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At this stage of the season clubs like West Ham have little to play for except the finishing position bonus that they receive depending on how high up they finish, but this season could have ended differently but for a ridiculous injury list that at some points beggared belief and some lamentable performances epitomised by the loss to Wimbledon in the most open of FA Cups for 20 years!

The words brilliant, or magnificent, or exceptional are often banded around when people refer to football players who left a marked impression, not the sort of 'impression' that Billy Bonds might have left on an unsuspecting striker, more something of great significance.

The West Ham United team that takes to the pitch at the beginning of next season will be barely recognisable from the team that played most of this season, the injured will have returned and the 'lame' released as Manuel Pellegrini looks to take his team to that 'unicorn' of targets, a top six place in the Barclays Premier League. In the past, many have tried and in most cases failed miserably, although 'H' Redknapp did manage to achieve a top six finish once back in 1999!