10 Players Who Probably Regret Leaving West Ham

Ever assumed that the grass is always greener when first-team regulars leave West Ham? Think again.

West Ham United may have spent the first six months of the 2015-16 Premier League campaign in the top half of the table, but experiencing such lofty heights has been a rare occurrence in previous years. Since 1993, the East London outfit have only finished in eighth position or above on three occasions, something which was last achieved during 2001-2002 when the likes of Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe plied their trade for the Hammers. Despite twice being relegated to the second tier of English football since that year, West Ham have always been considered an attractive option for players looking to impress in the Premier League, but like with many clubs, they find themselves in the position of acting as a stepping stone for players who believe their future lies elsewhere. In some cases, that has been inevitable. When Alan Pardew pulled off one of the most shocking transfer coups ever when signing Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, no-one expected the Argentinian stars to reach their peak at Upton Park. However, many players in years gone by have wrongly assumed that they will achieve further success in their careers by moving elsewhere, and here are 10 examples of players who are likely to have regretted heading for the exit door at West Ham.
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A degree-educated, dart-throwing, non-smelling sports journalist based in a small Staffordshire town that has just become Floyd Mayweather's answer to the question: "What's the strangest place you have ever visited?"