By JAMES CLARK
Hammers have been hit-and-miss on the kit front for many a year, especially when it comes to playing away from home. The simplicity of the home kit over the years --- claret bodice, sky-blue sleeves -- has always been countered by the unpredictability of what we take the field in away from the confines of Upton Park. In my years of supporting, there have been a few hits (Fila's dark blue of the 2001 FA Cup upset at Old Trafford, plus the same Italian outfit's sky-blue effort that was rolled out at Anfield in the first proper match under Glenn Roeder's managerial reign) and a miss (think Reebok's near-black pyjama-like take on the kit that, as Paolo DiCanio famously said, made us "look like Wimbledon"), so it's good to see there's a nod to tradition with the advertising campaign -- see photo above -- for this year's clobber. Even more encouraging is the fact that Academy youngsters like Freddie Sears, Mark Noble and James Tomkins are at the forefront of the advertising blitz, proving that West Ham still calls upon the heritage of Tony Carr, Cassetari's and Ken's Cafe when it comes to the essence of what English football really means to the great unwashed languishing out there.
