By Harvey Byrne
Carlton Cole has left US minnows Sacramento Republic and is set to return back to the UK – and West Ham fans have humorously asked for the club to bring their former striker back.
The forward, now 33 played just four games in America, remaining goalless and Sacramento director of Football Graham Smith, told the Sacramento Bee, as quoted by the Scottish Sun that he was returning to the UK.
The experienced forward lasted nine years in east London between 2006 and 2015, which included a bizarre move where he was released from the club and then re-signed a few months later.
Now Hammers fans have taken to social media to post that they want the powerful forward to return with him now without a club.
Here are a selection of messages on Twitter:
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@CarltonCole1 @davidgold #BringColeBack
— SuperParlourfragilisticexpialidocious. (@ParlourPD) October 20, 2016
@CarltonCole1 sorry the US hasn't worked out. Come back to @whufc ? 😉
— Glennyboy (@GlenWorrell) October 20, 2016
@WestHamUtd bring back @CarltonCole1 ⚒⚒
— lisa langley (@liselou145) October 20, 2016
@jsullivanwhu @davidgold bring Carlton cole back for one last time please for a free transfer ⚒⚽️💜💙🙏🏻🙅🏼♂️ @CarltonCole1
— James Titley (@jamestitley8) October 20, 2016
Bring him back home in January @davidgold @karren_brady @CarltonCole1 #hammer4life #alwaysbelievein #coyi #hammers pic.twitter.com/jPcnC3Q66c
— Liam Haines (@djfuzion2012) October 20, 2016
FORGIVE THE SHOUTING. BUT ……… HE HAS TO BE ON HIS WAY BACK!!! ALWAYS BELIEVE IN …….. @CarltonCole1 https://t.co/N7QqWmsdWr
— Kevin Mullen (@mullers75) October 20, 2016
Carlton Cole is coming home. #alwaysbelieving https://t.co/gpn9E574iS
— ⚒️🏴 Robert Haynes 🇬🇧⚒️ (@tyreman19) October 20, 2016
Cole broke through Chelsea’s academy in 2001 and was part of the Blues side which won the Premier League in 2006, playing nine times and not scoring a goal.
He has also played at Wolves, Charlton, Aston Villa and Celtic during his career, but it was at West Ham where he became a cult figure.
He made 293 appearances while in east London, scoring 68 goals for the club.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers clash against Chelsea next Wednesday will a police presence in the London Stadium.