West Ham's youth academy director Tony Carr, the driving force behind the club's hugely successful youth policy has been awarded the Barclaycard Free Kicks Champion Award.
The award, presented to Tony yesterday by a former protege, Joe Cole, is given to those within football considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the game.And Carr - who has spent almost 30 years with West Ham, and is responsible for bringing the likes of Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick through the ranks - must rate as one of the most deserving recipients.
Whilst others have perhaps basked in the glory over the years it has been Carr who has driven the club's highly successful youth system - a system which has been the backbone' of the club's relative success in recent seasons.
As well as bringing through the cream of London's youth to top flight prominence Carr's players have raised well in excess of £30m for the Club in sales - a astonishing figure, and bar TV revenue the source of the club's biggest income in the last three years.
Speaking on the club's website tonight, a delighted Carr revealed:
"30 years is a long time in football - let alone in professional football. Our Chadwell Heath training ground has been painted a couple of times since then!"
And explaining the philosophy behind the club's youth policy - upon which he has worked for a touch under 25 years - he added:
"When a kid joins West Ham the emphasis is firmly placed upon fun, allowing kids to feel comfortable with the ball at their feet before developing a tactical understanding of the game.
"As a club we not only develop the kids on the pitch, but as much effort is put into maturing them off the field too. We work very closely with schools, welfare officers and local groups to ensure they are given the best opportunities possible. Even if they don't go all the way I think they never regret the experience."
Despite having previously worked with the likes of Tony Cottee and Paul Ince at youth team level Carr's most successful period came in the late 90's, especially when, in 1999, his team produced a stunning 9-0 aggregate win over Coventry City (including Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland) in the FA Youth Cup final - the culmination of several years hard work which had seen the club's youth policy transformed, thanks in main to Carr.
Perhaps his biggest success was Rio Ferdinand - the lad from Peckham who Carr nurtured before West Ham sold him to Leeds United for a then world record fee of £18m in 2000.
Yet less than 12 months later another Carr player - Frank Lampard - was sold to London neighbours Chelsea for £11m - a total of almost £30m for two players, representing a deserved reward for the years of diligence spent on the open fields of Chadwell Heath.
Barclaycard's Sponsorship Director, Nic Gault, said of the award:
"As a football fan, there is no greater sense of thrill to see a local, home grown talent break into the first team and then to make the grade at international level.
However, players like Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick don't just happen over night, and we are delighted to recognise Tony's - and his team's - vast amount of time and support given to the next generation of players coming through the ranks."
The award - and a cheque for £1,000 - were presented to Tony by Joe Cole at Chadwell Heath this morning. KUMB's congratulations go out to Tony.
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