If Alan Pardew ever needed reminding of how valuable Danny
Gabbidon is to his team, the proof was there for all to see during
the dying moments of our 2-2 draw with Everton on
Saturday.
In his post-match press conference, the Hammers boss described his star defender as having gone 'beyond the call of duty' to prevent David Moyes' men from snatching a last-gasp winner, when he dived in front of substitute Simon Davies to bravely divert a dangerous cross over the bar from inside his own six-yard box.
His efforts denied the visitors what would have been a certain winner but, with typical modesty, the Welsh international insisted afterwards that it was all in a day's work.
"I wouldn't say it was beyond my duties!" says Danny. "I'm a defender and it's my job to clear the ball. I knew someone was coming in behind me and I just tried to get my head underneath it and clear it over the bar.
"To be honest, I wasn't really sure what had happened - I half expected to get back up off the floor and see the ball in my own net, but thankfully I got the right contact on it.
"In the end, I think we were all happy to come away with a point," he added. "Our level of play dropped off slightly in the second half and Everton were probably the better side.
"Maybe if we'd got another goal in the first half it would have killed the game off but, at 2-1, they were always going to come out and make it hard for us.
"The main thing, though, is that we didn't lose, and it's another point to add to our tally, so we'll look forward and hopefully get back to winning ways at Bolton on Saturday."
In his post-match press conference, the Hammers boss described his star defender as having gone 'beyond the call of duty' to prevent David Moyes' men from snatching a last-gasp winner, when he dived in front of substitute Simon Davies to bravely divert a dangerous cross over the bar from inside his own six-yard box.
His efforts denied the visitors what would have been a certain winner but, with typical modesty, the Welsh international insisted afterwards that it was all in a day's work.
"I wouldn't say it was beyond my duties!" says Danny. "I'm a defender and it's my job to clear the ball. I knew someone was coming in behind me and I just tried to get my head underneath it and clear it over the bar.
"To be honest, I wasn't really sure what had happened - I half expected to get back up off the floor and see the ball in my own net, but thankfully I got the right contact on it.
"In the end, I think we were all happy to come away with a point," he added. "Our level of play dropped off slightly in the second half and Everton were probably the better side.
"Maybe if we'd got another goal in the first half it would have killed the game off but, at 2-1, they were always going to come out and make it hard for us.
"The main thing, though, is that we didn't lose, and it's another point to add to our tally, so we'll look forward and hopefully get back to winning ways at Bolton on Saturday."