Carlton Cole in action for West Ham against Reading earlier in the season

West Ham striker available on a free transfer but thanks the fans for their support over his seven year spell at the club

i Newspaper
 
TheIPaper
The Independent around the web
E-break Time
Independent Crossword
Rio Ferdinand and Sir Alex Ferguson share a moment after the former's winning goal gave Manchester United a 2-1 win over Swansea

Rio Ferdinand retirement: The Manchester United defender earned the right to call time on his England career

After 81 caps, Ferdinand will not represent his country again

Gareth Bale battles with Ashley Cole

Andre Villas-Boas reveals meeting with 'complaining' Gareth Bale that ignited the Tottenham player's season

Bale picked up the 2012-13 Footballer of the Year award at the Football Writers' Association's dinner in central London last night

Palace’s Jamie Smith celebrates survival in 2001, ending an anxious time for Eagles fans

The Championship: Heaven and hell on the final day

Steve Kember and James Scowcroft share their memories

Sir Alex Ferguson joins in the celebrations

James Lawton: Willingness to adapt keeps Alex Ferguson and Manchester United one step ahead of the rest

He is a wonder of competitive force and working intelligence

Swansea not yet looking ahead to Welsh derby against Cardiff insists Michael Laudrup

Two Welsh sides will occupy the Premier League next season

Cardiff City fans celebrate promotion to the Premier League

Moving on up: Five things Cardiff must do to survive in the Premier League next season

The Championship side secured promotion last night with a draw against Charlton

Craig Bellamy celebrates Cardiff's promotion to the Premier League

Craig Bellamy calls on Cardiff to secure promotion as champions

Premier League football is now assured for the Welsh side

Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan celebrates his team's promotion to the Premier League

Cardiff - the key games to promotion

The Welsh team secured promotion to the Premier League last night

The Sport Matrix: Wednesday 17 April 2013

Misses could prove to be costly for wasteful Arsenal

Malky Mackay has praise for the mature Craig Bellamy

Life Beyond the Premier League: How locking hyperactive Craig Bellamy in toilet became key to Cardiff's success

Malky Mackay was once so irritated by Craig Bellamy's hyperactivity that he locked him in a toilet for four hours. But the inconvenience was strictly temporary, for today Cardiff City's talismanic star has matured into a model senior pro who, together with manager Mackay, is leading the Welsh club into the Premier League.

Paolo Di Canio talking with Harry Redknapp in their West Ham days

Harry Redknapp: Why all the fuss about Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio now?

Harry Redknapp, the Queen's Park Rangers manager, said last night that political criticisms of the appointment of Paolo Di Canio as Sunderland head coach were rooted in double standards.

Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio

Chelsea captain John Terry praises 'real nice guy' Paolo Di Canio

Sunderland have been criticised in some quarters over the appointment of the Italian

Watford manager Gianfranco Zola

Watford manager Gianfranco Zola predicts Championship promotion race will go to the wire

Watford beat Hull to close the gap on second

Billy Davies has lifted Forest in his second stint as manager

Martin Hardy: Returning Billy Davies driven to 'prove the doubters wrong'

Life Beyond the Premier League

Career Services

Day In a Page

Independent Travel Shop See all offers »
Imperial Cities of Morocco
Seven nights half-board from only £799pp Find out more
Historic Sicily
Seven nights half-board from £799pp Find out more
4* all-inclusive Crete
Seven nights from only £399pp Find out more
Budapest city break
Three nights from only £229pp Find out more
James Pembroke: The man who's eaten everywhere

The man who's eaten everywhere

Few people know more about restaurants than James Pembroke, who only spent five mealtimes at home during his entire childhood.
A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

The young JFK praised 'superior' Nordic races during visits to Germany
Banned Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof to attend Cannes Film Festival 2013, his first public appearance since prison

Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

Mohammad Rasoulof to make his first public appearance since being imprisoned three years ago
Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

An exhibition explores images how photography has shaped astronomy
Eat Spam and carry on: Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating

Eat Spam and carry on

Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating
Facial hair: Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence

Facial hair

Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence
The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

Whether they're for everyday use or to make your dining table look just right, it's worth getting a stylish shaker...
Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Chief executive says trophies will come if a 'core' of suitable players is in place
Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

The Bayern Munich forward tells Tim Rich his side have to shed chokers' tag after two recent final defeats
Giro d'Italia: The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

As the Giro d'Italia tackles the brutal climb, Simon Usborne takes on the snow and switchbacks – and soon realises what the fuss is about
National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

Sent down at the Old Bailey

A tour of the world's most famous court
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
British football scores an own goal

British football scores an own goal

Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff
James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

James Lawton

Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again