Toon tirade awaits Andy Carroll again

ANDY CARROLL is desperate to erase the memory of his nightmare return to Newcastle.

The former Toon hero was jeered before being hauled off in his first return with parent club Liverpool last season.

Carroll stormed down the tunnel just moments after he was booked following a dive that saw him confronted by former team-mate Tim Krul in April’s 2-0 defeat.

Now the £35million hitman returns as a West Ham player on Sunday expecting another red-hot reception — but bidding for a different outcome.

England ace Carroll, 23, said: “I am looking forward to going home.

“I went back with Liverpool and I got a few boos and a bit of stick but it was all good.

“I want to go back now and hopefully win this time because last time I went we were beaten.”

Gateshead-born Carroll faces a rough ride from the fans who have not forgiven him for forcing through a deadline-day move to Anfield in January 2011.

But Hammers skipper Kevin Nolan hopes the Geordie boo-boys now show Carroll some “respect”.

Nolan, also a former Magpies favourite, said: “Andy might not get the best reception because I know he has been back there and got a bit of stick.

“I am hoping that Andy gets respect, as they know what efforts he put in when playing for Newcastle and helping them to be where they are today.

“I won’t speak to him specifically about it before the game — he is a big character.

“We both had some fantastic times up there.

“Now 50,000 people are going to want to boo us. But if we went out in the evening they would probably still want pictures.”

Carroll is still waiting to break his West Ham duck and has now gone over seven hours since scoring for his new club.

But midfielder Nolan, 30, added: “Is Andy anxious? You have got to be joking.
“But we are all hoping that the first goal he scores for us is on Sunday.

“We want him to get off the mark and hopefully win the game for us and break a few hearts.”