Bywater Joins Coventry On Loan


GOALKEEPER Stephen Bywater has joined Coventry City on loan until the end of the year.

The 24-year-old stopper, who came off the bench so memorably in the Play-off Final against Preston, played 39 times in Alan Pardew's first-team last season but lost his place to Jimmy Walker.

A teenage star at Rochdale, Stephen arrived at Upton Park in February 1998 at the age of just 17.

The former England Under-21 star was part of the 1999 FA Youth Cup winning side and made his debut for the Hammers in a 5-4 thriller against Bradford City in February 2000.

He has made 67 senior appearances for the Hammers and hopes to gain valuable first-team experience with the Sky Blues.