Bye Bye Mackay

Hammers defender Malky Mackay is being linked with a free transfer move to Championship side Watford.

The former Celtic defender joined the Hammers in September 2004 from Norwich in a move worth an estimated £300,000. However the emergence of the Anton Ferdinand/Elliott Ward partnership meant that first team appearances were increasingly limited for the 33 year old last season. Like the recently departed Andy Melville, Mackay found himself at the back of a very long queue for a place in central defence following the signings of Danny Gabbidon and James Collins. Given that both Tomas Repka and Christian Dailly have also been known to play in that berth the future looked bleak for the Scottish international.

Mackay's departure will reduce the number of first team players with the same surname as characters from the TV sitcom "Porridge" back to two -though neither Carl Fletcher nor Shaka Hislop is currently first choice in their current position.