ALAN Pardew has admitted that West Ham's fans will play a
crucial role in the Club's promotion challenge.
Pards takes his team to Turf Moor to face Burnley tonight and is
hoping the Hammers will be backed by the brilliant travelling
support they have received this season.
"The fans have been excellent over the last few games,"
he insisted. "At Wigan on Saturday they gave us tremendous
support, and even in the two home games before Easter when results
didn't go our way they still backed the team right to the final
whistle.
"I think our fans have made a conscious decision to put the
problems and frustrations of this season behind them, and really
back the team in this final part of the season.
"I thank them for that, because if they support us like they
have been doing recently then they're going to play a vital
part in our push for promotion over these last seven games.
"This is going to be a really tough run-in and we need
every single West Ham fan behind us right now.
"It's no secret that this team plays better when there is
less pressure on it, and we reaped the reward of that at Wigan.
"More than at most clubs, the fans are so important to West
Ham United. They've been brilliant and I hope they continue to
back us throughout this tough period, because we'll be going
all out to deliver what they want."
Fan Force
5th April 2005