The 2001-02 season was a season all West Ham United fans anticipated with a combination of intrigue and excitement, fascinated by how new manager Glenn Roeder would fare, thrown unexpectedly into the deep end of Premiership Management for the first time. After a few hiccups on the road, Roeder's Hammers side set about building a team that became almost unbeatable at home, in addition recording memorable away wins at Old Trafford, Craven Cottage and Portman Road. Amongst the squad, new names came to feature regularly in discussions around the East End of a weekend: fourteen-goal super sub Jermain Defoe, elevating himself to the status of club top goalscorer and Upton Park hero, along with Hammer of the Year Sebastien Schemmel, a permanent signing of Glenn Roeder's, and England's first team goalkeeping understudy David James. Don Hutchison returned to Upton Park and, with ever-present Christian Dailly, regularly displayed his Scottish international form in a West Ham United shirt. Steve Lomas and Ian Pearce fought their way back to the first team from lengthy injuries, each finding a scoring touch for the club along the way. Upton Park favourites Paolo Di Canio and Fredi Kanoute continued to find the back of the net, and Trevor Sinclair, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick demonstrated their silky England skills weekly at the ground to thrill the East End fans. It was a season to celebrate, and one which promised great things for Glenn Roeder's Claret and Blue Army, Finishing theseason in seventh place in the Premiership, West Ham United have clearly proved they are a side ready to climb to new glories and stories of footballing achievements into the twenty-first century.
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