Former West Ham United center-back Anton Ferdinand is the first-team coach of the National League side Hornchurch FC.
At the Urchins, he will be working under Daryl McMahon, who also came through the ranks at West Ham. McMahon told Hornchurch's official website, "I’ve known Anton for a long time, probably since I was 12 or 13 years old. He’s gone on to have a fantastic career and top of that as well he’s a top, top person with great enthusiasm with a great knowledge of the game."
Ferdinand made his West Ham debut in 2003 and was, of course, always compared to his older brother, Rio. Anton Ferdinand helped the Hammers to promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs in 2005. They defeated Preston North End 1-0 in Cardiff thanks to a goal from Bobby Zamora.
It was back to the Millennium Stadium the following year as West Ham reached the FA Cup final. However, the Hammers lost to a Steven Gerrard-inspired Liverpool team. Ferdinand missed the decisive spot-kick.
The center-back played 163 times for West Ham, scoring five goals and providing two assists. He left the Hammers in 2008 for Sunderland. He then played for Queens Park Rangers and had spells in Turkey with Bursapor and Antalyaspor.
Anton Ferdinand became a journeyman after leaving West Ham
He then joined the Thai side, Police United, but did not play for them. Ferdinand then rounded his career off playing for Reading, Southend United, and St. Mirren.
Following his retirement, Ferdinand worked as a pundit on talkSPORT. He was also on Dancing on Ice, where he and his partner Annette Dytrt came third.
There is a growing presence of ex-West Ham players at Hornchurch. McMahon did not play a first-team game for the Hammers, but went on to have a solid playing career in the lower leagues of English soccer. He has been Hornchurch's manager since 2024 and has already guided them to two promotions.
Also, Rob Lee, who played for West Ham during the 2003/04 season, is Hornchurch's director of football. It is fitting that Hornchurch have these West Ham links, as they are a local non-league side for many West Ham fans.
Add us as a preferred source on Google