Words Andrew Murray
West Ham 5-4 Bradford February 12, 2000 Premier League
“So much drama. I watched it again on Premier League Years a little while ago and the type of football we played was insane – a different sport compared to now. I scored my first league goal for the equaliser after we went 4-2 down – I jumped into the crowd in the place I used to sit. But you also had Paolo Di Canio asking to come off because the referee didn’t give him a penalty, then Paolo and Frank Lampard fighting over who’d take another penalty! The game was end to end – it summed up West Ham of that period: attacking football and occasionally shooting ourselves in the foot. We didn’t win anything, but that entertainment is why fans fondly remember the team. I thought we’d nicked a point, then Frank popped up with a brilliant late winner. Amazing.”
Chelsea 4-2 Barcelona March 8, 2005 Champions League
“I don’t know what it was, but we just found another 10 per cent that night. I was lucky enough to share the pitch with some greats and that Barcelona team was full of them – Xavi, Iniesta, Deco, Eto’o, Ronaldinho and Messi still to come through – but we were in top form and went 3-0 up. Ronaldinho then scored possibly the finest goal I’ve seen on a football pitch – a stab from the edge of the penalty box with defenders all around him and no space to move in – that silenced the home fans, who’d been absolutely rocking up until that point. I still can’t believe he scored that, but we rallied and John Terry headed home a second-half corner to clinch it. I played the full 90 minutes and felt like I really belonged in one of the best atmospheres I’ve been involved in.”
Chelsea 3-0 Man United April 29, 2006 Premier League
“We knew a victory would mean we’d retain our title and I bagged the second goal, one of the greatest I ever scored. I must have had about 100 tickets that day as friends and family wanted to be at Stamford Bridge, and celebrating with them in the players’ lounge after was special. It’s
