Chris Powell
Last updated : 26 September 2004 By The Rambler
I caught up with Chris Powell earlier today at Nottingham after his West Ham outfit had thrown away 3 points to lowly Nottingham Forest.
DerbyMad: This seems to be the Chris Powell tour of the East Midlands.
Chris Powell: Yes we played at Forest here today then I'm going back to one of my spiritual homes in Pride Park. It will be great to see a lot of the fans and people who are still there but I don't think that there is one player left there now from my days which is a shame. It will just be great to go back and play at Derby. I always wanted to go back in some shape or form and now I am on loan at West Ham it will be great to go back.
DM: Of course there are people like Gordon Guthrie and Peter Melville still there.
CP: Yes and Billy Mac (McEwan) is still there. So on the staff side there are still some faces and some guys who were very instrumental in helping me, and helping me when I was in the team in the late nineties. It will be good to see them but after losing against Forest we badly need a win, and sad to say, I hope it is at the expense of Derby. But I hope they do well. The crowds look like they are coming back. It's a hard task for George Burley after all the money problems, but hopefully he will stick at it and the team will do well.
DM: You were always popular at Derby and I am sure you will get a good welcome, but maybe not as good if you hadn't just gifted Forest their first 3 points of the season.
CP: Yes I know. I've seen a lot of Derby people who were hoping that we would beat Forest today, but now we desperately need the 3 points after giving them away today. I must admit they were 2 superb goals by Forest, but we were in control and should have won.
DM: What is your situation with West Ham?
CP: I'm only there for the one month as far as I'm aware but I'm still owned by Charlton, I'm still a Charlton player. I've enjoyed it at West Ham. I haven't enjoyed the result today, but the previous results have been good. It's a very good club. A very big club with a tremendous fanbase and I'd like to stay longer but we will just have to wait and see what Alan Pardew wants to do and what Alan Curbishly wants as well. Obviously if there are injuries there he is within his rights to call me back at the end of the month.
DM: A number of players have settled here at the end of their careers, I don't imagine as a Londoner the same would be true of you.
CP: Well it is funny you should say that. My wife and I always enjoyed it when we were up here. We didn't have children then. We do now and it is a nice part of the world to bring a family up. I don't know but I've always enjoyed coming back. Maybe I'll ponder it in the future. I may end up at Derby in some shape or form. You never know. It was a marvellous part of my life and I've always enjoyed going back to Derby. The people have been fantastic and i think Wednesday will be a special night for me.
