EXCLUSIVE

Michail Antonio says there are ‘no limits’ to what West Ham can achieve as the Hammers prepare for their first season at their new Olympic Stadium home.

The 2015-16 campaign was West Ham’s last at the Boleyn Ground in the club’s 100-year history, with the club making a move to the 60,000-seater Olympic Stadium.

While Antonio admits that it will be difficult for the players and fans to leave the iconic Boleyn, the 26-year-old told Standard Sport that the club can build a new stronghold away from Upton Park.

“The Boleyn Ground is West Ham’s history and our entire past is there,” he told Standard Sport.

“It’s going to be weird at first, moving to a new ground, but I reckon we can make it our home.”

The tenacious winger struggled for game time during the first half of last season, but Antonio’s hard-working performances helped to convince Slaven Bilic to hand him a regular starting role at right-back.

Having already won over the Hammers faithful, scoring the equaliser against Manchester United to help win the final ever game at Upton Park was one of Antonio’s highlights last term.

“To be able to say I was one of the last players to score at the Boleyn Ground is a great achievement.

“That’s something that I’m always going to hold to myself.

“It’s the last ever game at the Boleyn Ground so we felt the nerves to get the victory so that we could send the fans home happy.”

In Pictures | West Ham's London Stadium 26 show all In Pictures | West Ham's London Stadium 1/26 A view of the crossed hammers in the East Stand from The Royal East. 2/26 A depiction of West Ham United's three 1966 FIFA World Cup Winners in The Royal East. 3/26 'Come on you Irons' adorns a wall of The Boleyn bar. 4/26 5/26 6/26 7/26 A panoramic view of The Forge and the cityscape beyond. 8/26 A seating area in The Arnold Hills set against the backdrop of a celebrated Hills quote. 9/26 A view of The Forge, with England's World Cup triumph featured on the far wall 10/26 'History prepared us for today' on the wall of The Arnold Hills. 11/26 Insignia of The Arnold Hills, a private dining club named in honour of the Club's founder. 12/26 Insignia of The Royal East, a contemporary lounge celebrating East London triumphs. 13/26 Portraits of home-grown heroes Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst in The Academy. 14/26 The Academy, celebrating the club's legendary production line of young talent. 15/26 The Arnold Hills - A map tracing West Ham's path from Hermit Road to the Olympic Stadium. 16/26 The Arnold Hills - West Ham's crossed hammers, here comprising of half crowns, the fee for a year's playing membership of Thames Ironworks FC in 1895. 17/26 The Club London atrium, leading to The Academy. 18/26 The Club's all-time record appearance holder, four-time Hammer of the Year Billy Bonds in The Forge. 19/26 The dining area in The Royal East. 20/26 The Forge - Tribute to Geoff Hurst's World Cup-winning hat-trick. 21/26 The Forge - West Ham United's European Cup Winners' Cup success. 22/26 The Great Briton pays tribute to the Club's golden trio, Moore, Hurst and Peters. 23/26 The 'West Ham Way' is celebrated in The Royal East. 24/26 'Up the Hammers', in The Boleyn bar. 25/26 West Ham's 'vision' Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: “In recent weeks it’s been hugely rewarding to see our vision for the new Stadium coming into fruition from the stunning Stadium Store to the giant iconic shirts on the concourses and I am particularly thrilled with the Club London lounges.



"I have pored over every detail of each space from floor to ceiling personally selecting each fixture and fitting." LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images 26/26 Fans' experience Brady: "You can already get a sense of the world-class hospitality we are offering to our supporters." Paul Gilham/Getty Images 1/26 A view of the crossed hammers in the East Stand from The Royal East. 2/26 A depiction of West Ham United's three 1966 FIFA World Cup Winners in The Royal East. 3/26 'Come on you Irons' adorns a wall of The Boleyn bar. 4/26 5/26 6/26 7/26 A panoramic view of The Forge and the cityscape beyond. 8/26 A seating area in The Arnold Hills set against the backdrop of a celebrated Hills quote. 9/26 A view of The Forge, with England's World Cup triumph featured on the far wall 10/26 'History prepared us for today' on the wall of The Arnold Hills. 11/26 Insignia of The Arnold Hills, a private dining club named in honour of the Club's founder. 12/26 Insignia of The Royal East, a contemporary lounge celebrating East London triumphs. 13/26 Portraits of home-grown heroes Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst in The Academy. 14/26 The Academy, celebrating the club's legendary production line of young talent. 15/26 The Arnold Hills - A map tracing West Ham's path from Hermit Road to the Olympic Stadium. 16/26 The Arnold Hills - West Ham's crossed hammers, here comprising of half crowns, the fee for a year's playing membership of Thames Ironworks FC in 1895. 17/26 The Club London atrium, leading to The Academy. 18/26 The Club's all-time record appearance holder, four-time Hammer of the Year Billy Bonds in The Forge. 19/26 The dining area in The Royal East. 20/26 The Forge - Tribute to Geoff Hurst's World Cup-winning hat-trick. 21/26 The Forge - West Ham United's European Cup Winners' Cup success. 22/26 The Great Briton pays tribute to the Club's golden trio, Moore, Hurst and Peters. 23/26 The 'West Ham Way' is celebrated in The Royal East. 24/26 'Up the Hammers', in The Boleyn bar. 25/26 West Ham's 'vision' Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: “In recent weeks it’s been hugely rewarding to see our vision for the new Stadium coming into fruition from the stunning Stadium Store to the giant iconic shirts on the concourses and I am particularly thrilled with the Club London lounges.



"I have pored over every detail of each space from floor to ceiling personally selecting each fixture and fitting." LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images 26/26 Fans' experience Brady: "You can already get a sense of the world-class hospitality we are offering to our supporters." Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Having scored 8 goals in 26 league appearances, Antonio wants to continue that momentum to produce a fruitful start to next season.

“We’re going to make it a fortress and hopefully we can do what we did this year at Upton Park. Good things are coming,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter when or where I’m playing, I’m going to give 100 per cent and hopefully I can keep pushing on with the performances I’ve had this season on to next season.”

Antonio suffered a difficult beginning after finding himself on the fringes of Bilic’s side after joining for £7m last summer.

With first team opportunities limited, Antonio’s first full game didn’t come until Boxing Day.

“[This season has] had so many ups and downs,” he said. “I started off the season quite slow, hardly getting any game time, just sat on the bench. The articles came out: ‘Michail Antonio – missing man.’”

After proving his ability, Antonio rediscovered the form that earned him Nottingham Forest’s Player of the Year award and a move to the top flight.

“I finally got my opportunity in December to get some games and then I got back to how I was originally playing,” he said.

The 26 year-old has had a season of adjusting – to a new team, in a new league – but also to a new position after a season-ending injury to West Ham’s only first-team right-back Carl Jenkinson.

However, the natural winger does not see playing out of position as a burden, but an opportunity to remain in the first-team.

“[Bilic] put me at right back and I’m still getting games so it’s just one of those things. It’s kept me in the team that I’m versatile.

“There were so many positives for me. I joined West Ham because it’s a very good, established Premier League team.

“I’ve had a great first season so I think I’ve made the right decision.

The 26-year-old’s prolific season is his latest step up the footballing ladder, having plied his trade for Tooting & Mitcham as recently as 2009.

He added: “It’s basically just hard work and dedication. I’m still staying after training, doing extra bits, always pushing myself, trying to make myself better.”

Michail Antonio was speaking on behalf of West Ham United official principal sponsor Betway’s Academy of Football project. Follow the series at #BetwayAcademy and blog.betway.com.