OUR attractive home third round FA Youth Cup-tie against West Ham United has been fixed to take place at Home Park on Wednesday, December 9 (7pm).

The Hammers have an enviable tradition for developing their own home-grown talent dating back to the contribution of Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst to England's 1966 World Cup triumph.

Current England stars Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick are the latest to begin plying their trade at the Boleyn Ground and now be poised to seek further reflected World Cup glory for the East London club.

Amongst the present West Ham Premier League squad are three exceptional Academy graduates in defender James Tomkins, midfielder Mark Noble and striker Zavon Hines, whilst another promising defender, Jordan Spence, is furthering his football education in the Championship, on loan at Scunthorpe United

West Ham have won the FA Youth Cup on three occasions - in 1963, 1981 and 1999 - and they are taking their visit to Home Park sufficiently seriously to be sending representatives to spy on the Young Pilgrims in Saturday's Youth Alliance game against Oxford United at Elburton Villa's Haye Road ground (11am) and next Saturday's Youth Alliance Cup clash with Millwall at Dartmouth FC's Longcross ground (11am).