Joey O'Brien is to leave the club after five years of service, his contract is not being renewed freeing him up for a possible reunion with Sam Allardyce at Sunderland, O'Brien had not featured for the team this season which is why he was regarded as expendable. Loanees Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike and Alex Song will also return to their parent clubs at the end of their season long loan deals, and sadly Young professionals Elliot Lee, Leo Chambers, Amos Nasha, Nathan Mavila and Jordan Brown will also depart after not being offered new contracts.
Strikers Lee and Jordan Brown, defender Chambers and Nasha all appeared for the first team while Mavilla also reached the matchday squad on one occasion. Lee, 21, made his Premier League debut against Stoke City in August 2013 and went on to make six senior appearances, scoring in the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round win against FC Lusitans in Andorra in July 2015. Nasha, 20, also made his first team debut in the same game.
Leo Chambers, 20, made three appearances for the Hammers in the Football League Cup in autumn 2013 and represented England at under 19 level, his departure is particularly sad because he showed enormous promise at one point, but succumbed to niggling injuries from which he never fully recovered. Jordan Brown made his sole appearance in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie against Astra Giurgiu in Romania last August and has since joined German Bundesliga 2 club Hannover 96. Scholars Tim Brown, 19, and Clark Bogard and Ross Elsom, both 18, have also been released.
There was always going to be a 'cull', sooner or later, but the young lads who have been let go will be feeling the pain, it is to be hoped that their careers can blossom elsewhere and we wish them all the very best in the future! -Ed
