West Ham United are set to play in the first round of the Carabao Cup for the first time in over a decade, following their relegation to the Championship. The Hammers last entered at this stage in 2011, when they hosted Aldershot in the then-Carling Cup at Upton Park, suffering a shock 2-1 defeat to the League Two side.
The Starting XI That Night
Manager Sam Allardyce fielded a team that included several players who would go on to have varied careers. Here's a look at what happened to each of them.
Ruud Boffin
Belgian goalkeeper Boffin made only three appearances for West Ham. He left in 2012 and spent a decade in Turkey, making over 100 appearances for both Eskisehirspor and Antalyaspor before retiring in 2022. He even scored a goal from a free-kick deep in his own half.
Julien Faubert
Faubert, known for a loan stint at Real Madrid, played as a full-back under Allardyce. His last game for the club was the 2012 play-off final. He then played in Turkey, France, Scotland, Finland, and Borneo, and represented Martinique internationally before retiring in 2020.
Winston Reid
Reid stayed with West Ham and helped them return to the Premier League, becoming captain and a fan favourite. He scored the last league goal at Upton Park. Injuries plagued his later career, and he retired in 2022 after a farewell international appearance for New Zealand.
Callum McNaughton
Making his debut, McNaughton was sent off for a last-man foul. He was loaned to AFC Wimbledon and later joined permanently. He spent most of his career in non-league football before moving to the US for teaching and coaching.
George McCartney
The Northern Ireland international was in his second spell at West Ham, joining on loan from Sunderland. He signed permanently after promotion and finished his career at Upton Park. Now 45, he works as an assistant coach at Linfield.
Pablo Barrera
Barrera, who joined after the 2010 World Cup, underwhelmed during the relegation campaign. He left on loan days after the Aldershot game and later returned to Mexico, playing over 300 Liga MX games before retiring in 2025.
Junior Stanislas
Academy graduate Stanislas scored West Ham's goal against Aldershot. He moved to Burnley within a week, later reuniting with Eddie Howe at Bournemouth. He retired in 2023 and has since moved into coaching, working at Ipswich.
Kevin Nolan
Nolan, a marquee signing, took the captain's armband and helped clinch promotion. He later managed Leyton Orient and Notts County, returned to West Ham as a coach, and had a spell in charge of Northampton Town.
Freddie Sears
Sears, an academy product, played as a wide forward. He moved to Ipswich, where he played over 200 league games. Now 36, he plays for Maldon & Tiptree, where he was the top scorer in the Isthmian League North with 29 goals last season.
Frederic Piquionne
Piquionne, who followed Grant from Portsmouth, suffered relegation again. He scored twice in the Championship before a loan to Doncaster. He retired after spells in the US, France, and India, and had a brief coaching stint at Everton women.
John Carew
Norwegian striker Carew made his first start against Aldershot and scored two league goals that season. He retired in 2013 and has since become an actor, appearing in productions including the Netflix series Home for Christmas.
