Anton Ferdinand hardly had time to wipe the jet-lag from his eyes before he was on stage at Washington Elementary School in Kearny, New Jersey, belting out tales of Academy life at West Ham United.
The Hammers icon—never shy of a tackle or a tall story—strolled in alongside Hammerhead the mascot and turned an ordinary Thursday into a goose-bump moment for more than 100 excitable youngsters.
‘Football always comes first’—and the rain won’t stop it
The heavens opened, so the kick-about shifted indoors, but nobody’s mood got damp. Ferdinand launched straight into his journey from the famed Chadwell Heath academy to the roar of the Boleyn Ground crowd, then fielded a flurry of sharp questions from pupils who clearly knew their football onions.
After that, the former centre-half took on a seven-against-one in the gym, goals flying like confetti while the kids tried every trick in the book to nutmeg a Premier League veteran.
“Football always comes first at West Ham United, but right up there is being at the heart of communities, championing grassroots football and inspiring people of all backgrounds, that rings true in east London and everywhere we go.
It was great to meet the students and staff at Washington Elementary, their passion for the game is clear to see.”
Autographs flowed, selfies stacked up, and—because it happened to be Teacher Appreciation Week—Ferdinand slipped a signed claret-and-blue shirt to principal John Adamski, a memento for the school trophy cabinet.
A mini-pitch with maxi ambitions
Washington Elementary has been football-mad ever since the Kearny Futures Field mini-pitch opened in 2023, funded by the Premier League and EA Sports with help from the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Governor Phil Murphy and the local district. That partnership, says U.S. Soccer Foundation chief Ed Foster-Simeon, is only warming up:
“It is great to be back at Washington Elementary School where we opened a mini-pitch back in 2023 for another fun day of soccer with West Ham United.
It’s clear from today and what we have planned this summer that West Ham and the Premier League care deeply about community and we are thrilled to work with them to ensure that more youth, especially those in under-resourced communities, have access to our game.”
Governor Murphy weighed in, too, tying the day to New Jersey’s growing status as America’s football capital ahead of the Premier League Summer Series and the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
“New Jersey is thrilled to host the Premier League Summer Series this July, further cementing our region as the soccer capital of the country…”
Countdown to the MetLife showdown
West Ham’s visit is part of a wider charm offensive before they face Manchester United at MetLife Stadium on 26 July.
With the clock ticking, Ferdinand joined ex-Hammer Nigel Reo-Coker at Newark’s celebrated Ironbound Soccer Club, fifteen-time New Jersey state champs who give kids of every background a fair crack at the game.
Reo-Coker, skipper the last time West Ham earned promotion, loved the honest graft he saw: “It was a pleasure to be a part of an amazing football conversation about the modern game and management of players.
Coaches who have a true love for the game and development of players are the lifeblood of grassroots football and must be supported at all costs.
“I’m proud to work with West Ham United and the Premier League to do that here in New Jersey.”
Grassroots gold, straight from the East End playbook
Anton Ferdinand didn’t just sign shirts and disappear; he showed kids that top-flight dreams start on bumpy local pitches, that guts and graft count as much as glitz.
The message rang out clear: football’s for everyone—whether you’re a Kearny fifth-grader chasing down a loose ball in the gym or a seasoned pro eyeing the Stretford End in July.
And if that spirited afternoon is anything to go by, the Premier League Summer Series will feel less like an exhibition and more like a reunion—one where the East End’s beating heart meets New Jersey’s restless soul and, together, they make the beautiful game sing.
