From 'Allardyce Out' to dreams of a top four finish, 2014 has been a crazy ride for West Ham. The Hammers huffed and puffed to safety over the back end of last season, but some clever business during the summer allowed ‘Big Sam’ to take his side into this Christmas with a genuine shot at Champions League qualification.

As always, we’ve been following the action closely, and here are five of the best Irons reads of 2014…

Six players to follow Kouyate to West Ham

Kouyate

Cheikhou Kouyate has been one of the Hammers’ top signings so far this term, and the Londoners almost followed up his arrival with a few more coups…

West Ham are said to be one of a number of clubs across Europe looking to sign Anderlecht’s Cheikhou Kouyate, who can play either at centre-back or in central midfield.

The club have already begun the process of improving on last season by appointing Teddy Sheringham as an attacking coach, with Sam Allardyce under pressure to improve the quality of football at Upton Park.

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West Ham fans fuming as club announces new crest

Allardyce

Back in July talk of a new crest got Irons fans a little irate…

West Ham’s move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016 has been shrouded in controversy from the very beginning.

The Hammers faithful were sceptical, while fellow Londoners Tottenham and Leyton Orient tried their hardest to get a piece of the pie.

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Six free transfers West Ham should still consider

Big Sam

Who doesn’t love a freebie? After Allardyce snapped up some released players last season, he was linked with a few at the end of the summer.

Even though the transfer window has closed, that doesn’t mean that West Ham cannot get yet more business done. Sam Allardyce has shown a willingness to delve into the bargain basement in the past, with Carlton Cole a product of the freebie market, which could tempt him back in in the coming weeks.

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Moyes in for Allardyce at West Ham: A good idea?

Moyes

Allardyce hasn’t always been popular, and Moyes was a candidate to replace him not so long ago.

Since the 2011/2012 season when Sam Allardyce took over West Ham after their relegation to the Championship, the former Bolton manager has come under heavy scrutiny from the fans, despite guiding them to promotion and keeping them in England’s top flight for the third season in a row. Quite a feat with the managerial merry-go-round an unpredictable theme, year after year, not just in the Premier League, but in all four divisions in the country. But with calls for Big Sam’s head being made from all four corners of the Boleyn Ground and a vast amount of managers available, why are the owners ignoring the demands of the fans?

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Six players to follow Zarate to West Ham

Zarate

He may be on his way out soon, but the Argentine-born attacker caused a stir when he arrived over the summer. West Ham also wanted a few others through the door at the same time…

After heading off to Italian football after his one-year loan spell at Birmingham City, Mauro Zarate finally looks to be heading back to the Premier League with West Ham.

The Argentine has had a very productive season back in his homeland with Velez and it’s understandable why West Ham are interested in bolstering their attacking options with the diminutive forward.

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