West Ham will be helped in their quest to return to the Premiership by Liverpool's Neil Mellor after the young striker signed a one year loan deal with the Upton Park side today.
Despite impressing for Liverpool in previous appearances, Mellor remains well down the pecking order at Anfield behind Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Harry Kewell and young French forward Florent Sinama-Pongolle.
Glenn Roeder hopes Mellor can form a potent partnership with Jermaine Defoe and stg£285,000 signing David Connolly and is excited about the trio's potential.
Roeder said: "I'm of the same opinion as Gerrard Houllier. He's an excellent prospect and he's come in here on a year's loan.
"We'll make enough chances for those three to score enough goals for us to come back up."
Talking to Liverpool's official website Mellor spoke of his disappointment at leaving Liverpool but his belief that it was the right move for him.
"The manager pulled me to one side before the Aberdeen game and told me about West Ham's interest," said Mellor.
" He said he thought it would be a good move for me because I would be playing regular first team football instead of just playing a few matches and then reserve team football with Liverpool.
"Of course I'm upset to be leaving Liverpool because I've been there a while and I know everyone at the club," he added. "But I can see this is a good chance for me. If I score a lot of goals for West Ham and have a good season with them then I can be pressing for a place in the Liverpool team this time next year.
"I want to give a good impression of myself down there and do as well as I possibly can, but my long term dream is still to play for Liverpool. I believe that can happen one day and if taking a year out is the best move for me to make at the moment then I'm happy to do it.