Football: Hammers act on Hammam words

THE Football Association will today receive an official protest from West Ham United regarding the behaviour of Sam Hammam, the owner of Wimbledon, at Upton Park on Saturday.

The Hammers were incensed by comments Hammam had scrawled in felt-tip on the wall of the away dressing-room. 'I'm not prepared to repeat the words used but they were absolutely disgusting,' Peter Storrie, the club's chief executive, said. 'We are making the strongest protest possible to the Premier League and the FA.' Scotland Yard has also reported the incident to Lancaster Gate.

An unrepentant Hammam said yesterday that he was 'astonished' when Billy Bonds, the West Ham manager, and his assistant, Harry Redknapp, walked into the Dons' changing-room two hours before kick-off. 'They were completely in the wrong but sought a confrontation,' Hammam said. 'They knew the owner of Wimbledon would be embarrassed. No one should be in a visiting team's dressing-room without being invited. It is my sanctuary and I tried to throw them out.

'They were out of order but wouldn't listen and, instead, showered me with the most abusive and derogatory things you could imagine. Then they called the police.

'If I want to write that Vinnie Jones is this or John Fashanu is that it is my own business, no one else's. It's part of our match build-up and my players love it.'

While one London dispute flares up, another threatens to die down. Teddy Sheringham, who was one of the Tottenham Hotspur players most vocal in support of the ousted Terry Venables, is close to agreeing a new deal that will keep him at White Hart Lane for the rest of his career.

'I signed a good contract when I arrived last season and I've still got three years left to run,' the 27-year-old England forward said. 'I will be talking to Ossie (Ardiles) about an extension, taking it up to four or five years, but if I agree to that I will expect to see a big improvement. It would almost certainly be my last contract so the terms have to be right.'