I’m a former England and Champions League star, but I’m embarrassed to say I played for West Ham

FORMER Newcastle star Kieron Dyer has opened up about his ill-fated spell at West Ham.

The former winger played for the Hammers between 2007 and 2011, making 35 appearances for the East London club during that time as he struggled with injury.

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Dyer says his then undiagnosed liver condition contributed to his injuries[/caption]

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Dyer suffered a broken leg 10 days after joining the club[/caption]

Unbeknown to him at the time, he was struggling with a liver condition which contributed massively to his susceptibility to injury.

In an interview with TalkSPORT yesterday, Dyer admitted that despite this, he gets “embarassed” when people call him a West Ham player because he never got to put his best foot forward for the Hammers.

Dyer signed for West Ham when he was 28 in what was meant to be the prime of his career.

But he was desperately unlucky with injury during his spell at the Boleyn.

The winger broke his leg just 10 days after making his debut for the club.

At the time, Dyer was unfairly maligned for his inability to stay fit – but his diagnosis with a liver condition after he hung up his boots meant things made sense.

In 2019, he was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis – an incurable liver disease.

Dyer received a liver transplant to save his life this year.

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Dyer says that when he was playing he was unaware of his condition, and this contributed to his susceptibility to injury – although he says Hammers fans were always supportive of him.

He told Jim White’s TalkSPORT show: “I still get embarrassed being called a West Ham player.

“It pains me because I went there at the peak of my career. I was one of the top-paid players and I could just never stay fit, I feel embarrassed for the fans and for myself.”

When Jim White replied that those injuries were likely caused by his liver condition he said: “Yeah of course.

“But at the time, to be on the wages that I was on, it pains me because they should have had the best of me.

“They had probably seen the worst of me, I like the fans as well, they were always respectful to me, I just couldn’t get on the pitch for them.”

Dyer had previously played in the Champions League during his time at Newcastle, and won 33 caps for England.

He would leave Upton Park in 2011 to join Ipswich Town, his former club, on a short term loan deal.

After his spell at Ipswich, he joined QPR on a permanent basis in 2011 where he made just five league appearances.

Following a short spell at Middlesbrough, Dyer retired in 2013.

Since hanging up his boots, Dyer has entered the world of coaching.

He currently works as a coach at Chesterfield in a consultancy role.