Article by Dean Hammond in the Essex gazette

[Easy 10]

Which they could have declined to give. Speaking out against the chairman and standing up for a player? Easy enough to say no comment.

At the end of the day, he was a team mate of theirs so its not at all surprising that they'll speak up on his behalf. Most fans at the time (me included) wanted him to stay as well. That is until he started playing silly buggers with all this "ambition" bollocks and Colchester came in with that cash offer we'd have been frankly stupid to turn down.

 

[Easy 10]

I did think that as I was writing it. Still, it's good to chip one over to the far post every now and again, just BEGGING to be finished off.

*skys it like Murray*

 

[unnameable]

If we win the play-off final this year, my first thought, on hearing the final whistle, will be Dean Hammond.

 

[Tooting Gull]

If we win the play-off final this year, my first thought, on hearing the final whistle, will be Dean Hammond.

Eh? Are you this fiancee we've been hearing so much about?

 

[Simster]

If we win the play-off final this year, my first thought, on hearing the final whistle, will be Dean Hammond.

On the other hand, I will be thinking how great it is to be a division ABOVE the stains, to be playing the scum again, thinking of the usual 4 points against Wolves, the new grounds, filling the away end at Craven Cottage and the Valley (two of fave away days).

I may then have a quiet chuckle at the demise of Colchester, and singing "you should have stayed at the big club" at Dean Hammond should they play us in the cup.

 

[Silent Bob]

Of course. Remember though, whilst laughing, that this is the player that Forster and O'Callaghan both stood up for in public during his contact talks.

And they were proved wrong, Nicky Forster said it was about ambition, well that's obviously not true because we made our biggest signing for 25 years BEFORE Hammond left. Also he joined Colchester, whose new stadium is barely going to be bigger than Withdean and who were already relegated. That's not ambition. Hammond is an idiot.

 

[Storer68]

Dean: I want to stay with U's
By Jonathan Waldron


I'm staying put.

Dean Hammond today handed relegation-haunted Colchester United a boost by pledging his future to the club.

The 25-year-old tenacious midfielder only arrived at Layer Road from Brighton and Hove Albion in the January transfer window.

However, there had been fears among some U's followers that he might look to leave in search of Coca-Cola Championship football.

But despite the club's likely return to League One, Hammond has said he is happy to stay at Colchester and has not even contemplated the prospect of leaving.

He told the Gazette: "Colchester have given me the opportunity to play and I want to play for them.

"We've got the new stadium around the corner, we have a good squad and leaving has not even entered my mind."

"

did he not say pretty much the same thibg to us this time last year?

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

To my surprise Albion have looked more settled in centre mid since Hammond left, I was one who was dissapointed when he went but our form has steadily improved since his departure in my view.

I am sure that he now regrets leaving to go to the U's but the the retroscope is a marvellous device aint it

 

[NS Herald]

If we win the play-off final this year, my first thought, on hearing the final whistle, will be Dean Hammond.

Mine will be will we be able to keep/get hold of players like Rancon & Westy cause without them we wouldn't be where we are.....

 

[SeagullTim]

Why does he say - "Colchester have given me the opportunity to play and I want to play for them."

It's as if we didnt give him the oppurtunity. IMO, its not to oppurtunity to play he wants but the oppurtunity to receive large amounts of money every week

 

[BensGrandad]

and could tackle.

That was his biggest fault he could NOT tackle without giving away a free kick usually just outside of the box in the centre of the goal. His favourite ploy was a 'scissor' tackle but each time he tried it he got penalised.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Ambition.

 

[Spunk Bubble]

That interview could just as easily have been written for the Argus about Brighton.

Happy to play League One football
New Stadium round the corner
Likes to play football
etc.

Either he's fallen out with someone here or Colchester paid him more. I cannot see any other reason for one of the most pointless football switches of recent times.

He was a local boy who came through the ranks to make it to captain the side. It just seems so bizarre he swapped that for a hopeless team.

It would be funny if we did make the play-off final, and even better if we won it, swapping places with the U's.

I would absolutely love it !!!

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Ever been had? this wa surely an April Fool's gag and I knew it as soon as I spotted the following line.....

...."The 25-year-old tenacious midfielder...."

 

[itszamora]

He was a good player for us and as Yorkie says the typical as-soon-as-he's-left-he-was-shit-all-along stuff has come out from some people which is sad really.

Having said that, and although I do think him a bit of a dick for leaving, if we were to go up my first thought wouldn't be about him, it would be pleasure at seeing us go up cos I really couldn't give a f*** about him now he's left. Sure, I'll probably have a chuckle at it at some stage, but promotion's surely about much more than putting one over someone who thought they were too good for our club?