The past dozen years have provided an unprecedented rollercoaster ride for West Ham United, both on and off the pitch. Six managers, four owners, three playoff finals and one classic Cup Final later, Kirk Blows looks back on the booms and busts, the characters and controversies that have featured in his hard-hitting local newspaper columns.

The past dozen years have provided an unprecedented rollercoaster ride for West Ham United, both on and off the pitch. Since 2001, the Hammers have recruited six managers, had four different owners, played in three winner-takes-all play-off finals, enjoyed two promotions (having endured two relegations) and starred in an all-time classic FA Cup final. After the club endured the collapse of the chairman's banking empire and the Carlos Tevez saga, it was saved from financial ruination and now looks set for the Olympic Stadium. Former Hammers News editor and popular local newspaper columnist Kirk Blows has been there at every step, offering hard-hitting, opinionated analysis of events, campaigning and complaining on all the topical issues with an obligatory gallows humour. And now he pulls no punches looking back on the club's fight for elite status, the heroes and villains including Di Canio, Tevez, Zola and Allardyce; Gudmundsson, Gold and Sullivan.