Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterAlan Pardew admits that things got off to a rocky start at West Ham United - but ultimately left the club with few regrets by the time he was done there.The former Hammers boss took the reins in October 2003 following Glenn Roeder's dismissal a couple of months earlier.Pardew's departure from Reading proved to be lengthy and acrimonious before he got to East London, however, with the Royals unwilling to allow their manager to leave to take the West Ham job.Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List"We went to Cardiff three times during my time there"Pardew told FourFourTwo: "I was put on bloody gardening leave for three months. The Reading owner, John Madjeski, wouldnt strike a deal with West Ham even though they were willing to pay up the remaining time on my contract."Football-wise, I actually went from a team who were doing better than West Ham at the time. You may like How Michail Antonio's mother influenced his early football career by rejecting a Spurs offer Dougie Freedman was blocking my transfers, so I texted him that he wasn't my manager Id be playing for myself. Within two days I was at West Ham" Michail Antonio on dark arts that got him his Premier League move At West Ham, I told Slaven Bilic Ill never play at right-back! Mark Noble argued with me, so I stormed off and got a taxi home Michail Antonio on his shifting roles at West Ham And the problems on continued from there: "I inherited quite a few problems at Upton Park with the likes of David James and Jermain Defoe making it clear they wanted a move following relegation."I had to change things around and tried to do what Id done at Reading by recruiting hungry young players such as Marlon Harewood and Nigel Reo-Coker."Get the FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Pardew's Hammers lost in the play-off final to his former club Crystal Palace at the end of his first season in 2004/05.But West Ham went one better the following year, earning promotion after returning to the Millennium Stadium for another play-off final. This time, they prevailed over Preston North End.A solid 9th-place finish and a FA Cup final defeat to Liverpool in 2006 after that late Steven Gerrard equaliser was the pinnacle for Pardew. A dreadful start to the following campaign despite the signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano saw him dismissed shortly before Christmas.Pardrew reflects happily on his time at Upton Park on the whole, though, saying: "We had some great moments there."We went to Cardiff three times during my time there because Wembley was closed two play-off finals and the FA Cup final vs Liverpool."The supporters loved those trips to Wales!"TOPICSAlan PardewWest Ham UnitedSteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.With contributions fromIan Murtagh
