Broadcaster Ian ‘Moose’ Abrahams chats to Academy of Football graduate and Burnley star Josh Cullen, who made his West Ham United debut in a memorable win at Anfield...
A West Ham United win over Liverpool is always special. There haven’t been too many down the years either in London or on Merseyside.
Two years ago, West Ham won 3-2 at London Stadium, and there was a famous FA Cup win at Upton Park in 2016, when Angelo Ogbonna was the hero.
West Ham‘s last win at Anfield was earlier the same season, in August 2015, and that game saw a Premier League debut for West Ham Academy of Football graduate. Next season this player will be testing himself in the Premier League in claret and blue again, but not for his boyhood side, but for the team who created all the headlines in the EFL Championship all season, Burnley. I am, of course, referring to the immensely popular and talented Josh Cullen.
Ahead of tonight’s game, I caught up with Josh and began by asking him about his recollections of August 2015, and his first Premier League appearance for West Ham.
“Yeah, it was a really special day at Anfield, a 3-0 win, which will always stick in my head as my Premier League debut for West Ham,” he recalled. “I think it was the first time we had won there for 52 years, so for that to happen and for it to be my Premier League debut, it was an unbelievable day and one I will never forget.”
Like many young players, Josh had experience of playing in the cup competitions and had been involved on a match day in the Premier League squad, but when the Hammers headed to Anfield that weekend, he still hasn’t played a single minute in the Premier League. That afternoon, all that changed. So, did Josh know in advance he would get his chance against Liverpool that day? How long before coming on did he have time to prepare himself? Did the nerves kick in?
“I can’t remember how long in advance I knew about being in the squad, but I’d been travelling with the team for a while and been in and around it, and been on the bench a few times, so it was just a case of waiting for that day to come,” he continued. “When we went 3-0 up, and it was only a few minutes from the end, my chance came and it was obviously a surreal moment when you get a call from the manager that you’re coming on.
“I couldn’t wait to get on the pitch. It was an amazing feeling to know that I was going on. Obviously, growing up as a West Ham fan as a kid, to get on at Anfield and make my Premier League debut for the Club I had grown up supporting for years was obviously unbelievable. And like I said it was a feeling I can’t really put into words and one I will always, always remember.”
So, that afternoon, was it a case of Josh being really nervous when he was told he was going on, or was it a case of ‘bring it on and I can’t wait’, when he was told he was going go on the pitch?
“I think it was just a feeling of excitement, as obviously I was coming on in a position when we were 3-0 up and not long to go in the game,” he recalled. “There were always going to be nerves or butterflies, because it’s something I’ve always dreamed of, but I would say that the overriding feeling was excitement and just being really proud.
“I suppose that all the hard work over the years coming through the Academy was paying off by me making my Premier League debut at such a special place like Anfield.”
Josh had been in the Academy since the age of nine, so he’d seen a few players around him make it and play for West Ham and obviously many more not make it into the first team, so he knew how hard it had been and the journey he’d been on for a decade to achieve that moment at Anfield.
“When you think back through the Academy with all the lads you had played with, at different ages and different stages, coming through the Academy, it is only literally a tiny percentage, maybe two per cent or something like that, who go on to pull on the first team shirt,” he observed.
“So, to be a part of that small number of people who come through the Academy and manage to play for the first team at West Ham is something I am obviously very proud of, and when you look back and assess that situation of how many people got released or had to move on to different clubs during that time, it’s obviously something to be proud of and that’s something I look back on very fondly.”
Josh will, of course, be back in the Premier League next season with Burnley, after Vincent Kompany’s dominated the Championship from day one.
Josh has been an integral part of Kompany’s midfield, as he was when the pair worked together previously at Anderlecht in Belgium. When the Premier League fixtures come out in June, of course, the first games Josh will look for are the home and away games against West Ham.
“Like you said, I’ll be keeping my eye out for the West Ham fixtures!” he smiled. “I can’t wait to play in that fixture next year hopefully it’s one I’ll be looking forward to and I can’t wait to hopefully test myself in the Premier League next season.”
It may have taken Josh four years and a move to Turf Moor, via Anderlecht, to get his chance in Claret and Blue in the Premier League, but the boy who grew up and whose football education was provided by West Ham will clearly never forget his first taste of Premier League football and that memorable win over Liverpool.
