Nigel's New Deal Delight

NIGEL Reo-Coker has expressed his delight after signing a new contract to stay at Upton Park until 2010.

The England Under-21 international has started every match in the Premier League for Alan Pardew's men this season having captained the Club to Play-off Final victory at the Millennium Stadium.

And having put pen-to-paper on a new five-year deal the 21-year-old former Wimbledon trainee is pleased to have his future secured at the Boleyn Ground.

"I'm really pleased that a long-term deal for me to stay with the Club has been sorted out," he said. "For me personally it's great to have everything signed and sealed.

"It's been a fantastic start to the season for the Club and I'm really pleased with the way things are going. There is a really great atmosphere around the training ground and we've assembled a squad that is proving it can hold its own in the Premiership.

"Winning promotion via the Play-offs was a fantastic achievement for the Club last season, but we have continued to progress and we want to make sure we continue improve as a team this season.

"Since I arrived at the Club I've been very happy here and I'm looking forward to being part of what I believe will be a very bright future at West Ham United."

Nigel joins up with the England Under-21 squad this week to take on Austria and Poland, determined to continue his remarkable rise through the ranks, which has seen him handed the captain's armband by Peter Taylor.

"It's been a good start to the season for me," he said. "There were a few people who didn't think I was good enough for the Premiership, but I was determined to prove them wrong and hopefully I've gone some way to doing that.

"I want to show people what I can do at this level. I think that I've done pretty well so far, but I've got to make sure I keep my level of performances high because this is a demanding League.

"Playing at the highest level there is a lot of pressure on to keep performing well, but I relish the challenge at both club and international level."