Happy anniversary boss!

Manager Slaven Bilic celebrates a year in charge of West Ham United
  • Bilic celebrates a year in charge of the Hammers

  • The Hammers manager recorded famous away wins over Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool

  • Bilic managed to get the best out of Mark Noble and secured European football once again


The 9 June 2015 will always be a special day for Slaven Bilic as he made an emotional return to West Ham United to become the 15th full-time manager in the Club's 120-year history.


After becoming a fans' favourite during his short stay as a player when he arrived in England back in 1996, the Croatian coach has now become an even bigger cult hero with the Hammers supporters following a memorable final season at the Boleyn Ground.


Bilic has steered West Ham into the Europa League for the second consecutive season and has brought a style of football and passion to the job that has been embraced by everyone at the Club.


Twelve months on from his appointment and the boss is now celebrating his first anniversary in charge of the Hammers and it has been some year to remember.


Bilic said: "I have loved this season. We expected it to be good. We knew we had potential. I spoke to my staff and with a bit of luck we knew we had a chance. Sam (Allardyce) left me a good team and well organised squad.


"Beating Spurs at home was special. It is about the journey we have had. At the start we signed Dimitri Payet and other good players. When you ask me the highlights there are so many. We beat some big teams at the start.


"The best moment for me was being so strong and solid. We didn't look like we would get beat."

From the day Bilic arrived he promised to achieve great things with the fans and he has not let anybody down.


He got to work straight away and with the help of David Sullivan and the Club's Board, they brought in 12 new players to rejuvenate the squad.


In particular the summer arrivals of Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini were a clear indication of the entertaining football that Bilic wanted to employ and it was evident from the very first game that exciting times were ahead for the east London Club.


Few could forget the big three away wins at the start of the season that Bilic orchestrated.


Victories over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City showed the Hammers could be a match for any team on their day and it was the manner of the victories that gave everyone optimism that the team could challenge at the top of the table.


Bilic made it clear that Payet was his number one transfer target and the French star quickly became a hero at the Boleyn Ground with his impressive displays and unforgettable free-kicks which saw him become one of the best set-piece takers in the world.


Add to that the flair and creativity of Lanzini and the Hammers had two of the best attacking talents in the top flight.


Bilic was also instrumental in helping to get the best out of Mark Noble after handing him the captain's armband at the start of the season.


Noble produced the best form of his career and was desperately unlucky to miss out on a place in the England squad for the Euro Finals this summer.


It was always going to be an emotional final season at the Boleyn Ground, but Bilic created a team spirit that saw the players give everything for each other as they made Upton Park a fortress and helped produce some of the best performances of the season.


Home wins over Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham and the dramatic final minute win over Liverpool in the FA Cup will live long in the memory.


But no-one will ever forget the final home game at the Boleyn Ground against Manchester United when Winston Reid scored a late winner to leave Bilic in tears at the final whistle.


That typified the emotion and passion that the Hammers manager has for the Club and he will be hoping for another magical adventure when the Club prepare to make a historic move into the new Stadium in the next few weeks.


Happy Anniversary Boss.