23 April 2006
VIDEO: Middlesbrough 0-1 West Ham

Marlon Harewood fired the Hammers to their first FA Cup Final in 26 years, prompting Alan Pardew into a victory jig.

West Ham have brought real belief back to the people of London's East End after reaching The FA Cup final for the first time in 26 years.

Just a year on from being promoted to the Premiership via the play-offs, Alan Pardew's men travel back to Cardiff to face Liverpool in The FA Cup Final on 13 May.

Such has been the transformation of the club from Championship side to Premiership force, that fans of the Upton Park club believe that nothing is beyond their team's reach now - not even the Cup itself.

It's fascinating that only a year after his manager's job was in doubt, Pardew has now become a favourite with the people on the streets of the Barking Road.

One Green Street resident said: "Pardew has turned it round. Marlon Harewood, who got the goal on Sunday, was bought for next to nothing.

"We're all singing Pardew's praises now. I bet all the players that left when we were relegated wished they'd have stayed here now."

Older fans have fond memories of the days in the sixties and seventies when England World Cup winning heroes such as Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore graced Upton Park.

Nigel Reo-Coker, at just 21 years of age, will lead the team out at the Millennium Stadium as the youngest West Ham captain since Moore.

Players like Reo-Coker keep up the club's tradition of being known as the Academy of Football, and patient fans know there is more to come from this young side - especially with European football guaranteed next season.

One Barking Road shopkeeper has seen the glory days of old, and feels them gradually coming back, saying: "These players are a lot younger than the team of Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore, but they've got time to grow.

"They've progressed so quickly already - but I think it's the air round here that does that.

"Pardew's put a team together without all the money that the other teams have had, and we've still got the homegrown talent we've always had."

Stay with TheFA.com as we build up to West Ham's big day at Cardiff.