The West Ham fans at Stamford Bridge made their thoughts clear towards Cole Palmer after the Chelsea talisman blazed a shot over the bar: ‘You’re just a s*** Andy Irving!’
Through the entire songbook the Hammers supporters went on Monday night: ‘Andy Irving, he’s coming for you’, ‘There’s only one Andy Irving’, ‘You’re only here for the Irving’, ‘Duh duh duh, Andy Irving’, ‘Andy Irving, you’re the love of my life’, ‘Irving, give us a wave’.
It left the Chelsea fans asking the same question as many viewers watching on Sky Sports.
Who the hell is Andy Irving?
Well, he’s the Scottish midfielder who signed for West Ham from Austria Klagenfurton on deadline day in 2023 but never received an official announcement and was immediately loaned back.
He’s the 24-year-old who left Hearts on a free transfer, after loans at Berwick Rangers and Falkirk, to join Turkgucu Munchen in the German THIRD division, a club who later had to resign from the league due to financial problems. It was while there that Irving was called up for the Scotland squad.
Andy Irving is a West Ham cult hero despite only making his debut on Monday evening
He was compared to Cole Palmer, having joined the Hammers on deadline day back in 2023
West Ham fans sang his name all night as his teacher girlfriend watched on in the crowd
Now, he’s the burgeoning cult hero who impressed in pre-season and was handed his first Premier League start at Chelsea by Graham Potter.
‘His spirit, application and training merited that start,’ said Potter. ‘I think the decision was clear for Andy because he’s trained really well and I think it’s important for the group to know that. I’m pleased with him.’
And so he should be. By the time Irving left the pitch on 77 minutes, only one other West Ham outfielder had played more passes than Irving. Only Aaron Cresswell had played more passes into the box and one of his crosses had caused Filip Jorgensen in the Chelsea goal to fumble the ball.
Those behind the scenes at West Ham say he’s one of the most popular guys in the dressing room, close friends with Cresswell, Danny Ings and Max Kilman.
‘One of the nicest guys you’ll meet,’ said one source.
Potter, as he admitted, has been hugely impressed with Irving on the training ground. Irving has worked over time in the gym, three or four times a week, to get himself up to speed and ready for the rough and tumble of the Premier League.
It wasn’t clear if he’d ever get his chance but now he has. It’s not just Potter – and the Hammers fans – who believed him, but also his teacher girlfriend who moved down to London from Scotland and started a new job because she was confident he would make it. She was also in the crowd at Stamford Bridge, presumably singing away.
‘Shout out to my girlfriend who was in the away stand, hopefully singing along with the songs about me,’ Irving told West Ham TV after the game.
‘At the end of May there was a job available at a school in Tower Hamlets and she opted to go for an interview, which I was all for. She had massive belief that I’d be staying for the season, so the pressure was on for pre-season for me! She’s amazing, I’m super proud of her and how she’s taken to life in London.’
On this showing, Irving will be staying and getting more chances as West Ham’s newest cult figure begins to shine.
Palmer, you suspect, will have felt honoured to be mentioned in the same breath.
