5 of the best West Ham academy graduates ever

#2 Michael Carrick

Carrick: As good as it got in the midfield

Another one of those stars who ended up joining Tottenham at the end of their West Ham careers, Carrick joined the Hammers’ academy way back in 1997 and climbed through the ranks gradually.

The current Manchester United vice-captain spent loan stints at Swindon Town and Birmingham City, where he made six and two appearances respectively. Carrick won the FA Youth Cup in 1999 and ended up making his first-team debut in the Intertoto Cup that very year.

It was in the 2000-2001 campaign that Carrick broke into the West Ham first team, making as many as 41 appearances in all competitions for the Londoners. He sealed a £3.5 million move to Tottenham in 2004 and his performances attracted interest from United, who viewed him as a successor to Roy Keane.

The Red Devils shelled out £14 million to sign the man from up north and the rest, as they say, is history.