Fulham midfielder Jimmy Bullard says he'll always be grateful to Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp for kicking off his pro career at West Ham.

He said: "I went to West Ham on a two-week trial when I was 19 but I was so knackered by the full-time training I went straight to bed after every session.

"That first week nearly killed me but I did enough for Harry to sign me and I had three fabulous years at Upton Park, even though I never actually played for the first team.

"Harry was brilliant. What you see is what you get with him and it's no surprise Spurs have picked up.

"But I left West Ham when Harry went in 2001 because I was starting to question whether I was good enough to make it as a pro.

"It was a gamble to leave but it paid off as I came on leaps and bounds at Peterborough and even more when I went to Wigan two years later."