and stuck with us."

Scott was involved in a certain amount of controversy against his old side last Saturday and says: "I don't want to say too much about the referee. I don't think he had a bad game as such but Paolo was saying he must have been pulled three or four times and yet there was one bit of argy-bargy and he has given a penalty to them - the ref was selective in what he wanted to see.

"It was very frustrating and I was gutted to concede a penalty and get a card to go 1-0 down. That was hard to take, but we battled back really well.

"We could have been two or three up and we were disappointed not to be but we showed great team spirit - and we needed those three points desperately."

Much like Michael Carrick, Scott helped get rid of some of his recent frustration out by scoring from the penalty spot at Saltergate midweek - and banishing the memory of missing a spot kick on September 11th last year when the Hammers lost to Reading on penalties.

"I am happy with how I have played and I feel very hard done by with what has gone on but I have been training hard and hopefully I can go on a run now as I still don't feel 100% fit.

"We have got three good left backs at the club and whoever is in has to do a good job.

"I felt quite confident taking the penalty and it was nice to score after missing last year. I know what it is like for the guy who did miss for Chesterfield - the gaffer should stick me up front!"

And, in defence of Michael, he says: "He is a future England international and has been unlucky with some sections of the fans but when he was warming up against Tottenham the supporters were singing 'there's only one Michael Carrick.'"

Of the game overall, he says: "We played exceptionally well in the first half and we should have killed the game off - and we are angry about that.

"They got in some great blocks and were solid defensively and whoever you play the other team will always get a chance or two.

"We were all angry. The forwards were that we didn't score more and the defenders were because we conceded.

As for the argument between Tomas Repka and Paolo Di Canio, he says: "I think they were arguing about what time they would be going to dinner together the next day. Paolo was insisting it should be seven o' clock and Tomas said it should be later..."