Joe Cole looks set to return to his first club West Ham United, so Football Burp mosied on down to online Hammers joints Knees Up Mother Brown and West Ham Online to see what the Irons faithful had to say about it.

It seems that some are excited, some are cautiously optimistic, while others still resent the manner in which Cole left Upton Park in the first place…

BenniBlanco, Knees Up Mother Brown…

Over the moon

Well done West Ham!

Gazza_AZ, West Ham Online…

I really hope Joe Cole does well for us – but I do worry about the salary that we are paying – presumably less than Anelka – but more than Maiga. Welcome home Joe – lets see some end-product from you this time.

ShanghaiHammer, Knees Up Mother Brown…

Rationally speaking, this is potentially one of our best signings recently.

It’s easy for people to say ‘he hasn’t done anything recently’, but he has the ability and determination to really succeed for us, and I don’t think I’m going overboard in saying that he could have a shout for Brazil 2014.

As long as we don’t get him injured.

LAF, West Ham Online…

What interests me about JC’s homecoming is to see if the team that nurtured him can – unlike Chelsea, England and Liverpool- play him in the role he was designed to excel in, centre mid playmaker. I’m looking forward to all doubters proved wrong if we can exploit his creative talents by providing him with the role of feeding the front players and spraying balls out to the wings. Surely this is what we’ve bought him for and the reason why he is signing on. An intriging addition.

Knaphill, Knees Up Mother Brown…

Could prove to be a masterstroke signing by Sam, the kind of player that he regularly used to bring in to reignite the players career and give a boost to the whole team. I can’t see any negatives. I’m well pleased.

Ayris, West Ham Online…

Possibly the most encouraging decision I’ve seen at the club in the last two years…Back to his rightful home.

Bishops Finger, Knees Up Mother Brown…

I don’t get all this ‘coming home’ stuff – I think it’s a load of bull****!

What concerns me is his fitness and where he’s going to play. We’ve had too many lately who come in, get injured and then going missing for months!

Good luck to Joe, I hope he does well – but I’m just a bit sceptical!

Chuck D, Knees Up Mother Brown…

I’m puzzled by this outpouring of love for a player that couldnt wait to leave the club?

sicknote, Knees Up Mother Brown…

indeed

manufactured his move well before relegation, cfc mates knew it was happening in the january, all the **** defoe gets and cole did it even more underhand, or his agent did just as defoes was agent instigated

but lets welcome the arsenal fan back home its the trendy thing to do don’t you know

Whufc06, Knees Up Mother Brown…

**** me some of you are bitter. One of the best products of our Academy is coming back to play for us having been gracious and respectful of us since he left so I for one am glad to see him return. The club was an absolute shambles when he left, he’d have been an idiot not to have wanted out with the talent he had.

kthammer, Knees Up Mother Brown…

Quite simple isn’t it? Very professional player with a lot of experience on the same sort of salary as Yossi. Has a lot more to prove and could give everyone a bit of a lift. He might not be an England player anymore but he was always thereabouts. We are really short of creativity and the younger players will learn a lot from his talent but also his attitude. No-one has ever criticised him for lack of effort. My main problem was that he couldn’t shoot but look what he did to us this season…

Pub Bigot, West Ham Online…

If/when he signs, does anyone else think he’ll celebrate if he scores against Chelsea like he did when he scored for them against us?

hammer74, West Ham Online…

i would imagine if on form and fit he will be ahead of vaz te, but its alsways good to have extra players and he can play anywhere from central midfield to both wings and nolan’s role.

DaveWHU1964, Knees Up Mother Brown…

I do wonder if this is one of those Sullivan signings where the manager occasionally has to accommodate his wishes. Ravel was the last one in that category and we’ve seen about seven minutes of him in the last year, so that tells you something about what Sam might think of these Sullivan whims. We’ll see.

I really hope it works out for us and Joe. He had a frightening amount of skill as a kid and I was extremely proud that having seen him from the youth team onwards he went on to wear the three lions 50 times. I always liked him and feel that he always showed respect for us. I didn’t begrudge him his move although of course I’d have preferred he’d have gone elsewhere. It’s not like he mouthed off about it, and at the end of the day the sale of him and Johnson may well have saved the club at the time.

He has a good attitude and is a worker. Even so he will have to show Allardyce that he can contribute fully to the defensive aspects this team requires of all of its players before he gets a regular place.

Welcome back Joe. This could be fun.

How do you feel about the return of Joe Cole, Irons fans? Have your say in the comments section below…