Young Hammers hot-shot Freddie Sears certainly has an eye
for goal, and has also set his sights on following fellow local lad
Mark Noble into the first team one day.
Freddie, this season's winner of the Doris Bell Most Improved Player award, selected by Youth Academy Director Tony Carr, knows he is just at the beginning of his football life but, after forcing his way into the starting-line up for the Under-18s and reserve team this year, is aiming to go to the top.
"I started the season on the bench and had to fight my way into the youth team," he says. "Once I was in the team, I knew I just had to make sure that I was playing as well as I could to keep my place. I did this and went on to start more games after this. My game got stronger and I have thoroughly enjoyed the season."
Freddie, although only wanting to play at every opportunity, knew that he had to bide his time. He says: "It was frustrating, because all I wanted to do was play football. You want to be out on the pitch showing everyone what you can do. But it was case of taking my chance when it came along and making the most of it.
"I love to score goals and my aim was to try and score in every match. As the season went on, the whole team became more confident and we got some really good winning runs together."
Freddie netted 10 league goals for the Hammers youth team and was on the scoresheet three times for the reserves, where he also made his mark.
"All the goals I scored for the youth team were great, but the highlight for me this season has to be the first goal I scored for the reserves, against Portsmouth," he says.
"It's a step up in terms of the levels you are used to playing, but it has been a very good experience. You get used to it, I never really got nervous, just in each game tried to do better every time."
Like his team-mates, Freddie is aiming high and his thoughts on the next campaign are of more reserve games and to be included in a travelling first team squad.
He said: "For the youth team, hopefully we can be successful in the FA Youth Cup, that would be good and I want to be in the reserves on a regular basis next year. Hopefully I can progress to being part of a first team squad and from there, the aim to make it on to the bench. There is a long way to go, but they are my aims.
"Someone like Mark Noble is an inspiration, as he is a local boy, who has gone through the same ranks like me and has shown what can be achieved if you work hard enough and keep pushing yourself. What Mark has done already drives me on to want to do the same.
"It's about grabbing your chance and giving 110 per cent every time you train and play."
For Tony Carr, Freddie's continuing progress and hard graft earned him the right to the award.
He says: "Freddie didn't start many games at the beginning of the season. He was just a squad player but came off the bench to score some vital goals from that position and slowly but surely, grabbed his chance. He got himself in the team and made himself first choice by the end of the season.
"He gets the accolade on that basis that he worked hard on his game and forced his way in. Freddie became the leading scorer for the youth team and got a few goals for the reserves as well, stepping up to that level quite well.
"We're now waiting for him to develop more physically, and once that happens, in about 18 months, I think we will have a very good player on our books."
By Laura Burkin
Freddie, this season's winner of the Doris Bell Most Improved Player award, selected by Youth Academy Director Tony Carr, knows he is just at the beginning of his football life but, after forcing his way into the starting-line up for the Under-18s and reserve team this year, is aiming to go to the top.
"I started the season on the bench and had to fight my way into the youth team," he says. "Once I was in the team, I knew I just had to make sure that I was playing as well as I could to keep my place. I did this and went on to start more games after this. My game got stronger and I have thoroughly enjoyed the season."
Freddie, although only wanting to play at every opportunity, knew that he had to bide his time. He says: "It was frustrating, because all I wanted to do was play football. You want to be out on the pitch showing everyone what you can do. But it was case of taking my chance when it came along and making the most of it.
"I love to score goals and my aim was to try and score in every match. As the season went on, the whole team became more confident and we got some really good winning runs together."
Freddie netted 10 league goals for the Hammers youth team and was on the scoresheet three times for the reserves, where he also made his mark.
"All the goals I scored for the youth team were great, but the highlight for me this season has to be the first goal I scored for the reserves, against Portsmouth," he says.
"It's a step up in terms of the levels you are used to playing, but it has been a very good experience. You get used to it, I never really got nervous, just in each game tried to do better every time."
Like his team-mates, Freddie is aiming high and his thoughts on the next campaign are of more reserve games and to be included in a travelling first team squad.
He said: "For the youth team, hopefully we can be successful in the FA Youth Cup, that would be good and I want to be in the reserves on a regular basis next year. Hopefully I can progress to being part of a first team squad and from there, the aim to make it on to the bench. There is a long way to go, but they are my aims.
"Someone like Mark Noble is an inspiration, as he is a local boy, who has gone through the same ranks like me and has shown what can be achieved if you work hard enough and keep pushing yourself. What Mark has done already drives me on to want to do the same.
"It's about grabbing your chance and giving 110 per cent every time you train and play."
For Tony Carr, Freddie's continuing progress and hard graft earned him the right to the award.
He says: "Freddie didn't start many games at the beginning of the season. He was just a squad player but came off the bench to score some vital goals from that position and slowly but surely, grabbed his chance. He got himself in the team and made himself first choice by the end of the season.
"He gets the accolade on that basis that he worked hard on his game and forced his way in. Freddie became the leading scorer for the youth team and got a few goals for the reserves as well, stepping up to that level quite well.
"We're now waiting for him to develop more physically, and once that happens, in about 18 months, I think we will have a very good player on our books."
By Laura Burkin