Anton aiming for perfect hat-trick

Anton Ferdinand is aiming to finish the 2011/12 season by enjoying the perfect hat-trick.

The former West Ham United defender, who was back at the Boleyn Ground for Monday's npower Championship Play-Off semi-final second-leg win over Cardiff City, is now with Queens Park Rangers.

This Sunday, Ferdinand hopes his QPR side can ensure their Premier League status by holding Manchester City, handing brother Rio's Manchester United the opportunity to snatch the title from their rivals' grasp on the final day.

Six days' later, the 2005 Play-Off final winner will be at Wembley to cheer on his former club as they go for promotion in the npower Championship Play-Off final.

Speaking to whufc.com after a weekend that also saw QPR nick a massive 1-0 win over Stoke City through Djibril Cisse's late goal, Ferdinand is feeling positive about the future for both his current and former clubs.

"It was a good weekend for me. It was a game we needed to win. We left it late but better late than never! Djibril came up trumps like he does all the time and scored a good goal. I was going for goal myself, truth be told, but Djibril was luckily in the right place at the right time to finish it off. The main thing is that we got the three points.

"Monday was brilliant. I love coming to watch the Hammers. I've been down a few times this year and it's nice to see them in the Play-Off final and hopefully in the Premier League next year."

Ferdinand was part of the side which beat Preston North End at the Millennium Stadium to gain promotion in May 2005 and the defender knows just how big and important an occasion the 19 May trip to Wembley is for the Club.

"The Play-Off final is a massive game but the calibre of player West Ham have got are big-game players - the likes of Carlton Cole, Mark Noble, the captain Kevin Nolan and James Tomkins at the back who has had a fantastic season. It's nice to see him doing very well and playing good football, especially as he's someone who is in the same position as me and was coming through when I was here.

"West Ham have got players who can really turn up the heat when it comes to big games.

"There are pressures of playing in a Play-Off final, especially at a club like West Ham where the fans expect to be in the top league all the time. With the players who have come through this club and who are at this club and the history, that's why they expect so much.

"The fans are fantastic and for the players it makes the pressure greater in a Play-Off final, knowing myself having played in it in 2005. Once you're on the pitch, though, you forget about the pressure and just get on with the game and if West Ham win, they will see how great the fans are."

Looking forward, Ferdinand is hoping he, Rio and his old pals at West Ham all have something to celebrate come the season's end.

"That would be the ideal month! Whether it happens or not I don't know but that would be the ideal month. I'm sure Rio will be on the phone to me telling me we need to get something at Man City so they can win the league!"