Aaron Cresswell brings the curtain down on 11 years at West Ham in the season finale at Ipswich and he has been in reflective mood.
Graham Potter has ruthlessly decided to let Aaron Cresswell leave West Ham.
There had been speculation the Hammers were going to extend Cresswell’s stay for another year.
Especially given he has been one of the better performing players – and arguably best-performing centre-back – under Potter.
West Ham took many by surprise, though, when they announced Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and Vladimir Coufal were all being released.
The defender goes down as one of West Ham’s best value signings of the Premier League era having arrived for just £3.5m from Ipswich in 2014.
Departing Cresswell reflects on 11 years at West Ham
So it is somewhat fitting that he will play his last game in the claret and blue back at Portman Road.
A club like West Ham can be like a revolving door at times.
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Last summer was a prime example with a turnaround of 21 players – that’s nearly an entire squad’s worth of comings and goings.
So if you have been at the club for over a decade like Cresswell, you will have had too many teammates to remember.
Cresswell’s roster runs into the hundreds.
Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images
Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images
The 35-year-old Liverpudlian has become an honorary cockney in his time at the club.
Ahead of his final match, Cresswell has been in reflective mood.
And now he has named his top five West Ham stars, with no mention of Declan Rice.
Cresswell sent an emotional video message to fans last week in which he teared up and was visibly emotional at the prospect of leaving.
Rice led the tributes to Cresswell in response to his Hammers farewell.
Cresswell snubs Rice as he names his top five West Ham stars
Vice-chair Karren Brady was savaged by West Ham fans when she responded.
Anton and Rio Ferdinand feel Cresswell should’ve been granted a testimonial – and they’re not alone in that thinking.
But the departing Hammer appears to have made peace with the decision now as he picked out the top five players from his time at the club.
In a rather damning indictment on how West Ham have spent their money in recent seasons, only one is a current teammate.
Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport/CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport/CameraSport via Getty Images
Cresswell’s damning indictment on current West Ham squad
Interestingly there was no mention of Rice – despite the former skipper being regarded as one of the best all-round players at West Ham for years.
And one pick in particular may just surprise everyone.
First Cresswell was asked to pick out two players who helped him most when he first came to West Ham.
“I think Nobes (Mark Noble) and Kevin Nolan were the ones who really helped me settle when I first came in,” Cresswell told the club’s website.
“They were my first two captains, and they helped me understand what it means to play for this club, which I’ve tried to pass down as I’ve got older.”
Then came the difficult question – to pick out his top players from the hundreds he has shared a dressing room with in the last 11 years.
Antonio and Snodgrass in Cresswell’s West Ham top five
“I’ve played with some wonderful players,” he added.
“In terms of attributes, there’s Robert Snodgrass’ left foot, Michail Antonio’s pace and power, Winston Reid’s defending, Dimitri Payet’s attacking and Nobes’ leadership.
“There have been so many good players and coaches during my time here, and I’ve loved every minute.”
Snodgrass was a great character at West Ham and while Cresswell is spot on about his left foot, he is a surprise pick.
Like Cresswell, Antonio has been a fantastic servant for West Ham and the next best bargain at £7.5m.
Reid was a brilliant defender whose career was sadly cut short by those injury issues. He could have been a Hammers great and how the current side could do with a prime Reid right now.
Payet and Noble speak for themselves.