West Ham United have shown that loyalty exists in football with Tomkins’ new deal

When one of your top players signs a new deal, it is always good news for a club.

It is even better when it comes on the back of a transfer window that didn’t exactly go to plan and another one of your defenders trying to land a move away from the club.

James Tomkins has been a West Ham United player for his entire career since joining as a school boy in 1996 and is understandably delighted at putting pen to paper on a long term new deal, claiming: ‘It’s brilliant that the club has shown faith in me and I’m delighted to sign [this contract].’

That much is obvious, with the Hammers clearly on the up and Tomkins showing that he can be a key member of Sam Allardyce’s squad and after making 205 appearances for the east London club, things are only set to get better for both the club and the player himself.

Tomkin’s partner at the back, Winston Reid looks like being on his way out of the club after refusing to sign a new deal – and securing the future of 25 year old Tomkins, who as a defender has his best years ahead of him will go a long way in making up for the loss of Reid come the summer.

Loyalty is certainly a concept that is becoming a little bit foreign in modern football but for Tomkins it is something that not only has he shown to West Ham, but that the Hammers have shown to him and the fact that he will be at the club when they make their move to the Olympic Stadium is something that the player is relishing and with good reason.

It is an exciting time to be a West Ham fan but it is even more exciting to be a West Ham player and for one who feels the club is in his blood, what better way to move forward than with a deal that will keep him in east London until 2020?

West Ham fans. Are you happy with the new deal signed by Tomkins? Is he a player you want in your starting XI? Let us know your thoughts below, become a guest blogger or tweet us @LaFootyettes.