To start with, I was only on trial. ‘Come down and see if you like it,’ West Ham said. Well, I quickly realised how genuine West Ham were, especially when I met people like Jimmy Hampson and Tony Carr, the academy director. I just sensed their honesty and that they’d do right by me. Brian Nichols was the Under-14s manager then, and he was so friendly that he immediately made me feel comfortable. From the start, I felt part of the family and played with a smile on my face.
