VIEW FROM THE STANDS

Last season was brilliant to watch. It’s by far the best we’ve been at the London Stadium, in terms of both performances and the squad’s overall likeability. This season will be different to

last because we’re in the Europa League group stage! Not even Astra Giurgiu can stop us this time.

I’ve really missed the sarcastic comments from supporters in the stands. Hammers fans come up with some absolute gems. Our most underrated player is

Angelo Ogbonna. He doesn’t seem to get spoken about outside of West Ham as much as he should.

Look out for Mipo Odubeko. He ended last season with a flurry of U23 goals, won April’s PL2 Player of the Month award and has had some first- team FA Cup minutes. The opposition player I secretly

admire is Leeds’ Luke Ayling. His effectiveness and work- rate are terrific to watch.

The pantomime villain will be Callum Wilson. He loves scoring against us, so he’s the last person we want to see in our first game. Other clubs’ fans don’t know that the ‘ TIW’ inscription in our badge stands for Thames Ironworks, the Hammers’ original name.

Our key player will be Declan Rice, if he hasn’t been sold. Not only is he technically great, he also facilitates what a lot of his team- mates do. The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is that he’s a fantastic manager and person. He’s proven anyone who doubted him ( me included) wrong over his two spells.

We’ll finish in the top eight, if we achieve the squad depth needed.