Joe Cole targets trip to Wembley with West Ham

The midfielder wants to bring silverware to Upton Park

Joe Cole (GETTY IMAGES)

Joe Cole will set out at the start of the new season with the goal of taking West Ham to Wembley and challenging for silverware.

The 31-year-old midfielder returned to his boyhood club in the January transfer window after he failed to nail down a place in the Liverpool side.

He progressed through the ranks at Upton Park but only ever tasted success in the Intertoto Cup.

Now Cole, who played the second half of West Ham's 3-0 win against Boreham Wood last night, wants to see the club improve on last season's top-10 finish and collect a winners' medal along the way.

"I think the ambition of the club at the moment is improvement," he said.

"But for me personally, I would love to finish better than 10th but I would love to take this club to Wembley because at the end of the day they are the days you remember in your career - it would be a massive achievement.

"You look at Swansea and Wigan last year and that is their day, we would like a bit of that because it has been such a long time since West Ham have been there, so that would be nice."

Sam Allardyce led the Hammers to 10th on their return to the Barclays Premier League and has already added to his squad ahead of the new campaign.

The stand-out signings are those of Andy Carroll, who spent last season on loan at West Ham from Liverpool, and Romania captain Razvan Rat - brought in on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Cole believes the calibre of such players proves that West Ham are able to attract big names.

"It is a boost for the club and shows where we are going," he added.

"Andy Carroll is a young, England centre-forward and clubs do not usually sell them and he is a big talent. He did a good job and we just want him to get fit and come back because he is a big part of our team.

"West Ham is a big club but it has been starved of success. You look at where we are in London and people want to come here and play in London and play for West Ham.

"It is great that players like Razvan and Andy are coming in and hopefully there will be a few more as well."

PA